Trail de Fontfroide

The Trail de Fontfroide begins and ends at the thousand-year-old Cistercian Abbey of Fontfroide, located near Narbonne in Aude, Occitanie. This March trail-running event, established in 2002, benefits from the cool early-season weather typical of southern France. The distances offered include the 9 km Ronde des Cistes, the Narbonnaise trail, the 35 km Fontfroide trail, and the 55 km Trail des Cisterciens, alongside a 10 km hike. The longer races present significant mountain-style challenges, featuring approximately 1,300 m of elevation gain for the 35 km and 2,000 m for the 55 km. The routes consist of single loops within the Narbonnaise regional natural park, primarily utilizing natural garrigue paths, interspersed with rocky turns and root-filled sections in the Fontfroide forest. Participants will follow the Ruiz stream, traverse the old Heraclean Way, and pass the ruins of the Bergerie de l’Aragnon. The Croix de Fontfroide, situated above 200 m, provides an expansive vista of the valley and the abbey. The event attracts a broad range of participants, not exclusively specialists, with past editions seeing over 300 runners in the 35 km and shorter trail races, and more than 200 in the 55 km. Upon returning to the abbey, runners can sample local Mediterranean products, such as wine from Domaine de Jonquière.