Montée du Faron

The Montée du Faron is an uphill road race from Toulon to the summit area of Mont Faron in the Var department of southern France, run annually in April since 1976. It is a straightforward, difficult climb rather than a trail adventure: the current race is around 12 km, with the main Montée du Faron distance listed at about 11.5 km and 545 m of climbing. The name accurately describes what runners seek: a sustained road ascent from the city toward the mountain above Toulon. The first route started in La Valette-du-Var, followed the Route du Faron uphill, and finished at the Croix Faron fort after 14.7 km and 480 m of gain. Var-Matin created the race from an idea by Jean Mayer, and the newspaper paid the entry fee at the start to draw a large field. The race grew from a few hundred runners to a peak of nearly 1,800 starters, then changed course after two runner deaths, with new organizers, adjusted rules, and a paid entry system. Foreign athletes were later invited, and Kenyan Paul Kipsambu set the men’s benchmark at 42:26; today it is more of a regional race, usually drawing about 400 to 500 runners.