Trail de la Grande Champagne.
L'Alambic is the ultra of the Trail de la Grande Champagne: about 85 kilometres in a single loop through the cognac vineyards around Segonzac, starting at midnight. Preparing for it means preparing not for one big mountain but for a night and a morning of countless short, steep ramps.
Trail de la Grande Champagne 2027: Course, Elevation & Route Profile
Start and finish are on the town-hall square of Segonzac, in the middle of the Grande Champagne, cognac's first cru. The loop runs through vineyard slopes and woods, past distilleries, manor houses and châteaux and out to the caburottes, the small stone huts among the vines. The organiser describes twisting singletrack, lumpy woods and frequent changes of pace, and it reworks the route in detail every year.
Height is never gained in one go here. The whole area sits between roughly 60 and 160 metres, yet the route climbs and drops almost without pause, with ramps of 40 to 50 metres and short pitches above 15 percent. On the 2026 route those ramps were packed into the first ten kilometres and again between kilometres 60 and 80, exactly when the legs already have a night behind them. The organiser quotes about 2,500 metres of climbing for 2027.
The first hours are run in the dark by headlamp, and most runners reach the finish in the course of the morning or early afternoon, when the June sun stands over the open rows of vines. The meal at the finish is included in the entry.
| Start | Length | Ø | Max. | Gain | Cat. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| km 1.7 | 1.3 km | 4.1 % | 6.5 % | +52 m | — |
| km 4.3 | 0.6 km | 8.9 % | 15.3 % | +49 m | — |
| km 7.4 | 0.8 km | 5.8 % | 10.6 % | +48 m | — |
| km 24.7 | 1.6 km | 3.3 % | 8.8 % | +51 m | — |
| km 61.4 | 0.7 km | 7.4 % | 17.7 % | +51 m | — |
| km 64.8 | 1 km | 5 % | 10 % | +48 m | — |
| km 67.9 | 0.6 km | 8.5 % | 13.3 % | +51 m | — |
| km 79.6 | 0.6 km | 7.9 % | 14.3 % | +47 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 Trail de la Grande Champagne.
Start under control
Plan the 85 kilometres as a long, even rhythm of walking and running. With this many short ramps, what decides your race is not strength on any single climb but how often you let yourself be drawn into a surge. Walk the steep pitches from the start and run the flat vineyard tracks easily.
Hold your rhythm
The night is the trap. With a headlamp, cool air and fresh legs the first hours feel easy, and that is exactly where too much gets spent. The bill arrives after sunrise: between roughly kilometres 60 and 80 the ramps bunch up again, and by then the shadeless vineyard sections are warming up.
Spend what is left
Eat and drink to a schedule during the night, even without thirst. Arriving in the warmth of the late morning on empty costs more time over the last 20 kilometres than the night ever gained.
Training plan for Trail de la Grande Champagne: 12-week build
Build the base
For most entrants L'Alambic takes twelve to twenty hours. The effort is mainly aerobic but uneven because of the constant short ramps of 10 to 20 percent: hundreds of small strength spikes instead of a few long climbs.
Train race pace
The race is decided in the second half after a night without sleep, when the ramps bunch up again. Build long runs on rolling terrain with many short, steep climbs, ideally as back-to-back days. Strengthen quads and calves for the constant downhill running on loose ground and for power-hiking steep slopes.
Rehearse the course
The midnight start calls for night training: several runs by headlamp on forest paths and at least one long session that begins at night, so fuelling and sleepless fatigue are not new on race day.
Arrive fresh
Mid-June can be hot in the Charente; in 2026 the organiser moved several starts earlier because of the forecast heat. Get used to running in the warmth in the preceding weeks and practise getting by on the one litre of water the mandatory kit requires between aid stations.
Courses
Download the Trail de la Grande Champagne course as a GPX file for your watch or bike computer.
Let YOUB adapt your plan for Trail de la Grande Champagne 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 Trail de la Grande Champagne.
How long is Trail de la Grande Champagne?
Trail de la Grande Champagne is 85 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 Trail de la Grande Champagne have?
Trail de la Grande Champagne has around 1,736 m of elevation gain over 85 km. That affects pacing, muscular load, and preparation for late-race sections.
What is the route profile of Trail de la Grande Champagne?
Trail de la Grande Champagne is classified as Hilly, averaging 20.3 vertical metres per kilometre. 17% of the route is flat, 34% climbs moderately (2 to 6%) and 7% is steeper than 6%.
What climbs does Trail de la Grande Champagne have?
The hardest climb of Trail de la Grande Champagne starts at kilometre 1.7, runs for 1.3 km at an average of 4.1% and gains 52 metres. 8 climbs are mapped in total.
Is Trail de la Grande Champagne a loop course?
Yes, Trail de la Grande Champagne is laid out as a loop: start and finish are in the same place.
Is there a GPX file for the Trail de la Grande Champagne course?
Yes. The Trail de la Grande Champagne 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 Trail de la Grande Champagne?
Preparation for Trail de la Grande Champagne should account for 85 km, 1,736 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 Trail de la Grande Champagne?
The pacing strategy for Trail de la Grande Champagne should reflect 85 km, 1,736 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 Trail de la Grande Champagne take place?
Trail de la Grande Champagne takes place on June 19, 2027.
Where does Trail de la Grande Champagne take place?
Trail de la Grande Champagne takes place in Segonzac, France.
Which distances does Trail de la Grande Champagne offer?
Trail de la Grande Champagne offers 5 distances — L'Alambic 85 km: 85 km; La Caburotte 55 km: 55 km; La Bataille 30 km: 30 km; L'Orchis 15 km: 15 km; La Mignonette 9 km: 9 km.
How do I register for Trail de la Grande Champagne?
Registration runs through the organiser: trailgrandechampagne.com. YOUB shows you the course, elevation profile and training plan for your preparation.
