Trail de la Chouette

The Trail de la Chouette is a trail running series held in late April in Dijon, located in the Côte-d'Or department of Burgundy, France. It takes place in the Parc Naturel de la Combe à la Serpent, a park exceeding 300 hectares on the city's outskirts. Runners navigate forest paths, tall trees, steep elevation changes, and open vistas overlooking Dijon from higher elevations. The event features multiple distances, ranging from the 13 km La Chevêchette to the 65 km La Lapone, with intermediate races named l'Epervière, La Hulotte, and Le Grand Duc. The 13 km race attracts the largest number of participants, while the longer distances are designed for those seeking a challenging day on hilly terrain. All races share a common start and finish point, though the difficulty varies significantly with distance. The 13 km course includes approximately 350 meters of climbing, the 20 km course around 490 meters, and the longer routes present greater ascents. The marathon-distance race is noted with about 2,100 meters of combined ascent and descent, and the 65 km race features roughly 2,000 meters of climbing and descent. The series emphasizes trail running over road racing, with one description stating it is "trail, trail, trail." Post-race, participants can sample local Burgundian flavors, including Dijon mustard, truffles, and Burgundy snails.