Le Trail Champ du Loup

Come run in the Vendée hedgerows, day or night, but watch out for the wolf if you’re going for a night race! 🌙

It’s in Chantonnay, in the Pays de la Loire, that the Trail Champ du Loup takes place in April, with temperatures starting to warm up, but you know the saying: don’t shed a layer. 🧣

Created in 2003, this trail in Vendée welcomes thousands of participants. And guess what, they love having the option to run under headlamp light or daylight as well as a wide variety of routes. You won’t choose between one or two distances, but between 5 distances offered. Among them, you’ll be able to cover 13 km or 23 km, all of them either day or night. Then, you can also complete 42 km, far from a marathon with its 1000 Md+ or even a race against the clock: the 8-5. It’s up to you to race against yourself solo or in two- or four-person relay by doing as many laps as possible on a 5 km loop in 8h05, go for it! 🥵 And finally, you can even share a parent-child relay of 500 meters. Ready to dive into the wolf’s mouth?

Regardless of distance, you’ll start and finish at the Village Vacances le Champ du Loup. You’ll then head towards the Vendée countryside before reaching the bois du Pally. Afterward you’ll skirt the Grand Lay Lake. Be aware, there are a few technical sections with some short bridges but also a climb you’ll have to tackle with a rope: it might help you avoid wolves prowling nearby. Actually, correction, no chance of spotting a wolf here, it’s Wolf-y 🤣 ! You’ll tread on trails, forests before tackling some tall grasses and some river jumps. The rest is a huge breath of fresh air across the plains before the finish line you won’t cross step by wolf steps! Yes indeed, thrilled to cross the line and share with other runners the ultra-friendly ambiance of this event, you won’t risk delaying your finish. 🏁

After the race, head south to discover the splendid Parc Naturel Régional du Marais Poitevin. If you like splashing around, try the crossing (swimming) to the Fort Boyard or to Île de Ré. And to curb your wolf hunger, we recommend delicious local organic chocolates from the area. 😋

À cœur de loup rien d’impossible ! 🐺