If you’re into trail running and ultra distances, you’ve probably already heard of this one of a kind race, Échappée Belle. Cutting straight through the wild Belledonne massif in the heart of the French Alps, this legendary event draws ultra trail runners from all over the world chasing a serious mountain challenge. Grab your headlamp, your poles and all your kit, brace your quads, we’re diving into the Échappée Belle races and why they’re a true gem of French trail running.
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Échappée Belle, a truly unique challenge
With several high points pushing close to 3,000 meters above sea level, the Belledonne range, set in the Alps between Grenoble and Chambéry, is famous for its rugged, rocky, untamed peaks.
Right through its heart runs one of the most technical ultra trails in France, Échappée Belle. On the menu, four race formats:
- Échappée Belle, the full crossing, with its iconic 149 km and 11,400 m of elevation gain (700 bibs)
- The North Traverse, with 88 km and 6,570 m of elevation gain (600 bibs)
- The Ridge Route, more approachable, with “only” 64 km and 4,700 m of elevation gain (600 bibs)
- The Rocher Blanc Skyrace® with 21 km and 2,000 m of elevation gain (250 bibs)
Each course delivers a different experience, and a whole lot of rocks. The organization also makes sure you discover the region, its people and its heritage along the way, but yes, mostly rocks.
Another key goal is to reduce the race’s environmental impact on the massif. Échappée Belle takes sensitive and protected areas into account, working closely with local stakeholders and rolling out concrete actions on the ground.
That’s why entries are capped for each format, so don’t wait too long to register.
Échappée Belle’s reputation is not only about how technical and tough it is. Plenty of world class ultra trail runners have come to measure themselves against the challenge this race delivers.
The current men’s record on the full crossing is held by François d’Haene (2019) in 23:55, multiple winner of UTMB and the Grand Raid de La Réunion. The women’s record is held by Emilie Lecomte (2015) in 30:09, winner of La Diagonale des Fous, Tor des Géants, and more.
A race like no other
Highly technical trails
Échappée Belle drops you into raw, protected wilderness. Expect technical trails, rocky sections and steep descents. Solid mountain trail running experience, and even high mountain know how, is essential to move efficiently and safely across this demanding terrain.
Serious elevation gain
Get your legs ready, because Échappée Belle comes with a lot of climbing, and a lot of descending too. The courses are packed with steep ascents and high passes, putting your endurance and muscular resilience to the test. Managing your effort on the climbs is crucial if you want to hold a steady pace and avoid blowing up too early. You stay in the mountains for the entire race, including 40 consecutive kilometers above 2,000 m altitude on the full crossing.
Self-sufficiency in the mountains
Échappée Belle is a race where you can feel truly alone, and no, cairns are not people. Sometimes for very long stretches, which means you’ll need to manage your nutrition, hydration and gear throughout the event. Make sure you’re equipped for fast changing mountain conditions and carry enough reserves to stay strong to the finish.
Breathtaking scenery
Échappée Belle is much more than a race, it’s a stunning visual adventure. One moment you’re on a summit with huge 360° views, the next you’re picking your way through scree fields, then you’re down in valleys beside around 30 high altitude lakes lining the route. These landscapes are the reward for every hard earned meter. Take a second to soak it all in, and let that long distance feeling of freedom and awe do its work.
The Échappée Belle races
The full crossing (L’intégrale)
With 149 km and 11,400 m of elevation gain, with almost as much elevation loss, the full crossing of Échappée Belle takes you across the entire Belledonne massif. This is a committed mountain ultra, and the challenge is massive. You can rely on volunteers all along the course. They’ll help guide you and keep you moving, physically and mentally. The full crossing is 90% singletrack, 8% forest roads and only 2% paved road.
The start is split into three waves on Friday from 5:00 to 6:00 a.m. from Domaine de Vizille. You must reach Aiguebelle by Sunday at noon at the latest (54 hours maximum). The shuttle from the finish back to the start is included in the bib price.
The North Traverse (La Traversée Nord)
88 km and 6,500 m of elevation gain, plus 7,300 m of descent, that’s the challenge waiting for runners on the North Traverse of Échappée Belle. A gorgeous sawtooth profile, big climbs, technical descents, you could almost sum it up like that. But the difficulty is very real here too, even with the shorter distance. For a large part of the route, you’re on the same terrain as the final section of the full crossing.
The start is in Fond-de-France on Saturday between 5:00 and 5:30 a.m. The finish is in Aiguebelle, open until Sunday at noon (30 hours maximum). The shuttle from the finish back to the start is included in the bib price.
The Ridge Route (Le Parcours des Crêtes)
The Ridge Route is the most accessible trail format at Échappée Belle. Careful though, it’s still 64 km with 4,700 m of elevation gain. Even if the trails are generally easier to access than on the two ultras, they remain technical, especially between Col de Claran and Fontaine Noire. For a big part of the race, you’re treated to an incredible panorama over the Alps, all the way to Mont Blanc, and of course, plenty of rocks.
The course runs between Allevard and Aiguebelle, with a Saturday morning start between 8:00 and 9:00 a.m. and a deadline of Sunday at noon (27 hours maximum). The shuttle from the finish back to the start is included in the bib price.
The Rocher Blanc Skyrace®
A beautiful 21 km loop with 2,000 m of elevation gain, starting from Fond-de-France for a technical climb through scree and mountain trails up to Rocher Blanc (2,928 m), via Sept Laux. You finish with a long, rough, rocky descent dropping 2,000 m, yes, rocks again.
Start time is 9:30 a.m. in Fond-de-France on Friday.
Get ready and sign up for Échappée Belle
You’ve got it, Échappée Belle is an unforgettable adventure that will push you beyond your limits in a truly exceptional setting. Don’t underestimate how important proper training is for these very demanding trail and ultra trail races. With RunMotion Coach, you get access to a personalized trail running training plan that takes into account your schedule, your training terrain, your level and your goals.
The big plus is that you can add S&C sessions and cycling workouts, both crucial to build strength, durability and performance across the entire race. On top of that, the app also provides nutrition tips, race strategy advice, and includes sophrology and mental preparation. Perfect for getting ready for Échappée Belle.
Expect intense moments, expect to dig deep, and expect memories that will stick with you for a long time, like the rocks under your soles.
“All that’s left to do is sign up!”