Trail du Sancy Mont-Dore Caisse d'Epargne 2026

The Trail du Sancy Mont-Dore Caisse d'Epargne begins and ends in Mont-Dore, a mountain town in Puy-de-Dôme, central France, where the volcanic Auvergne landscape is the main feature. The event takes place in late September, when the region's weather can already be cool or cold. It offers runners multiple trail options instead of a single race: short, middle, and long mountain formats, promoted under the "Puissance 4!" concept. The Sancy-Puy de Dôme route is the longest, an 110 km out-and-back course from Mont-Dore toward Puy de Dôme and back. It includes 4100 m of elevation gain, has a 20-hour time limit, and lists only three aid stations. The race starts before dawn from Parc Municipal and is limited to 300 participants, who can run solo or in two-person relay teams. A post-race meal is provided. The event's origins trace back to Dr. Henri Desdames and an early group who trekked from Sancy to the Puy de Dôme summit; the current race preserves that original open, point-to-point mountain spirit.