Chamonix Activity Review: 1st May 2013

We've had some scorching mini-heatwaves recently that have put us well in the mood for summer activities. One of the fastest growing sports here and in the UK is trail running and Chamonix is so well set-up for this particular sport that it has declared itself the "Vallée du Trail", we have detailing local trail running routes here, giving info such as maps, distances, elevation, etc.

If you need a bit of motivation to get you out onto the trails then signing up for an event is the ideal way to get focussed; the Marathon du Mont Blanc filled up in record time this year, but there are still the Trail du Fiz and the Trail des Aiguilles Rouges to consider - as well as many others that take place in the surrounding area. All these races may seem pretty hardcore but they all have shorter "sister-races" for people who aren't ready to tackle the full distance yet.

Although the Marathon du Mont Blanc (42km) and the Mont Blanc Cross (23km) are both fully subscribed, there are still places left on the Mont Blanc 10km which takes place on Saturday 29th June. It follows a challenging but fun route through the woods and alongside the river; hilly and involving a fair bit of fancy footwork to navigate the narrow twisty trails it covers 325m of ascent and the same in descent, as it is a circular route beginning and ending in the parapente field near to the sports centre. The race is well supported and you get plenty of cheering along the way from locals and fellow runners - it's a great first taste for those who want to give trail running a try.

Those who prefer a short sharp sprint (masochists, I believe they are also known as) may prefer to give the Vertical KM a whirl. Starting in the centre of Chamonix one simply sets one's sights on the top of the Brevent-Planpraz gondola and legs it up there as fast as possible. Simple as that. 3.8km and 1000m of ascent in one go, not recommended for folks with vertigo as the steeper sections involve pulling yourself up on rails and metal ropes. If that's the sort of thing that floats your boat then either go and seek professional help or sign up here.

The Trail du Tour des Fiz takes place just outside of Chamonix in the neighbouring region of Passy on Sunday 29th July. The Rochers des Fiz is the towering rock face that you can see looming over Servoz and the Tour des Fiz is a popular hiking trail that circles it's way around the stunningly beautiful plateau at the top. When I say plateau though, I don't mean that it is flat up there... far from it. The terrain undulates and changes underfoot from rocky scrambles, to lush meadows, to steep calf-burning tracks - all interspersed with lakes, waterfalls and gorges, see here for video footage of last year's event. The Quechua Tour des Fiz is the big daddy, taking in 64km and 5300m of ascent to be completed in a maximum time of 16 hours; the shorter P'Tit Tour des Fiz is a mere 30km and just 2400km of ascent with an 8 hour cut-off time. Both set off from Plaine Joux which is a popular leisure spot in the summer, so there is usually a good atmosphere and plenty of support from spectators. If either of these races interest you then you can find out more here.

The final trail event of the season is the Trail des Aiguilles Rouges on 29th September, a race that keeps the same distance but changes the route each year so you can enter time after time and always run a new course. It takes you further away from civilisation than the others and is renowned for it's thigh-trembling long ascents and knee-destroying steep descents. This year's course looks slightly more pleasant than in previous years, which is why I am giving it another go having failed to complete 2 years ago. The full version starts from Chamonix centre and ends up in Vallorcine 50km later via Merlet, Aiguillettes des Houches, Brevent, Col de la Gliere, Flegere, Argentiere and Aiguillettes des Posettes at the top of the Le Tour ski area. The shorter P'Tit TAR covers the final Argentiere to Vallorcine stretch, which might only be 15km but includes ones of the hardest climbs and steepest descents up and over the Col des Posettes. The cut-off times are quite short for this event, so speed is your friend! (Especially if you want to finish before all the free tartiflette has gone.) Inscriptions were already 82% full this time last week so get a wriggle on if you think this sounds like your kind of day out.

There is of course the almighty Ultra Trail du Mont Blanc to take into account - 168km round the foot of the Mont Blanc glacier, passing through France, Switzerland and Italy - but the 2013 edition is already fully subscribed and points are needed to enter (points are gained by completing other shorter but still scarily long races to prove that you're mad/strong enough to take part). It's a great spectator event though and the whole of Chamonix really gets behind all the various races that the event hosts with constant support and cheering for every individual or team that takes part from all over the world.

If you're in need of new running shoes (or any other kit for that matter) then my personal recommendation is to head to Ravanel Sports and ask to speak to Matt. He'll have a look at your feet, your balance, the wear on your old shoes and recommend something specific to what you want - he knows his stuff!

Should any further inspiration be needed then look no further than this incredible episode of Kilian's Quest filmed right here in Chamonix and featuring 3 time Ultra Trail du Mont Blanc winner and all-round trail running hero Kilian Jornet - enjoy!