L'Intégrale de Riquet.
L'Intégrale de Riquet is a non-stop ultra along the entire length of the Canal du Midi: from the place du Capitole in Toulouse, past the statue of the canal's builder Pierre-Paul Riquet, to the Phare des Onglous lighthouse on the Étang de Thau. Solo, unaccompanied and largely self-sufficient, a field of at most fifty runners follows the water for two days and two nights.
L'Intégrale de Riquet 2027: Course, Elevation & Route Profile
After a short run through central Toulouse the course meets the canal at the Riquet statue and then follows it along the towpath wherever the terrain allows; a few towns are crossed right through the centre, and short sections run on the road. The profile is as flat as a canal makes it: the path rises almost imperceptibly to the summit pound at the Seuil de Naurouze, then drops gently through lock flights towards the Mediterranean. Elevation is not the story here; this is one long, unbroken test of endurance.
The UNESCO World Heritage canal sets the stages: the locks of Laval and Sauzens, Carcassonne close by, the port of Trèbes at roughly half distance with the big aid and rest point, the Minervois and Colombiers before Béziers. The finish is not a stadium but the lighthouse where the canal runs into the Étang de Thau. The direction alternates each year; in odd years such as 2027 the race runs from Toulouse to Marseillan.
| Start | Length | Ø | Max. | Gain | Cat. |
|---|
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 L'Intégrale de Riquet.
Start under control
On a flat, uniform course the biggest danger is starting too fast: a Friday-afternoon start in Toulouse invites a pace you pay for dearly in the second night. Build walking breaks in from the very beginning and run by heart rate or feel, not by kilometre splits.
Hold your rhythm
The time barriers at the locks and at Trèbes are generous, but they close in quickly on anyone who takes long stops. Support is deliberately thin: water roughly every 20 km, fruit roughly every 40, and everything else you carry or buy yourself, and canal-side bars and restaurants are allowed.
Spend what is left
Break the race into sections between those points and plan your sleep on purpose, at the big rest point in Trèbes or as a short bivouac, rather than leaving it to chance.
Training plan for L'Intégrale de Riquet: 12-week build
Build the base
The profile asks for no climbing strength, but for the ability to keep moving for a very long time on flat ground. The key block is therefore high-volume weeks and long runs of several hours on gravel paths and towpaths that reproduce the monotonous, unchanging load on legs and feet.
Train race pace
Train the night: at least one long run should go into and through the dark, with a head torch and the pack you will race with. The mandatory kit of a litre and a half of water, food, a jacket and a first-aid kit weighs noticeably; get your shoulders and back used to it.
Rehearse the course
Practise self-sufficiency: what you eat every 20 km, how you restock on the way, how you handle short sleep breaks. Back-to-back weekends with two long runs in a row are the best simulation of how the second half feels after running through a night.
Arrive fresh
With poles and music both banned, mental preparation belongs in the plan too: long sessions without headphones, alone, on a monotonous route.
Courses
Download the L'Intégrale de Riquet course as a GPX file for your watch or bike computer.
Let YOUB adapt your plan for L'Intégrale de Riquet dynamically
Ben connects your goal, the course, current load, recovery, and calendar. Your plan stays pointed at race day even when real life is not perfectly plannable.
Everything about L'Intégrale de Riquet.
How long is L'Intégrale de Riquet?
L'Intégrale de Riquet is 245 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 L'Intégrale de Riquet have?
L'Intégrale de Riquet has around 740 m of elevation gain over 245 km. That affects pacing, muscular load, and preparation for late-race sections.
What is the route profile of L'Intégrale de Riquet?
L'Intégrale de Riquet is classified as Flat, averaging 3.1 vertical metres per kilometre. 78% of the route is flat, 10% climbs moderately (2 to 6%) and 0% is steeper than 6%.
Is L'Intégrale de Riquet a loop course?
No, L'Intégrale de Riquet is a point-to-point course: start and finish are in different places.
Is there a GPX file for the L'Intégrale de Riquet course?
Yes. The L'Intégrale de Riquet 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 L'Intégrale de Riquet?
Preparation for L'Intégrale de Riquet should account for 245 km, 740 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 L'Intégrale de Riquet?
The pacing strategy for L'Intégrale de Riquet should reflect 245 km, 740 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 L'Intégrale de Riquet take place?
L'Intégrale de Riquet takes place on May 14, 2027.
Where does L'Intégrale de Riquet take place?
L'Intégrale de Riquet takes place in Toulouse, France.
How do I register for L'Intégrale de Riquet?
Registration runs through the organiser: integralederiquet.fr. YOUB shows you the course, elevation profile and training plan for your preparation.
