Trail de la Contrebandière 2026

The Trail de la Contrebandière begins before dawn, with participants setting off by headlamp from the Château de la Princesse in Raismes, France's Nord department. This is a long trail race held on the mining spoil heaps of Hauts-de-France. Listings vary, offering either a 45 km route or a 55 km challenge, positioning the event closer to an ultra-distance day than a standard road marathon. The course connects the Sabatier terrils with the Tranchée de Wallers-Arenberg, utilizing the former coal-mining landscape as its primary terrain instead of natural mountains. One account details 1,120 meters of climbing on the spoil heaps, while another specifies 450 meters of positive elevation gain for the 45 km version. Regardless of the exact figure, the difficulty lies in the repeated ascents on these artificial hills. Participants receive two water stations along the course and a comprehensive aid station at the finish. The smuggler theme is subtly referenced in the race's own caution, "Watch out for customs!". The field is substantial, with over 3,000 participants noted in the most recent available results.