Trail des 4 piliers - La Queue les Yvelines

The Trail des 4 Piliers begins in La Queue les Yvelines, a small town in the Yvelines department west of Paris. This trail-running event circles the forests of Rambouillet and Bazainville, offering three distances: 43 km, 33 km, and 14 km. A competitive 14 km Nordic walk is also part of the program, requiring poles for official results. The 33 km and 43 km races hold significance for French trail runners, serving as Bronze Label qualifiers for the French Short Trail Championship. The courses traverse varied, sometimes technical forest paths within the Forêt de Rambouillet, Bazainville, and the Forêt des Quatre Piliers. The 43 km route features approximately 500 meters of elevation gain, the 33 km about 410 meters, and the 14 km options around 180 meters. Participants will pass landmarks like the Etang de la Pimardiere, the Chateau de Millemont, and the Bois de la Queue-lez-Yvelines, with the course extending through nearby communes such as Bazainville, Millemont, Orgerus, Galluis, Behoust, Gambais, Gambaiseul, and Grosrouvre. Organized by the ASB Yvelines athletics club, the event operates under semi-autonomy rules and requests participants bring a reusable cup, as aid stations will not provide them. For the 33 km and 43 km races, runners must carry at least one liter of water and a mobile phone; a survival blanket is also advised. Post-race, a substantial meal with many homemade items awaits finishers.