Chamonix Marathon du Mont-Blanc
For hard core marathon runners, end June

The Marathon Route

And they're off...

The Marathon starts early in the morning at the Place du Triangle de l’Amitié. Around 1400 competitors line up to take on the challenge of running from Chamonix to Argentière to Plan Praz (the Brévent mid-station).

 

From the centre of Chamonix (1035m) the runners set off along the river Arve, passing through the hamlets of Les Bois and Lavancher. It is a steady climb for about 15km until they reach Argentière at 1250m. The route then crosses the Col des Montets (1461m) in the heart of the Aiguilles Rouges game park. Following the Chemin des Diligences, the old stage-coach route, the course arrives at the hamlet of Le Buet before reaching Vallorcine (1260m), a quiet village nestled at the bottom of the valley, just on the edge of the Swiss border.

The last leg from Chamonix to Flégère

The runners then climb up to the Col des Posettes at 1997m where (if they can still see straight!) they can take in splendid views over the Mont Blanc massif, opposite the Aiguille and the Tour glacier. The route then gradually descends across the mountain passes to reach Charamillon at 1850m. A steady incline takes the runners up to the village of Le Tour (1453 m) before flattening out along the road leading to Montroc (1382 m).

After passing through the hamlets of Frasserands and Tré-le-Champ the route returns back onto the historic route of the Mont Blanc cross-country race. At the heart of the Aiguilles Rouges massif, opposite the Mont Blanc range, the route ascends until La Flégère (1875m) after crossing the magnificent Charlanon Coomb (1812m). A gentle yet progressively steeper climb makes up the final stretch, bringing the runners to the finish at Planpraz (2050 m), which offers further spectacular beautiful views of Mont Blanc.

A well-earned rest!

The beginning of the race, from Chamonix to Lavancher is mostly in the shade of the trees. However, much of the race (especially the final stretch from La Flégère to Plan Praz) is under the full glare of the summer sun. This race is much more grueling than your average marathon; not only is much of it over cross country trails and up steep ascents but Chamonix itself is almost as high as Mount Snowdon – so before the runners even set off they are struggling with racing at high altitude! This is evident in the race times; the average Marathon du Mont Blanc winner usually completes the course in around 4 to 4 1/2 hours. If you compare this with the more well-known London and New York marathons, where the average winning time is usually just over 2 hours, you can see a clear difference.

The Cross du Mont Blanc

The Cross du Mont Blanc gives less hardcore runners the chance to compete over a similar course, which is just half the distance of the marathon. At 21kms the route covers a height differential of 1300 metres, so it is still a mighty challenge.

Starting down in the Chamonix valley, the Cross follows the same route to Argentière and Montroc as the Marathon, but then takes a more direct path to the Charlenon Coomb before finishing at Plan Praz. The height gain and off-road terrain make the completion of this half-marathon a massive achievement for any amateur runner.

The 10km ‘Découverte’

10km Starting Line

For less experienced runners who still wish to challenge themselves the 10km ‘découverte’ or ‘initiation’ is a good starting point for competitive trail running.

Starting and finishing in the Chamonix Valley the 10km course follows the river into the woods of Les Bois, before climbing around 250 metres up to Lavancher and then dropping back down again along some fairly steep walking trails. It then loops back round to the river and finishes back at the starting line.

The Marathon Festivities

Winners on the podium

For those who would rather cheer from the sidelines there is plenty to keep you occupied whilst the runners are slogging it out. Giant screens are erected with live feeds to different points of the race, so you can keep an eye on the action from Chamonix. Many people hike up to Flégère or Plan Praz (you can take advantage of the lift system if you prefer!) to cheer on the competitors as they reach the final stages of their race. The villages along the route often have a good turn-out of spectators, so the runners enjoy plenty of support and there is a good atmosphere throughout the valley. Entertainments such as climbing walls, bungee trampolines and live music add to the fun and the weekend culminates in the prize giving ceremony at Place du Triangle de l’Amitié (the open space in front of the Tourist Office).

 

There is usually a celebratory buffet meal or ‘Pasta Party’ after the Cross and the Marathon races, giving competitors the chance to meet, chat and congratulate each other on their achievement.