Trail de Fontfroide

Since 2002, Fontfroide trail has allowed its participants to discover Narbonne’s nature in Aude, Occitanie and its flagship landmark which is also the starting point: the thousand-year-old Fontfroide Cistercian Abbey ! À la carte, you have the choice between the four distances offered based on your level of preparation: The "Ronde des Cistes" of 9km, The 15 km trail of "La Narbonnaise", the 35 km trail of "Fontfroide" and the 55 km trail of "Cistercians". A 10km hike is also on the program! The event takes place in March with sunshine possibly on tap, but beware, it’s the period when the weather in the South can still be quite chilly. ❄️

The routes of this nature trail, in the heart of the Narbonnaise Regional Natural Parkare mainly made up of natural trails in the garrigue but you’ll also traverse some winding rocky sections. Look closely at the ground to avoid tripping over roots from the Fontfroide forestand you might be lucky enough to spot a psammodrome algire, this small lizard 🦎 with two yellow stripes, found only in this corner of France.

Between the climb up the Ruiz stream, the passage over the mythical Heraclean Way and the ruins of the Bergerie de l’Aragnon, the race program is well rounded for trail runners seeking landscape curiosities in their run. The more “nature-friendly” will also be served by Narbonnaise’s biodiversity. Opening your ears, you’ll hear the calls of the Steppe Buzzard and the work of honey-producing bees for Montseret honey 🐝. On the other hand, wait until the end of the trail before tasting this local product, because with a positive elevation gain of 1,300m on the 35 km, it’s better not to get weighed down early 😅.

Efforts are always rewarded, which is why you can enjoy the panorama over the valley and the abbey as you pass the Fontfroide Cross, embedded more than 200 m above sea level. And after you finish at the abbey, you can discover Mediterranean terroir products by tasting the wine from the Domaine de Jonquière, just steps from the trail’s venue at Fontfroide.

So don’t hesitate to add this trail to your October race calendar, because despite the small wind-related challenges and sometimes tough sections, we can promise you’ll have an unforgettable moment in the Narbonnaise garrigue 🌳.

PS: If you decide to head into the city of Narbonne after the trail, you can relax on the long beaches of Narbonne-Plage and enjoy the Mediterranean Sea 🏖.