Trail des Lions Nocturne

The cold, the pitch-black night and maybe some snow... 🌌❄ The challenge ahead of you with the Trail des Lions Nocturne promises to be intense! Whether you decide to embark on the trail UTMB of 25 km or the 14 km, the night you'll spend will be memorable. Taking place in Plauzat, a pretty fortified village of the Puy-de-Dôme, in Auvergne Rhône-Alpes, the first edition of the race will leave a mark on minds and will earn its place in the catalog of must-do trail events 🏃‍♀️. Put it in your calendar, because you have a date on January 2023 under the starry sky of the parc naturel régional des Volcans d'Auvergne 🌋.

It is the local association Plauzat Sport Nature that deserves thanks for pulling off such a beautiful challenge. With two trail routes of 25 km or 14 km, the trials they've crafted will push your nerves and legs to their limits. Featuring 900 m of positive elevation, the races will take you through the nooks of the region, its forests, its vineyards, passing by its historic villages and farmland 😻. But the members are not just here to make you sweat! They also know how to lend a hand. Proof: the race supports "A Big Challenge", an association that fights dysplasia and helps families affected by it. Participants in the race will therefore be able to give a helping hand (or foot 😅) and support this noble cause by taking part in one of the courses 💛.

"The Grand Night Run" features a route that is partly technical, partly rolling. The loop you’ll run, starting from the village, will take you to the Puy de Saint Sandoux, perched at more than 800 m altitude 🗻. It will probably make you want to pause briefly to admire the panorama, the lights of nearby villages, and the moon in the dark night 🔭. But don’t get too distracted, because you’ll soon have to tackle a long, rolling path again! Passing near the villages of Champeix and Ludesse, you’ll continue your journey with your headlamp, returning to your starting point. Plan suitable clothing, because we know sweat and cold don’t mix well! 😂

And just like its big sister, "The Little Night Run" also plans to loop through the vast green spaces of the Puy-de-Dôme 🌲. From the village where the start/finish line is located, you’ll already be in lion mode admiring the fountain on the town square ⛲. The lions fountain as well as the Saint-Pierre Church of Plauzat are listed as historic monuments. You’ll then chase your prey: the finishers’ medal 🏅. To do this, you’ll have to depart the fortified town and head into the savanna, onto the wooded trails around the village... Don’t worry, we don’t compare you to an animal. But we know you’ll roar with happiness when you cross the finish line. Spoiler: the end of the race is tough. But as a wise person once said: "hakuna matata". So live your life carefree and fight to keep your position on the throne! 🦁🚽