Maredsous Christmas Night Trail

The Maredsous Christmas Night Trail is a night race held during the Christmas season in Maredsous, Belgium, located in the province of Namur. Participants begin and conclude their runs in the village. Four race distances are offered after dark: 30 km with 700 m elevation gain, 22 km with 500 m, 15 km with 300 m, and a 9 km discovery route with 200 m. Raid Bocq ASBL is the organizer. The event takes place in the Molignee valley and is an international trail event with XS and XXS categories. The routes traverse hilly country lanes and forest paths, avoiding flat road sections, meaning even the shorter distances involve significant climbing. Maredsous provides the race with a distinct character, being associated with its abbey, its beer, and its established trail-running paths. The event attracts a substantial number of participants for a night race in a small location, with over 1,500 runners registered in a recent edition. The organizer also hosts a summer version of the race in June.