Ultra Trail Côte d'Azur Mercantour.
The 120 km is the headline race of the Ultra Trail Côte d'Azur Mercantour weekend in Saint-Martin-Vésubie: one huge loop through the mountains behind Nice that drops from high alpine terrain to around 350 m in the Vésubie valley and climbs all the way back. Finishing it is mostly about respecting the last third, because the steepest and highest climbs only start after kilometre 80. Also known as UTCAM.
Ultra Trail Côte d'Azur Mercantour 2027: Course, Elevation & Route Profile
The start is at 5 am at the Vesubia Mountain Park in Saint-Martin-Vésubie, at just under 1,000 m. The first climb gains more than 500 m in under five kilometres, and by kilometre 9 you are at around 2,000 m before a long descent past the Granges de la Brasque to Utelle and down to the lowest point of the course in the valley. The middle third is the passes: the Col de la Porte at kilometre 45 and the Col de Turini at kilometre 58, over Peïra-Cava, then down again to La Bollène-Vésubie and Roquebillière, where the base de vie holds your drop bag.
From Roquebillière at kilometre 80 the race changes character. Two climbs of almost 800 m each, the second averaging over 20 percent, take you past the Relais des Merveilles to the high point of the course at a little over 2,300 m. After the descent to the Madone de Fenestre road there is one last climb of nearly 600 m to the Cime de Piagu, and the final kilometres drop steeply back into Saint-Martin-Vésubie.
The route runs on mountain paths, forest tracks and ridges in the Parc national du Mercantour and through hill villages such as Utelle, La Bollène and Belvédère. Runners are semi-autonomous, aid stations hand out no cups, and the regulations warn that for slower runners some sections between aid stations take more than six hours. With a 34-hour limit, most of the field runs through the night.
| Start | Length | Ø | Max. | Gain | Cat. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| km 0 | 4.6 km | 12.1 % | 39.4 % | +554 m | Cat. 2 |
| km 7.3 | 1.9 km | 17.9 % | 50.8 % | +341 m | Cat. 2 |
| km 38.6 | 3.1 km | 15.3 % | 48.8 % | +467 m | Cat. 2 |
| km 45.4 | 2.4 km | 15.5 % | 40.9 % | +376 m | Cat. 2 |
| km 81.8 | 2.1 km | 15.3 % | 33.7 % | +318 m | Cat. 3 |
| km 85.1 | 4.9 km | 16.2 % | 44.7 % | +795 m | Cat. 1 |
| km 94.9 | 3.4 km | 22.1 % | 38.8 % | +756 m | Cat. 1 |
| km 107.3 | 3.4 km | 17.2 % | 41.7 % | +579 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 Ultra Trail Côte d'Azur Mercantour.
Start under control
The first half is the trap. After the early climb to 2,000 m the course runs mostly downhill for almost 30 kilometres into the valley, and the two passes that follow are runnable climbs. Banking time here costs quads on the descent to Utelle and heart rate on the Col de Turini. Run this part so that Roquebillière at kilometre 80 feels like a stopover, not a finish.
Hold your rhythm
The race is decided between Roquebillière and the Cime de Piagu. Over roughly 30 kilometres you face more than 2,100 m of climbing on very steep ramps, for many runners at night or in the early morning and above 2,000 m.
Spend what is left
Budget real time at the base de vie for food, dry clothes and your headlamp, and take the steep pitches with poles at a rhythm you could hold for an hour. The final descent into Saint-Martin-Vésubie is steep and technical, and anyone who still has legs there gains places.
Training plan for Ultra Trail Côte d'Azur Mercantour: 12-week build
Build the base
For most age-group runners the 120 km means 24 to 34 hours on the move, with one or two nights. The effort is mostly steady and aerobic, but the profile constantly switches you between steep uphill hiking and long descents, with very little flat, runnable ground. What matters most is climbing strength endurance and legs that can still handle descents after 15 hours.
Train race pace
Build your preparation around long mountain days of 2,000 to 3,000 m of climbing, ideally on back-to-back days, and put the hardest climbs at the end of those days, the way the real course saves them for after Roquebillière. Steep hiking with poles on ramps over 20 percent deserves its own sessions, as do long technical descents on tired legs.
Rehearse the course
Then there are the conditions. The race is held in early July: the valley can be hot, the ridges above 2,000 m cold at night, and the regulations include specific mandatory kit for heat, severe cold and bad weather. Practise night running with a headlamp, test your fuelling over many hours in semi-autonomy, and get used to planning from aid station to aid station with your own cup and full bottles.
Arrive fresh
Entry requires 80 qualifying points from a single race. If you only just reach that threshold, add a 50 to 70 km mountain race in spring to rehearse night, fuelling and kit under race conditions.
Courses
Download the Ultra Trail Côte d'Azur Mercantour course as a GPX file for your watch or bike computer.
Let YOUB adapt your plan for Ultra Trail Côte d'Azur Mercantour 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 Ultra Trail Côte d'Azur Mercantour.
How long is Ultra Trail Côte d'Azur Mercantour?
Ultra Trail Côte d'Azur Mercantour is 122.13 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 Ultra Trail Côte d'Azur Mercantour have?
Ultra Trail Côte d'Azur Mercantour has around 7,925 m of elevation gain over 122.13 km. That affects pacing, muscular load, and preparation for late-race sections.
What is the route profile of Ultra Trail Côte d'Azur Mercantour?
Ultra Trail Côte d'Azur Mercantour is classified as Mountainous, averaging 65.7 vertical metres per kilometre. 5% of the route is flat, 17% climbs moderately (2 to 6%) and 31% is steeper than 6%.
What climbs does Ultra Trail Côte d'Azur Mercantour have?
The hardest climb of Ultra Trail Côte d'Azur Mercantour starts at kilometre 85.1, runs for 4.9 km at an average of 16.2% and gains 795 metres. Cycling-convention rating: Cat. 1. 8 climbs are mapped in total.
Is Ultra Trail Côte d'Azur Mercantour a loop course?
Yes, Ultra Trail Côte d'Azur Mercantour is laid out as a loop: start and finish are in the same place.
Is there a GPX file for the Ultra Trail Côte d'Azur Mercantour course?
Yes. The Ultra Trail Côte d'Azur Mercantour 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 Ultra Trail Côte d'Azur Mercantour?
Preparation for Ultra Trail Côte d'Azur Mercantour should account for 122.13 km, 7,925 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 Ultra Trail Côte d'Azur Mercantour?
The pacing strategy for Ultra Trail Côte d'Azur Mercantour should reflect 122.13 km, 7,925 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 Ultra Trail Côte d'Azur Mercantour take place?
Ultra Trail Côte d'Azur Mercantour takes place on July 3, 2027.
Where does Ultra Trail Côte d'Azur Mercantour take place?
Ultra Trail Côte d'Azur Mercantour takes place in Saint-Martin-Vésubie, France.
Which distances does Ultra Trail Côte d'Azur Mercantour offer?
Ultra Trail Côte d'Azur Mercantour offers 8 distances — 120 km: 122.13 km; 120 km Relais à 2: 122.13 km; Skyultra 75 km: 75 km; Skymarathon 50 km: 50.38 km; Skyrace du Mercantour 30 km: 30 km; La Maremontana 20 km: 20 km and 2 more.
How do I register for Ultra Trail Côte d'Azur Mercantour?
Registration runs through the organiser: utcam06.com. YOUB shows you the course, elevation profile and training plan for your preparation.
