Trail des Gypaètes 2027

Trail des Gypaètes is a point-to-point mountain trail race from Lourdes to Argelès-Gazost in the Hautes-Pyrénées, usually run in mid-April. It starts at the Pic du Jer Funicular Station at 9 a.m. and finishes at Camping les 3 Vallées in Argelès-Gazost. The main route is about 31 km, with 2,100 m of climbing and just over 2,000 m of descent, making it a short race by ultra standards but a demanding day on steep Pyrenean terrain. Entry is capped at 490 solo runners, with another 100 spots for two-person relay teams, and timing is handled by electronic chip. The course links three local high points: Pic du Jer at 948 m, Béout at 791 m, and Pibeste at 1,349 m, the highest point of the race. Runners move in semi-autonomy on a ribbon-marked route, with four aid stations, a time gate at Ségus before the Pibeste climb, and required kit that includes water, food, a survival blanket, and a whistle. Personal assistance is permitted, giving the race a practical, local character. More than 6,000 runners have participated across its history, supported by over 80 volunteers and more than 20 partners. The name derives from the bearded vulture, a bird seen in the Hautes-Pyrénées, and the race also carries an environmental commitment established in 2022.