Trail des Mineurs : Grenay

In the Pas-de-Calais, the mountains, we don’t know, but coal, we’re soaking in it! 🔥 Or rather: we used to soak in it, as the mines closed since the 1970s, leaving in the landscape only a few remnants still visible today: headframes, workers’ housing and the slag heaps ⛰. And you know what? The slag heaps have even become serious playgrounds for trail runners craving elevation! By the way, in Grenay, in the Hauts-de-France, in the suburbs of Liévin, a handful of enthusiasts decided to share their love for profiles in up and down by creating an event: the Trail des Mineurs, with two distances on the programme (10 km and 18 km) ! 😄

Obviously, if you’re a mountain enthusiast or you’re chasing long, endless climbs, it’s fair to say you won’t strike gold here: here, you jog to the point of blowing your top on nerve-wracking courses and you risk a gas explosion if you take those killer climbs lightly. A slag heap is steep to climb and technical to descend! 💪 Subtly, you’ll gain height (quite relative, agreed) by climbing these mini-mountains that dominate the surrounding flat lands. You’ll be able to admire the garden-city of the Quarante de Grenaycollines de l’Artois 🌲 and the twin slag heaps of Loos-en-Gohelle, which are none other than the highest in Europe at 186 meters above sea level. This landscape of heaps of mining debris, sometimes colonized by vegetation, has been UNESCO World Heritage since 2012! 🏆 So run, but admire this exceptional testament to a rich industrial history! 🏗

If Grenay is a landmark of the region’s mining past – the commune boasted no fewer than 21 pits! – it is also a Chéti vibe town at heart 🙌. And who says Ch’ti... says gastronomy of the North: fries and beer! 🍻 The finish line refreshments will offer you bubbly hydration and a hint of oiliness, but oh so comforting. So, ready to go to the coal mine? 👷‍♀️