The SaintéLyon is an annual night race from Saint-Étienne to Lyon, with the main event covering about 80 km. It begins in Saint-Étienne at 11:30 PM, sending nearly 8,000 runners toward Lyon in six or seven waves. It is the largest race on the program by entries and draws the strongest elite field.
The course changes each edition, but it typically follows the ridges of the Monts du Lyonnais and includes at least 2,000 m of climbing. its long chain of headlamps moving through the night between the two cities. Organizers refer to it as the elder statesman of French nature races, and its Saint-Étienne-to-Lyon line is the historical route runners seek.