IRONMAN 70.3 Aix-en-Provence.
The IRONMAN 70.3 Aix-en-Provence takes you from a cold Provençal lake into the middle of an old town: 1.9 kilometres in the Lac de Peyrolles, 90 kilometres point-to-point back to Aix, and a three-lap half marathon finishing on the Cours Mirabeau. Start and finish sit some 25 kilometres apart, and that shapes the whole race day.
IRONMAN 70.3 Aix-en-Provence 2027: Course, Route Profile & Map
The swim is a single 1.9 kilometre loop in the Lac de Peyrolles, a reservoir in the Durance valley some 25 kilometres north-east of the city, started rolling rather than in waves. T1 sits on the lake shore, T2 in the centre of Aix at the Collège Mignet. You do not come back to where you started: bags and running kit are dropped at two separate venues the day before, and race morning begins with a transfer out to the lake.
The bike leg is what joins the two transitions. It first runs east past Jouques onto the open plateau around Rians, then returns along the southern flank of the Montagne Sainte-Victoire through Saint-Antonin-sur-Bayon and Le Tholonet, where the Col du Cengle sets the last difficulty of the segment. The mountain is in view for most of the second half, after which the road drops into the city.
The half marathon is three laps of a little over seven kilometres between the Cours Mirabeau and the Parc de la Torse: asphalt in the centre, compacted paths in the park, staircases in between and just under 180 metres of climbing spread across the three laps. The finish is on the Cours Mirabeau by the Rotonde, in the middle of Aix. The race has been on the calendar since 2011, which makes it the oldest 70.3 in France, with a field of around 2,700 starters from some 50 nations and a professional race at the front.
+1,204 m
Bike course
90 km · +1,204 m| Start | Length | Ø | Max. | Gain | Cat. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| km 17.8 | 1.2 km | 7.4 % | 11.9 % | +91 m | Cat. 4 |
| km 40.1 | 0.8 km | 3.7 % | 10.3 % | +29 m | — |
| km 43.5 | 2.1 km | 3.2 % | 6.2 % | +66 m | — |
| km 48 | 0.9 km | 4.1 % | 8.4 % | +34 m | — |
| km 50.1 | 1.2 km | 3.4 % | 7.3 % | +39 m | — |
| km 67.3 | 2 km | 7.9 % | 17.9 % | +156 m | Cat. 4 |
| km 70.1 | 0.8 km | 6.8 % | 11.2 % | +53 m | — |
| km 81 | 1.2 km | 5.7 % | 14.6 % | +69 m | — |
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 IRONMAN 70.3 Aix-en-Provence.
Settle into the race
The water is the first variable you do not control. In mid-May the lake sits at roughly 15 to 20 degrees, cold enough that the swim has been shortened or dropped in individual years. A rolling start invites you to jump on faster feet; a first third swum too hard in cold water is paid back in T1, where you are working with numb fingers.
Spread the effort
The race itself is decided in the last third of the bike. The Cengle comes late and is short enough to overcook, and whatever you spend there beyond your planned bike effort does not come back on the run, it is repaid three times over.
Finish strong
Because the half marathon is not a flat city loop. Three identical laps with rises, staircases and a park section guarantee that the first one feels too easy. Split the run so the third lap could be the fastest, and expect sun and reflected heat once you are back in the streets. A bike cutoff ends the race before the run begins: if you lose serious time in the water, it has to be budgeted for on the bike.
Training plan for IRONMAN 70.3 Aix-en-Provence: 12-week build
Build all three disciplines
For an age-group athlete the day runs to roughly five to seven hours, with the bike the longest segment and the run the most expensive one. The demand is aerobic throughout but even nowhere: neither the bike nor the run offers long stretches where you can simply leave the effort where it is.
Brick sessions
The skill that decides the day is running off the bike, uphill. Brick runs here do not belong at the end of an easy ride but behind a long, rolling one, and they should include climbs and stairs. Three identical laps also ask something of your head: practise runs where you repeat the same loop several times and hold or lift the pace as you go.
Practise transitions
Conditions are the second focus. At 15 to 20 degrees of water temperature a wetsuit is effectively a given, and cold-water habituation is training rather than a detail: breathing control in the first minutes decides the rest of the swim. Air temperatures of twelve to 24 degrees are normal, with mistral on the open plateau, so riding in wind and a considered clothing decision for the first transition both belong in the build.
Arrive fresh
Finally, treat the logistics as part of preparation. Two transitions in two places mean two bags, a transfer out to the lake on race morning, and no access to anything you packed wrong the day before. A full kit rehearsal, including dressing with cold hands, costs one session and saves more on race day than it costs.
Courses
Download the IRONMAN 70.3 Aix-en-Provence course as a GPX file for your watch or bike computer.
Let YOUB adapt your plan for IRONMAN 70.3 Aix-en-Provence 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 IRONMAN 70.3 Aix-en-Provence.
How long is IRONMAN 70.3 Aix-en-Provence?
IRONMAN 70.3 Aix-en-Provence is 113 km long. That distance shapes how much aerobic endurance, pace durability, and race-specific work belong in the training plan.
What is the profile of the bike course at IRONMAN 70.3 Aix-en-Provence?
The bike course at IRONMAN 70.3 Aix-en-Provence is classified as Rolling, averaging 13.7 vertical metres per kilometre. 28% of the route is flat, 33% climbs moderately (2 to 6%) and 3% is steeper than 6%.
What climbs does the bike course at IRONMAN 70.3 Aix-en-Provence have?
The hardest climb on the bike course at IRONMAN 70.3 Aix-en-Provence starts at kilometre 67.3, runs for 2 km at an average of 7.9% and gains 156 metres. Cycling-convention rating: Cat. 4. 8 climbs are mapped in total.
Is there a GPX file for the IRONMAN 70.3 Aix-en-Provence course?
Yes. The IRONMAN 70.3 Aix-en-Provence 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 IRONMAN 70.3 Aix-en-Provence?
Preparation for IRONMAN 70.3 Aix-en-Provence should account for 113 km, 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 IRONMAN 70.3 Aix-en-Provence?
The pacing strategy for IRONMAN 70.3 Aix-en-Provence should reflect 113 km and your current fitness. Start controlled and keep margin for sections where the profile or fatigue makes target pace harder.
When does IRONMAN 70.3 Aix-en-Provence take place?
IRONMAN 70.3 Aix-en-Provence takes place on May 23, 2027.
Where does IRONMAN 70.3 Aix-en-Provence take place?
IRONMAN 70.3 Aix-en-Provence takes place in Aix-en-Provence, France.
How do I register for IRONMAN 70.3 Aix-en-Provence?
Registration runs through the organiser: aix.fr. YOUB shows you the course, elevation profile and training plan for your preparation.
