Grand Raid Kiprun 3 Vallées Moûtiers

Keep running in the 3 Valleys! ⛰️

3 valleys, 7 stations, 1 grand raid ! 😎 The Grand Raid Kiprun 3 Valleys invites you to trade your skis for a pair of trail shoes 🏃‍♀️. In Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes, between the Tarentaise Valley and the Maurienne Valley lies the famous 3 Vallées ski area ⛷️. You’ve probably heard of one of its resorts: Courchevel, Méribel, Les Menuires, Val Thorens, Orelle, Saint-Martin-de-Belleville, and finally Brides-les-Bains! 📍 Nestled in the heart of the mountains of Savoie, this new Ultra League event aims high for the first weekend of August 🤩.

Distances will vary, allowing all trail runners to discover the trails of this pristine natural environment 🌳. The Grand Raid giant, starting from Moûtiers, is “ L’Ultra des 3 Vallées”! This ultra-trail lives up to its name with its 170 km and 12 000 mD+ (yes, more than the UTMB), the race will loop around the domain 🤯. And don’t think you can rely on the ski lifts to save you one or two ascents, we see right through you 😂. If you don’t feel up to tackling the adventure in solo, you can team up with 7 partners to take on the relay of 8! 👯 Be careful with your section choice, because some portions of the course are very technical with significant elevation ⚠️. The course is among the richest in the region ✨, combining breathtaking panoramas between mountains, lakes and forests 🏞️, and a technical trail experience 😌.

For ultra enthusiasts, there’s also “ L’Odyssée de Caron” by 110 km and 5 880 mD+. A formidable challenge with a start at 3 200 meters above sea level, at the summit of the Cime de Caron ! We hope you’re not afraid of heights 😅. The course is identical for all trail runners, only the starts differ, spread along the long 170 km route 🤓. We shorten the distance and elevation, and from the start at the Les Menuires, you’ll tackle “ The Mass Challenge with 70 km and 3 300 mD+. Another long trail of 50 km and 2 624 mD+, it’s the “ Marathon des 3 Vallées” starting from Saint-Martin-de-Belleville 🏘️. The two short trails of the Grand Raid Kiprun 3 Vallées are “ The Balconies of Saint-Jean” with 25 km and 1 150 mD+ at the start of Saint-Jean-de-Belleville and La Nocturne des Thermes” of 10 km and 818 mD+. This last one will start from Brides-les-Bains with a finish at Moûtiers, you will thus traverse the course in reverse order from the other events 🔁. But don’t worry, you won’t encounter runners going the other way, since the event takes place the night before, in the evening 🌖.

After celebrating your arrival in Moûtiers 🏁, keep enjoying a big breath of fresh air at the summit of the 3 Valleys 🍃. Okay, we won’t suggest hikes; your legs will likely need calmer activities after tackling all the peaks around 😬. Fortunately, the numerous lakes and rivers of the Vanoise Massif will help you cool off! 💦 The water temperature, directly from the glaciers 🏔️, might not invite swimming, even in summer, but it will do wonders for your legs: ideal recovery 😇. To prep your post-race meal 🍽️, we recommend picking wild blueberries ! 🫐 Keep your eyes open, you’ll find them easily 👀. Perfect for delicious pies or jams 😋. Still hungry? Then head to one of the mountain villages or a high-altitude shelter to savor a croziflette or some diots in red wine, regional specialties 🤤.

You’ll quickly become crazy about the 3 Valleys! 😍