Grand Raid Ventoux by UTMB
Grand Raid Ventoux by UTMB – Trail des Coteaux - TDC
Malaucène
Race guide
Updated 19 July 2026
The Trail des Coteaux (TDC) is the short-distance option at Grand Raid Ventoux by UTMB, a 26 km loop from Malaucene with 1024 m of positive climbing and a high point of 928 m. It keeps runners on the lower slopes and hillsides (the coteaux) around Malaucene rather than committing to the full ascent of Mont Ventoux, making it the most accessible way into this Provencal race weekend while still delivering real vertical. With just over a thousand metres of climb across 26 km, the TDC is a punchy half-marathon-plus that asks for steady climbing legs and a willingness to descend well. It is a strong choice for runners building toward longer Ventoux distances, or for anyone who wants a technical, scenic day out without the full commitment of the mountain summit.
The Course: A 26 km Loop from Malaucene
The TDC starts and finishes in Malaucene at 310 m and is recorded through three points: Le Sueil at 11.3 km (734 m), Plan de Laval at 18.5 km (335 m), and the return to Malaucene at 26 km. From the numbers, the course front-loads its climbing. The first 11.3 km gains roughly 420 m of net height on the way to Le Sueil, which at 734 m is close to the day's high point of 928 m, so the true top of the climb sits somewhere on this opening half. After Le Sueil the route drops steeply back toward the valley, reaching Plan de Laval at just 335 m by 18.5 km, before the final 7.5 km loops back to the 310 m finish in Malaucene. In simple terms this is an up-and-down loop: a sustained climb to around the high point in the first half, a substantial descent, and a rolling run home. There is no long flat recovery built in, so the effort stays honest throughout.
Where the Race Is Decided: The Climb to the High Point
With only 26 km on the clock, the TDC is largely settled on the opening climb from Malaucene toward the 928 m high point and Le Sueil at 11.3 km. This is where the bulk of the 1024 m of climbing is concentrated, and it is where gaps open between runners who pace the ascent smoothly and those who go out too hard on the early slopes. Reaching Le Sueil in good shape sets up the rest of the day. The second decisive section is the descent from Le Sueil at 734 m down to Plan de Laval at 335 m, a drop of around 400 m over roughly 7 km. This is a genuine leg-testing descent on a short course, and because it comes after the main climb it punishes anyone who overcooked the ascent. Controlled, confident downhill running here protects your quads for the final rolling 7.5 km back into Malaucene, where the modest reclimb to the finish will feel much harder on tired legs than the profile suggests.
Pacing and Fuelling for a Short, Steep Loop
The TDC has one intermediate cut-off, at Plan de Laval (18.5 km) at Sat 12:00, with the finish in Malaucene closing at Sat 13:30. That gives a compact time budget and reinforces that this is a race to be run with intent rather than strolled. Passing through Plan de Laval with margin means you have handled both the main climb and the big descent, leaving only the final loop back to town. Because the course is short, fuelling is simpler than on the longer Ventoux distances, but the density of climbing still matters. Treat the run up to Le Sueil as the section to fuel steadily and stay on top of fluids, since the climb accounts for most of the effort. From Plan de Laval you have around 7.5 km to the line, short enough to push through on what you are carrying. The main pacing error to avoid is treating a 26 km race as easy: with 1024 m D+ and a sharp descent in the middle, respect the climb early and you will run the back half strongly.
Conditions to Expect Around Mont Ventoux
The TDC stays on the coteaux and lower hillsides around Malaucene, topping out at 928 m rather than climbing to the exposed summit of Mont Ventoux. That keeps runners largely in the warmer, more sheltered Provencal terrain below the mountain's barren upper slopes, so extreme high-altitude wind and cold are less of a factor than on the longer Ventoux races. Even so, the region is known for the Mistral wind that gives the wider event its character, and hillside sections can be breezy and exposed to sun. Expect warm, dry Provencal conditions typical of the area, with the main environmental challenge being heat and sun management on the climbs and open coteaux rather than summit-style exposure. Carry sun protection and enough fluid for the climbing, and be ready for wind on any exposed high ground near the 928 m high point. Overall the TDC offers the scenery and character of the Ventoux massif in a manageable package that keeps you clear of the mountain's harshest weather.
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Checkpoints & cut-offs
✓ Course data verified against the official source (2026-07-17) · official source
0 km · 310 m · —
11.3 km · 734 m · —
18.5 km · 335 m · Sat 12:00
26 km · 310 m · Sat 13:30
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