Anne Lise Rousset, ambassador of the Club des Sports de Val d’Isère, French long trail champion and women’s record holder on the GR20 looks back on her HTV experience:
“I loved the climb with the sunrise, the rocky and steep side of the Picheru climb and again the magnificent monotrace at the foot of the Grande Sassière to the Col de la Bailletta. You sign up for the HTV for its beauty, its technicality and, above all, for the mountains! It’s a real mountain trail: if you like rocks, glaciers, elevation changes and summits, no hesitation, you’ll be seduced!”
A champion’s advice for preparing for a race in Val d’Isère: acclimatize and come train at altitude beforehand, strong muscles to absorb all the elevation changes.
Long-distance trails
- First start at 4:30 on Friday morning for day 1 of the Trail des 5 Vals totalling 94 km and 6,110 m of positive vertical drop. Route & details
- Same time on Saturday morning to set off on the High Trail Vanoise with its 72 km and 4,820 m of positive elevation gain passing through the heart of the Vanoise National Park: a unique mountain trail experience in France. Route & details
- Runners of the Trail des 6 Cols will set off in stride at 7:30 am for a demanding 41 km course for 3,350 m of D+ in duo or solo. Route & details
Trails around the village
- Les Balcons de Val d’Isère for a 20 km course and 1050 m D+ with a plunging view over the village. Route and details
- The Odyssea charity trail for 9 km and 300 m of D+ or its non-timed walk solidarity wave version. Trail and details
- The vertical race (KV) attacking the mythical Face de Bellevarde for 3.5 km and 970 m D+ overlooking the village. Route and details
The following races earn UTMB index points to claim access to the UTMB World Series Events races: the High Trail Vanoise, the Trail des 6 cols, the Balcons de Val d’Isère, the T5V.
Focus on the Trail des 5 Vals (Solo or Duo)
This two-day cross-border stage trail has the characteristic of crossing 5 territories: Bonneval-sur-Arc, Val d’Isère, and the Italian communes of Rhêmes-Notre-Dame, Valsavarenche and Ceresole Reale. These villages have been connected through the ages by a network of paths that time has gradually erased. The Trail des 5 Vals is two days in breathtaking scenery, where preserving nature is a priority.
Stage trail: 94 km and 6,110 m D+: day 1: 52 km and 3,520 D+, day 2: 42 km and 2,590 D+. Route & details
