Grand Raid Ventoux by UTMB
Grand Raid Ventoux by UTMB Ultra Géant de Provence
Malaucène
Race guide
Updated 19 July 2026
The Grand Raid Ventoux by UTMB – known locally as the Ultra Géant de Provence – is a 126 km loop starting and finishing in Malaucène that takes on 5,561 m of climbing and reaches its high point of 1,893 m at the summit of Mont Ventoux. This is emphatically a Ventoux race: the Giant of Provence is not a cameo appearance but the central, defining feature, cresting at 71.7 km in a position that demands you arrive there with legs still under you. The route threads through the villages, cols and vineyards of the Vaucluse before and after that summit, giving the race a varied, almost deceptive character – rolling valley kilometres that feel manageable until the mountain makes its full demands felt.
Course & Terrain Overview
The race leaves Malaucène (310 m) and immediately tests orientation and patience through the early trail kilometres to Bout du Monde (14.9 km, 600 m) and Col du Comte (18 km, 991 m) – a significant early climb that many runners underestimate in the dark or in the cool of the first hours. The course then drops back down to Entrechaux (34.3 km, 280 m), a crew-accessible village at low elevation, before rolling through Veaux (46.8 km, 336 m). From there, the terrain climbs steadily to Mont Serein (66.4 km, 1,403 m), a mountain-station checkpoint that marks the beginning of the race's decisive mountain section. After the summit, runners descend sharply to Le Seuil (82 km, 740 m) and continue down to Le Barroux (92.8 km, 312 m), then navigate the vineyard trails of Gigondas (109.1 km, 232 m) before a final climb to Bas de St Amand (116.3 km, 565 m) and the return to Malaucène. The terrain is a genuine mix: technical rocky singletrack on the upper mountain, hard-packed forest trail in the mid sections, and open, sun-exposed paths through the lower Vaucluse.
The Decisive Climbs & Descents
The climb from Mont Serein to the summit of Mont Ventoux – roughly 5 km covering 470 m from 1,403 m to 1,873 m – is the defining passage of the entire race. By the time you reach Mont Serein at 66.4 km with a cut-off of 15:01 on Day 2, your legs have already absorbed over 4,000 m of cumulative climbing. The upper slopes of Ventoux are famously exposed, often scoured by wind, and offer no shelter. The cut-off at the summit (71.7 km, 16:49) is strict and leaves no margin for a slow ascent from Mont Serein. The descent from the summit to Le Seuil (82 km) is fast but technical – rocky and steep – and runners who have pushed hard to the top frequently lose significant time here through quad fatigue and poor footing. The early Col du Comte (18 km, 991 m) is the other climb that catches runners out: coming inside the first 18 km, it can tempt an optimistic early pace that will cost dearly on the mountain later. The final ascent to Bas de St Amand at 116.3 km, after Gigondas, is the race's cruel last sting – nearly 333 m of climbing on heavy legs when the finish feels close.
How to Pace & Fuel It
The structure of this race punishes those who race the first half and rewards those who treat it as a deposit. The valleys between Malaucène and Entrechaux feel free and fast – that is precisely the trap. Running those early kilometres at a controlled, even social pace is not losing time; it is banking energy for the summit and everything beyond it. The target mindset through the first 66 km to Mont Serein is patient accumulation: eat consistently at every checkpoint, stay on top of hydration before the exposed climb begins, and arrive at the mountain with legs that still have something to give. From the summit onwards, break the remaining 54 km into segments – Le Seuil, Le Barroux, Gigondas, Bas de St Amand – and manage each one as its own contained effort rather than staring at the full distance remaining. Fuelling in the heat of the Vaucluse afternoon and evening is critical: the section from Veaux to Mont Serein and the post-summit descent to Le Barroux cover many exposed kilometres and the Provence sun is serious. Carry sufficient fluid capacity to bridge between checkpoints, prioritise savoury and solid food at crew points (Entrechaux, Mont Serein, Le Barroux, Gigondas), and do not wait until you are hungry or thirsty to eat and drink.
Conditions to Expect
Mont Ventoux earns its reputation as one of the windiest summits in Europe. Above the treeline – roughly the upper third of the climb from Mont Serein – expect strong, cold wind regardless of how warm it is in the valleys below. A windproof layer is not optional at the summit; temperatures at 1,873 m can be dramatically lower than at Malaucène or Gigondas. Conversely, the lower sections of the course in the Vaucluse are exposed to full Provençal sun and summer heat, particularly during the mid-race hours when the route passes through Veaux and climbs toward the mountain. Runners should be prepared for a wide temperature range within the same race – light and breathable in the valleys, fully insulated on the upper mountain. The race runs overnight in both directions of the mountain section, so a reliable headtorch with spare batteries is essential. The vineyards around Gigondas and the trails approaching Malaucène can be dusty and abrasive in dry conditions, adding to foot wear.
Cut-Offs & Race Management
The cut-off schedule is progressive and demanding. The summit cut-off of 16:49 on Day 2 at 71.7 km means a typical finisher needs to be running to a consistent pace from the gun. Missing Mont Serein (cut-off 15:01) leaves only 108 minutes to cover 5.3 km up to the summit – achievable but requiring no delays. Le Barroux at 92.8 km has a cut-off of 21:00, giving some buffer after the summit descent, but Gigondas (109.1 km, cut-off 01:10 on Day 3) and Bas de St Amand (116.3 km, 03:13) compress rapidly and leave little time for a slow final section. Crews can access Malaucène (start/finish), Entrechaux (34.3 km), Mont Serein (66.4 km), Le Barroux (92.8 km), Gigondas (109.1 km), and the finish. Plan crew meetings to be brief and purposeful, particularly at Mont Serein where time lost at the checkpoint directly affects the summit cut-off. Know your cut-offs, run your own race in the first half, and trust that a controlled opening will always outperform an optimistic one over 126 km and 5,561 m.
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Checkpoints & cut-offs
✓ Course data verified against the official source (2026-07-05) · official source
0 km · 310 m · —
14.9 km · 600 m · —
34.3 km · 278 m · Sat 06:45
46.9 km · 340 m · Sat 09:30
54.9 km · 397 m · —
66.4 km · 1398 m · Sat 14:30
82 km · 733 m · —
92.9 km · 305 m · Sat 21:00
109.2 km · 232 m · Sun 01:15
116.3 km · 548 m · —
126.1 km · 310 m · Sun 05:30
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