Les Galopades du Patrimoine 2026

Les Galopades du Patrimoine is a semi-night road race series in the center of Alençon, a town in Orne, Normandy, France. The races take place around mid-September, offering distances from a 1.8 km youth run to 6 km, 7 km, and 13 km city races. Despite its name suggesting a connection to horses, this is a running event focused on Alençon’s streets, monuments, and local history. The route guides participants through the town center, passing Alençon’s architectural heritage. The town is known as the “Queen of Laces” because of its renowned lace-making tradition. The event embraces this local identity with the phrase, “We don't do things delicately here... although!” It attracts a wide range of participants, not exclusively specialists. Registrations can fill quickly, with organizers targeting over 2,000 runners. The event has a long-standing local presence, maintaining a website and social media page for race news, entries, and updates.