Trail à la belle étoile - Cherbourg-en-Cotentin 2026

Trail à la belle étoile is a night trail race held in Équeurdreville-Hainneville, within Cherbourg-en-Cotentin in Normandy's Manche department. The race takes place in November and features four distances: 8 km, 12 km, 21 km, and 42 km. The shorter routes have modest elevation gains, with 80 meters for the 8 km course and 120 meters for the 12 km course. The half-marathon route climbs 269 meters, and the marathon route gains 838 meters. The event is designed for runners comfortable with running after dark, not solely for those aiming for fast road times. Required equipment includes a headlamp with spare batteries, a reflective armband, a mobile phone, a survival blanket, a whistle, and at least 600 ml of water. Entry fees are modest for trail races, ranging from 8 euros for the 8 km to 23 euros for the 42 km. All finishers get a bib and a souvenir gift. Prizes are awarded to the top three overall finishers and the first runner in each category. The post-race offering is straightforward and local: a beer and a bowl of soup.