La Veni Vici

Hey there, brave gladiator! 🤺 Did you know that all roads lead to the Gard? No, no, we’re not losing our Latin: every start novembre, a cohort of centurions, legionaries and other aspiring emperors invades the region for the Veni Vici. They’re wild these Finishers! 🤪

In the heart of the late season, the empire of Uzès welcomes once again the legendary Veni Vici 💪, a race guaranteed to surprise. On takes you to lands occitanes, you’ll travel roughly 2,000 years of history tracing our ancestors with extraordinary creative genius, heading toward Nîmes 🏛️. Nemausus for its ancient name, or the phrase ""Rome française"" as it’s currently nicknamed, which has kept intact traces of its rich Roman past. Notably the arena where you have your clash: the aqueduct of Nîmes. A Roman monument among the world's most remarkable, it houses a masterpiece equally magnificent, the Pont du Gard, which you’ll have the luck to discover at the pace of your strides 😍. A charismatic two-millennium obra, protected territory with pleasant temperatures, and there you go—the stage is set. This very backdrop attracted more than 10 000 participants in 2025, from 50 countries. So, is there any excuse left not to say you came, saw, and conquered? 🤔

To you who have a taste for things well-made, you’ll easily recognize from the suggested routes that this event is definitely not built of the same wood as the others 😏. With the Pont du Gard as a common thread across all routes, you’ll traverse the axis that makes the region’s residents proud: Uzès - Pont du Gard - Nîmes. On the menu, 6 formats are drawn in this ancient setting, enough to satisfy every gladiator type ⚔️: a trail of 87 km (2 250 mD+), a trail of 52 km (1 470 mD+), a route of 33 km (715 mD+) to be run as a race or Nordic walking, a trail of 18 km (525 mD+) to be completed by running and finally a hike of 16 km (445 mD+) 👏. No matter which distance you choose to conquer, you’ll be able to say thanks to life, sing life, dance life, because your race will reward you with a monumental setting monumental! 🤩

The empire our ancestors left us, at the heart of the Gard is incredibly rich, and you’ll quickly notice as you stride 🏃‍♂️. Get ready for a race with a thousand faces 🎭, where cities, nature, villages and Roman ruins blend into a harmonious and unforgettable tableau. Immersed in the Gard garigue 🌿, the landscape variety will leave you breathless: dirt paths, streams, rocky trails 🪨 (watch your ankles, though), and pine forests will complete this beautiful picture 🤤. You’ll lengthen your strides within a distinctive Mediterranean vegetation and a very rich diversity. You’ll run (or walk) in a setting of forests 🌲, oaks, greens, and aromatic wild plants such as thyme or rosemary 🌞. Not to forget the vineyards 🍇 and olive groves 🫒, which will truly take you southward 🏖️. You’ll discover an extremely rich historical and cultural heritage, especially if you opt for the longest distance. By traversing the aqueduct of Nîmes in full (yes, you read that right!), starting from Château d’Uzès, 1er Duché de France, you’ll roam the Eure valley and villages as typic and welcoming as stone-built 🏘️, such as Saint-Maximin, Argilliers or Vers-Pont du Gard (we’ll stop there, not to spill everything). As you pass near the Vers stone quarries, you’ll see where stones were mined for the construction of Pont du Gard, that very one you’re eagerly awaiting ⏳. From its 49 meters and three stacked arches, it will stand proudly on your path, rich with 2 000 years of existence. And as if all this weren’t enough, in the heart of Nîmes la romaine, your return to history will culminate. Nemausus t’ll offer you a magistral finish, between Les Jardins de la Fontaine that you’ll race down, Tour Magne, and La Maison Carrée (listed since last year as part of the UNESCO World Heritage) and its famous Arènes 🏛️ where your journey ends. A grand finish 🌳. However, don’t get too used to the order in which you’ll discover all these architectural masterpieces, because from year to year the course changes direction! For each edition, new surprises and new passages await 🎁.

Okay, the race is over, but you’re free to linger a few more hours frozen in the Roman era 🏺. You’ve got it: no need to go far when you’re in Nîmesto dive into the Roman remains, particularly numerous in this city 😉. The Arènes de Nîmes stand out as a must-see and will transport you to Italy. It’s impossible to leave without admiring the Maison Carrée whose conservation is impressive. And for the feast promised to our gladiators for a day, we recommend the classic brandade de morue with a drizzle of olive oil and a piece of Pélardon 🧀.

Come on, wear your finest toga and a small sesterce pouch, and come shout your loudest Veni Vidi Vici at the foot of the Pont du Gard ! 🚩