Grand Raid du Finistère

Great in scale, grand in effort, grand in duration, grand in name, and coming soon to be renowned. Here’s what we can say about the race we’re about to introduce! ✌️ Set sail for the Armorican lands, because it’s in Brittany that the Grand Raid du Finistère takes place! ⛵️ Okay, you might have guessed it from the event name alone, but we like to be precise… 😜 This ultra-trail nature, along the coast of the ocean, will lead you across the paths and trails of the Finistère department in an event shaping up to be dantesque 😁. In the heart of the Presqu’île de Crozon, and more precisely within the town of Telgruc-sur-Mer, this trail is on the program. Nearly 1,300 runners will set off along the routes of the Finistère, in the pleasant Breton weather of September 🗓️. While a bit windy 💨 and sometimes rainy ☔️, it shouldn’t stop you from trying the GRF parcours 🤞. Keep scrolling, we know you’re curious 😏.

Now, a word on history. Don’t panic, don’t pull out your old geography textbook 📚. This will be simple and concise! A certain William Demers once had an idea he shared with François Hinault, one of the most renowned and experienced trail runners on the hexagon and producer of Planète Trail 🏃‍♂️. His aim? To promote the Finistère as a trail country, with unique landscapes, magical trails and a nature at its purest. He then conceived a race of 166 km to showcase all its facets 😍. Here, the markings aren’t physical (except what’s already on site) 😮, the trail runners only have the GPX route of the race. Orientation skills are therefore required! This idea has become a reality today, and it’s only just beginning… 😉

But that distance isn’t the only option. In addition to the 166 km "Solo" (3 700 mD+), there is also the 166 km in relay mode.. How many you want to be, it’s up to you, as there are several options: in teams of 2, in teams of 4 and in teams of 10 for companies 👨‍💻. The latter is also a team relay since the funds raised will support projects in the territory led by the organization 👍. As you’ve heard, we have Finistère enthusiasts here! 💙 But it might still be too much for you distance-wise... 😔 If that’s the case, you can opt to participate in "La Lanvéoc" of 92 km (2 100 mD+) or in the "Camaret-sur-Mer" of 54 km (1 200 mD+). Also, children can participate in 4 distances suitable for kids 🧒.

But on the course itself, what has the organizers really cooked up for you? 🤔 The route mainly follows the GR 37 as well as the GR 34, better known as the Coastguard Paths, one of the two most iconic and well-traveled GR trails in the country 🙌. The GR 34 was first trodden in 1791 (yes, that dates me) by customs patrols to prevent smuggling 👮‍♂️. Although forgotten at the start of the 1900s, these trails found a second life from 1968 thanks to devoted walkers and hikers, triumphant in the splendor of the route 🌊. With every section of path and trail covered, there are new panoramas and new viewpoints opening up to you 🔭. BrittanyBrittany offers many facets, and the GR will give you a chance to discover a lot, including some rocky headlands, wild coasts, and expansive dune zones. A large part of the course runs through an Habitat – Birds 🦅 – Fauna and Flora 🌼 area requiring respectful conductNatura 2000 🤩. Caring for the environment and natural spaces is therefore essential! ♻️

After this exhausting race, you’ll understand the urge to unwind and, perhaps, revisit some parts of the region’s cultural heritage you’ve seen on your journey ➡️. Take a stroll to the sheltered harbors of Morgat and Fret, serene and splendid 🛥. You can also spend an afternoon in Quimper and wander the streets of this a city of art and history 🖼. Regarding your discovery of the Finistère gastronomic heritage, we recommend the legendary Kig Ha Farz, this Breton pot-au-feu accompanied by a Kouign-Amann 🤤 and a local beer, to be enjoyed in moderation! 🍻

The Grand Raid du Finistère, you’ll come out stronger! 🥳