Trail de l'Anjou

The Trail de l'Anjou is a 38-kilometre trail race with 600 metres of elevation gain, starting from Saumur, a troglodytic and wine-producing town on the banks of the Loire, in the Maine-et-Loire department. This distinctive event offers a crossing of the enchanting landscapes of the Loire Valley, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, where tufa hillsides, Saumur-Champigny vineyards, and riverside trails compose a setting of quintessentially French elegance.

Saumur, dominated by its white château majestically overlooking the Loire, is one of the most iconic towns in the Loire Valley. Known for its cavalry school — the famous Cadre Noir — and its sparkling wines, the town provides an exceptional starting point for this race. Runners set off from the Loire quays before gaining the hillsides that line the royal river, following sunken lanes carved into white tufa, the soft limestone used to build the Loire châteaux and to excavate the region's countless troglodytic caves.

The Trail de l'Anjou course unfolds through the wine-growing landscapes of the Saumur-Champigny appellation, one of the finest cabernet franc vineyards in France. The trails wind between carefully tended rows of vines, pass through oak and hornbeam woods, and run along tufa cliffs pierced with troglodytic dwellings that are still inhabited today. The riverside sections offer stunning views of Europe's wildest major river, with its sandbars, wooded islands, and shifting currents reflecting the distinctive light of Anjou — that "douceur angevine" celebrated by the poet Du Bellay.

With just 600 metres of elevation gain over 38 kilometres, the Trail de l'Anjou might appear easy on paper, but the reality of the Angevin terrain holds surprises. The profile consists of a multitude of small, short but steep climbs and descents — the famous Loire hillsides — that break the rhythm and tax the legs repetitively. The tufa trails, slippery in wet weather, and the sometimes muddy sunken lanes add an unexpected technical dimension. The 38-kilometre distance also demands thoughtful race management, particularly on sections exposed to the Loire wind, which can blow strongly through the valley.

Anjou is a land of gentleness and character, and the Trail de l'Anjou is its faithful reflection. The race traverses remarkable natural and architectural heritage: the troglodytic dwellings of Turquant and Montsoreau, the Natura 2000-classified hillsides harbouring rare calcicole flora, the boires — oxbow lakes of the Loire — where grey herons and kingfishers nest. The convivial atmosphere typical of western French races, the generous aid stations enhanced with fouées — those small troglodytic breads filled with rillettes or mogettes — and Angevin hospitality make this event far more than a footrace: it is a celebration of the living heritage of the Loire, between vines and tufa, between river and hillside.