Festival des Templiers.
The Endurance Trail is the ultra of the Festival des Templiers: 100 kilometres across three causses and through three gorges, starting at four in the morning on Friday at the foot of the Causse Noir. It is the festival's original ultra distance, and it is defined by its high share of single track and by having only five aid stations over the whole route.
No date has been announced for the next edition yet. The course, elevation and route profile are from the most recent edition.
Festival des Templiers: Course, Elevation & Route Profile
The first twenty kilometres are a long traverse of the Causse Noir that spreads the field out, but they are not a warm-up: at kilometre seven a 1.9 kilometre climb averaging close to twenty per cent lifts you onto the plateau. The route then drops into the Gorges du Tarn, follows the Balcon du Vertige down to the hamlet of Le Truel in the Jonte valley, and climbs back to Espaliès and the Ermitage St-Michel. The long section at kilometre 42 is among the hardest of the day: 3.5 kilometres, 463 metres of gain, ramps to 35 per cent.
On the left bank of the Jonte you then run a very technical path along the top of the cliffs. The elevation profile there is nearly flat and the pace is still slow, because the ground dictates it. Past the prehistoric Champignon rock, the chapel of St-Jean-des-Balmes and St-André-de-Vézines the course reaches Montméjean, climbs to Roquesaltes and drops into the technical descent to La Roque-Ste-Marguerite through the Ravin du Riou Sec. The closing stretch runs the Larzac corniches above the Dourbie, falls to Massebiau, and climbs steeply one last time: 1.8 kilometres at 22 per cent at kilometre 92, with ramps of 45 per cent.
The terrain is limestone causse: box scrub, pine woods, white slabs, rock arches and karst pavement, linked by sandy forest tracks. Much of the night is run on narrow paths reopened by the organiser for this weekend alone. Start and finish are at the Domaine St Estève in Millau below the Pouncho d'Agast, and you reach the line after a final descent through the Grotte du Hibou.
| Start | Length | Ø | Max. | Gain | Cat. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| km 6.8 | 1.9 km | 19.3 % | 33.3 % | +372 m | Cat. 2 |
| km 28.9 | 1.2 km | 18.5 % | 27.8 % | +213 m | Cat. 3 |
| km 42 | 3.5 km | 13.2 % | 34.7 % | +463 m | Cat. 2 |
| km 56 | 1.8 km | 11.3 % | 28.3 % | +206 m | Cat. 3 |
| km 70.8 | 2.5 km | 11.4 % | 27.9 % | +280 m | Cat. 3 |
| km 81.3 | 1.2 km | 14.5 % | 35.1 % | +174 m | Cat. 3 |
| km 83.6 | 3.5 km | 6.7 % | 19.1 % | +234 m | Cat. 3 |
| km 92 | 1.8 km | 22.7 % | 44.7 % | +409 m | Cat. 2 |
Climb categories follow the road-cycling convention and rate the terrain itself (length and gradient) regardless of sport: Cat. 4 marks the easiest rated climbs, Cat. 1 the hardest, and HC (hors catégorie, “beyond categorization”) is reserved for the most brutal ascents. Short climbs below the Cat. 4 threshold stay unrated.
How to pace Festival des Templiers.
Start under control
The four in the morning start reshapes the whole race: you run the first hours in the dark, half the day in daylight, and often the finish under a head torch again. Treat the opening twenty kilometres over the Causse Noir as a deliberate approach. The climb at kilometre seven is too steep to run; hike it briskly and under control rather than spending heart rate there.
Hold your rhythm
The race is decided between kilometre 40 and 60. The 463 metre climb to the Ermitage and the cliff path above the Jonte that follows cost a lot of time for very little gain, and anyone who reads that as lost kilometres and forces the pace pays for it on the Larzac corniches. Five aid stations over 100 kilometres also means you plan for yourself: two hours or more between posts is normal.
Spend what is left
The real trap is the finish. After Massebiau, kilometre 92 brings a 1.8 kilometre ramp averaging 22 per cent, followed by the technical descent to the Grotte du Hibou. Almost eighteen per cent of the course sits in the steep downhill band, and your quadriceps are not fresh after 90 kilometres of limestone. Hold a deliberate reserve for those last ten kilometres.
Training plan for Festival des Templiers: 12-week build
Build the base
Expect 14 to 22 hours on the Endurance Trail as an age-group runner. That is an effort almost entirely in the extensive aerobic range, and its difficulty comes from duration, ground and darkness rather than from intensity. The share of steep terrain is high: a good eighteen per cent steeply uphill, nearly eighteen per cent steeply downhill, only twelve per cent genuinely flat.
Train race pace
The most valuable training content is therefore time on technical ground, not volume on forest roads. The limestone of the causses is sharp, often loose, and slick after autumn rain; the corniche sections above the Jonte and the Dourbie demand sure footing for hours. Build long sessions on rocky ground and practise fast hiking on steep gradients, because three of the eight climbs average over eighteen per cent.
Rehearse the course
The second emphasis is downhill running under fatigue. The descents to La Roque-Ste-Marguerite and to the Grotte du Hibou come late and are technical. Months of eccentric preparation, in the form of long runs with descents actually run rather than braked, decide more here than any threshold work.
Arrive fresh
Two conditions need planning of their own. First darkness: the start is in the middle of the night, the marking is set tightly in the first and last third, but you should have done night sessions on single track to judge your pace without a visual reference. Second self-sufficiency: with only five aid stations you need to have managed your own carbohydrate and fluid intake over long training blocks. Mid October on the plateau can bring warm afternoons and cold nights in the same day.
Courses
Download the Festival des Templiers course as a GPX file for your watch or bike computer.
Let YOUB adapt your plan for Festival des Templiers dynamically
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Everything about Festival des Templiers.
How long is Festival des Templiers?
Festival des Templiers is 100 km long. That distance shapes how much aerobic endurance, pace durability, and race-specific work belong in the training plan.
How much elevation gain does Festival des Templiers have?
Festival des Templiers has around 4,010 m of elevation gain over 100 km. That affects pacing, muscular load, and preparation for late-race sections.
What is the route profile of Festival des Templiers?
Festival des Templiers is classified as Mountainous, averaging 39.7 vertical metres per kilometre. 12% of the route is flat, 22% climbs moderately (2 to 6%) and 19% is steeper than 6%.
What climbs does Festival des Templiers have?
The hardest climb of Festival des Templiers starts at kilometre 42, runs for 3.5 km at an average of 13.2% and gains 463 metres. Cycling-convention rating: Cat. 2. 8 climbs are mapped in total.
Is Festival des Templiers a loop course?
Yes, Festival des Templiers is laid out as a loop: start and finish are in the same place.
Is there a GPX file for the Festival des Templiers course?
Yes. The Festival des Templiers course is on this page as a free GPX download — ready to import into Garmin, Wahoo, Komoot, Strava or any other app that reads GPX.
How should I prepare for Festival des Templiers?
Preparation for Festival des Templiers should account for 100 km, 4,010 m of elevation gain, current training load, and available training time. An adaptive plan helps place key sessions without ignoring recovery and real life.
What pacing strategy works for Festival des Templiers?
The pacing strategy for Festival des Templiers should reflect 100 km, 4,010 m of elevation gain, and your current fitness. Start controlled and keep margin for sections where the profile or fatigue makes target pace harder.
When does Festival des Templiers next take place?
No date has been announced for the next edition yet. The most recent one was held on October 16, 2026.
Where does Festival des Templiers take place?
Festival des Templiers takes place in Millau, France.
Which distances does Festival des Templiers offer?
Festival des Templiers offers 12 distances — L'Endurance Trail: 100 km; Le Grand Trail des Templiers: 80.7 km; L'Intégrale des Causses: 62.6 km; La Boffi Fifty: 48.5 km; La Rock'Voizine: 48.3 km; Le Marathon des Causses: 35 km and 6 more.
How do I register for Festival des Templiers?
Registration runs through the organiser: festivaldestempliers.com. YOUB shows you the course, elevation profile and training plan for your preparation.
