Trail de la Gi Jy Monte

« Gi J’y l’Amoroso, toujours vainqueur, parfois runneur ! » 🎤

And no, we’re not in Napoli, but in Cormaranche-en-Bugey. It sounds less Italian (perhaps because it’s French... 🇫🇷), but you can be sure it will be just as hilly 🏃. If you thought the Ain was all plains and chickens roaming freely in the fresh grass, the Gi J’y Monte will hit you like a punch 🥊. We’ll meet in the region Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes, in the small village of Cormaranche-en-Bugey for an event that doesn’t go easy. With four main formats of 43, 35, 16 and 8 km and kids’ races, this June weekend isn’t negligible if you want to perform in trail around here 👟. If you’re looking for a health stroll, you’ve taken the wrong postcode. The elevations of 2 000 mD+, 1 600 mD+, 700 mD+ and 300 mD+ will remind you of muscles you may have forgotten to train for too long 😅. Fortunately, the surrounding natural environment will comfort your eyes 😍.

The course is a true wild discovery of the Plateau d'Hauteville 🌿. The profile is demanding, but the nerve relays on the ridges and the technical descents are ultra-fun 🔥. The nature, the forest and the mountains form a unique playground to push yourself in an extraordinary setting 🏔️. This year, one feature of the race is on the course "Gi J'y Max", with the option to stop and enjoy the finish line or to continue to finish the marathon distance. So, challenger or lazy (we’re joking, but after 35 km, you obviously have every right in the world 🤣) ? The "Gi j'y monte" which gave the event its name refers to the flagship day route. With its 16 km and 700 mD+, it is a perfect middle ground between the discovery trail of 8 km and the performance trails of 35 and 43 km 🫨. For cultural trivia, note you’re running on land that served as a backdrop for the film "Le Renard et l'Enfant" by Luc Jacquet 🦊. So if during your effort you spot a fox, it might be a movie star, so stay polite (and try a selfie 🤳)! The panoramas on the course come from the Alps and the Jura mountains and will make you forget you’re about to blow out your lungs 🫁.

On the atmosphere side, it’s as generous, festive and no-fuss as the locals: generous, festive and no-nonsense ✌️. The organization is human-scale, with around 600 participants, and that shows in the relationships among volunteers, participants and technical staff 🤗. By the way, the volunteers are everywhere, ready to cheer you on with boundless energy and to offer terroir-infused specialties ⚡️. If you finish the race without hearing a strongly accented voice shouting at you to "relancer la machine", it means you took the wrong route 🗺️. To reinforce the event’s family-friendly vibe, there are also 3 children’s courses that give everyone a chance, regardless of age 🤪.

After your journey, enjoy the area as it’s a gem for outdoor lovers (you know, the outdoor enthusiasts 💕). You can take a stroll at the Parc de la Passerelle to see animals (the real ones, not your running buddies 🤦‍♂️) or head to Bourg-en-Bresse in under an hour to admire the Monastère Royal de Brou 🏛️. It’s the perfect moment to do your "Louis XIV" in front of the tombs before tucking into a poulet de Bresse à la crème 👑. The turkeys you imagined wandering the fields of the region will be on your plate, ready to be savored 🤤. It’s the only legal way to recover your calories without guilt, after all, you’re soaking up the local culture 🍗. If you’re after more sports spectacle, you can also go cheer on the local rugby team, alternating between the Pro D2 and Nationale for years 🏉.

Lovers of the nature