La Palinzarde: Course, Elevation & Route Profile
La Grande Palinzarde is the main race of Epalinges above Lausanne: eight kilometres, the same lap twice, then into the Stade de la Croix-Blanche. A short distance on paper, but the profile carries 188 metres of climbing, 23 per kilometre. Only a sixth of the course is genuinely flat.
Course & Elevation
The start is at 09:30 on the meadow by the college, in the middle of the village. The big lap first heads east into the forest above Epalinges, climbing a forest track almost to the head of the valley and coming back on a second line. It then crosses the village westwards, out towards Les Daillès, and returns through the wood west of the stadium. That lap measures just under 3.9 kilometres and is run twice; at the end of the second lap the runners turn off towards the stadium and finish on the Croix-Blanche running track.
The profile is unusually restless for eight kilometres. Each lap holds three climbs: 330 metres at a good seven percent straight off the start, then 650 metres at close to five percent around kilometre one, and after the low point of the lap a third of 500 metres at a good six percent. The steepest ramps touch eleven percent. In total 41 percent of the course runs uphill and 42 percent downhill, between 756 and 835 metres above sea level.
The surface changes just as often. A good half of the lap is on forest tracks and natural paths, the rest on village asphalt: Chemin de l'Eglise, Route de la Croix-Blanche, Chemin des Dailles, Chemin de Sylvana. One short section in the Bois de Chatty west of the stadium is a narrow path under closed canopy. The race is open to those born in 2010 or earlier.
Pacing Strategy
The first climb starts 30 metres after the gun, and it is the biggest trap of the day. 330 metres at seven percent, in a pack, cold and with race pace in mind, cost more than they return. Taking that first ramp deliberately one notch below your own eight kilometre pace leaves something in reserve for the second lap.
Because both laps are identical, the course is its own yardstick. The three climbs of lap one set the reference times for lap two: matching them is good, dropping off sharply means lap one was too hard. At 23 metres of climbing per kilometre an even pace is not the goal anyway, an even effort is. The watch will read 30 to 45 seconds per kilometre slower uphill and correspondingly faster downhill without the effort changing at all.
The descents matter more than the climbs. 42 percent of the course runs downhill, a tenth of it steeply, and part of that on forest tracks. Running those relaxed and with a high cadence instead of braking wins more time over eight kilometres than any surge on a climb. The last metres on the stadium track are flat and fast: save the final descent into the village for a controlled transition and you will still arrive there with turnover.
Training plan for La Palinzarde: 12-week build
This course asks for a skill that flat road races barely train: running short, steep climbs at race pace and picking the pace straight back up at the top. Six climbs of 330 to 650 metres at five to seven percent are exactly the format of hill intervals. In the final six to eight weeks one session a week of four to six repetitions of two to three minutes uphill is the most direct preparation, with the recovery run downhill rather than standing still.
The second point is downhill running. 42 percent of descent, part of it on soft forest ground, loads the quadriceps eccentrically, and that is the most common reason the second lap falls apart here. Two or three controlled descents a week in the final weeks, deliberately relaxed and with a short stride, teach the muscles to take it.
Third, the surface: if you otherwise train only on asphalt, move part of your long runs onto forest tracks. Stability in the foot and ankle is what decides stride length on uneven natural ground. The coach in YOUB folds the distance and profile of this course into your weekly plan as soon as you set La Grande Palinzarde as a goal.
Course Map
Profile Parameters
Slope Distribution
Climbs on Route
| Start (km) | Length | Ø Gradient | Max Gradient | Elev Gain | Category |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| KM 0.0 | 0.3 km | 7.2% | 9.9% | +24m | — |
| KM 1.0 | 0.7 km | 4.7% | 11.1% | +30m | — |
| KM 2.9 | 0.5 km | 6.2% | 9.3% | +31m | — |
| KM 3.7 | 0.6 km | 5.5% | 9.8% | +30m | — |
| KM 4.9 | 0.6 km | 4.7% | 10.6% | +30m | — |
| KM 6.8 | 0.5 km | 6.3% | 9.4% | +31m | — |
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.
Course as GPX
Download the La Grande Palinzarde course as a GPX file for your watch or bike computer.
Adaptive race preparation
Let YOUB adapt your plan for La Palinzarde 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.
Frequently asked questions
How long is La Palinzarde?
La Palinzarde is 8 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 La Palinzarde have?
La Palinzarde has around 188 m of elevation gain over 8 km. That affects pacing, muscular load, and preparation for late-race sections.
What is the route profile of La Palinzarde?
La Palinzarde is classified as Hilly, averaging 23 vertical metres per kilometre. 18% of the route is flat, 32% climbs moderately (2 to 6%) and 9% is steeper than 6%.
What climbs does La Palinzarde have?
The hardest climb of La Palinzarde starts at kilometre 2.9, runs for 0.5 km at an average of 6.2% and gains 31 metres. 6 climbs are mapped in total.
Is La Palinzarde a loop course?
Yes, La Palinzarde is laid out as a loop: start and finish are in the same place.
How should I prepare for La Palinzarde?
Preparation for La Palinzarde should account for 8 km, 188 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 La Palinzarde?
The pacing strategy for La Palinzarde should reflect 8 km, 188 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 La Palinzarde take place?
La Palinzarde takes place on September 13, 2026.
Where does La Palinzarde take place?
La Palinzarde takes place in Epalinges, Switzerland.
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