Les Foulées du Tram

Les Foulées du Tram is a free 13 km road race from La Chapelle-sur-Erdre to the Cours Saint-Pierre in Nantes, run in October and capped at 5,000 entrants. The route is flat, with no elevation gain, so the challenge comes more from pace, distance, and autumn weather than from climbing. It is open to licensed and unlicensed men and women, and it suits runners who already have some distance in their legs as well as stronger club runners chasing the front of the field. The course enters Nantes by the Quai de la Jonnelière, then continues through the city before finishing in the historic center. Its route changes each year, which gives regulars a reason to come back rather than simply repeat the same run. The race started in 1979 under the name A Travers Nantes, with the aim of making athletics and road running accessible to the public. Thousands of runners have lined up for it, and some editions have had open contests at the front instead of obvious favorites.