Nice Côte d'Azur by UTMB
Nice Côte d'Azur by UTMB 100M
Auron → Nice (Promenade des Anglais)
Race guide
Updated 19 July 2026
The Nice Côte d'Azur by UTMB 100M is a point-to-point mountain-to-sea odyssey stretching 165 km from the alpine village of Auron, at 1593 m, all the way down to the Promenade des Anglais in Nice at sea level. With 8411 m of total climbing and a high point of 2698 m, this is not a typical 100-miler — it is a sustained descent in net terms, but one that punishes runners who treat it that way. The route threads through the Tinée and Vésubie valleys, crosses remote high-alpine terrain above 2500 m in the opening kilometres, passes through medieval perched villages, and finally drops through the urban fringe of the Côte d'Azur to finish on one of the most iconic seafronts in the world. That contrast — glaciated ridgelines in the dark giving way to Mediterranean heat and city streets — defines everything about how you should approach this race.
Course & Terrain Overview
From the gun in Auron the course immediately climbs to the Refuge de Rabuons at 2524 m, just 17.1 km in, making it one of the most demanding opening segments of any UTMB-series race. The trail then descends sharply to Isola at 1065 m (km 36.2) before continuing down the Tinée valley through Pont de Paule (km 48.5, 716 m) and Saint-Sauveur-sur-Tinée (km 62.1, 508 m), your first crew access point. This long valley corridor is runnable, deceptively so — the gradient is gentle and the legs feel good, which is exactly the trap. After the crew point the course climbs back to Valdeblore La Colmiane at 996 m (km 70.6), then pushes up to the Granges de la Brasque at 1210 m (km 85.8) before the spectacular approach to Utelle at 1410 m — the 100 km mark. From Utelle the route descends to Levens (km 112.1, 679 m, second crew point), climbs once more to Tourrette-Levens at 830 m (km 130.7), drops to Drap at 366 m (km 137.7), and then navigates the final 27 km into Nice to finish at 13 m on the Promenade des Anglais. The terrain shifts dramatically: technical rocky singletrack on the high alpine section, flowing forest trail in the mid-valleys, and increasingly exposed, sun-baked paths and roads as you approach the coast.
The Decisive Climbs and Where the Race Is Won or Lost
The opening climb to Refuge de Rabuons (2524 m, roughly 900 m of gain in the first 17 km) sets the tone immediately. It happens before dawn or in early morning light for most fields, when legs feel fresh and the temptation to push hard is at its peak — resist it absolutely. The race's high point at 2698 m falls in this opening alpine section, meaning you carry maximum exposure and technical ground early. A stumble in pace here costs you hours, not minutes, 100 km later. The second decisive section is the climb to Utelle at km 100, arriving at 1410 m after a long valley run. Runners who have run the Tinée valley too hard will crack on this climb; those who have held back will find it surprisingly manageable. Utelle at the 100 km mark is the psychological fulcrum: if you are still moving with intent here, the race is yours to lose. The final sting is Tourrette-Levens at km 130.7, a late climb to 830 m that comes after the second crew access at Levens — it separates runners who have paced honestly from those who have not. After Drap at km 137.7 the route is largely downhill and flat into Nice, but by then fatigue and heat accumulation make every metre feel earned.
How to Pace and Fuel This Race
The governing principle here is that a patient, even social first half is the deposit that funds a strong second. The Tinée valley from Saint-Sauveur-sur-Tinée to Valdeblore is exactly the kind of terrain that encourages runners to bank time — rolling, runnable, beautiful. Do not bank time; bank energy. Run by feel and effort, not by pace on the watch, and if anything err on the side of going too easy through the first 70 km. The record-level approach to this course is built on restraint early, not aggression. Once past Utelle at km 100 and especially after the crew point at Levens (km 112.1), you can begin to genuinely race. Break the remaining distance into chunks — from Levens to Tourrette-Levens, from Tourrette-Levens to Drap, from Drap to Nice — and manage each segment as its own target rather than staring at the finish. Fuelling must account for the net descent: you will be moving for a very long time, the caloric demand stays high even on downhills, and the increasing heat in the lower valleys suppresses appetite. Prioritise savoury, real food at the major checkpoints (Saint-Sauveur-sur-Tinée, Levens) where crew can support you, and front-load sodium intake before the descent into the coastal heat zone. The overall cut-off is Day 3 at 39:00, so most finishers will spend at least two full nights on course — plan night-section nutrition and caffeine timing accordingly.
Conditions to Expect
The Nice Côte d'Azur by UTMB takes place with a course that runs from high alpine to Mediterranean sea level, meaning you will experience two entirely different climates within a single race. In the opening 40 km above 2000 m, expect alpine cold, possible wind and unpredictable weather even in summer — the section around the 2698 m high point demands proper insulation layers, gloves and a hat regardless of forecast. As you descend through the Tinée valley, temperatures climb steadily. By the time you reach the lower valleys and the approach to Nice — particularly the section from Levens onwards — the heat can be significant, with full Mediterranean sun exposure, little shade on exposed trails, and ambient temperatures well above what most alpine-trained bodies expect at race pace. This thermal transition is the race's most underestimated challenge. Runners who arrive at Levens already dehydrated or sodium-depleted will struggle enormously on the final 53 km into Nice. Hydration discipline must begin on the descent from the mountains, not when you feel hot. Wind on the high ridges and afternoon thunderstorms are both possible early in the course; check the forecast for both the alpine and coastal zones independently, as they can differ by 15°C or more.
Race Nice Côte d'Azur by UTMB 100M with Crux
Get the strategy, fuelling and crew plan dialled for this exact course — built from the real route, climbs and cut-offs. Your first race is free.
Plan this race — freeCourse profile
Checkpoints & cut-offs
✓ Course data verified against the official source (2026-07-05) · official source
0 km · 1592 m · —
8.1 km · 1133 m · —
16.6 km · 2464 m · Fri 17:45
28.9 km · 2554 m · —
38 km · 829 m · Fri 23:15
50.2 km · 662 m · Sat 03:00
63.8 km · 478 m · Sat 07:15
68.4 km · 1018 m · Sat 09:00
83.6 km · 1149 m · Sat 14:00
93.9 km · 1693 m · Sat 18:00
99.6 km · 1363 m · —
109.9 km · 784 m · Sat 22:00
121.9 km · 525 m · Sun 01:30
128.4 km · 1259 m · —
140.4 km · 400 m · Sun 08:00
147.5 km · 94 m · Sun 10:00
153.7 km · 563 m · —
156.6 km · 376 m · Sun 13:00
167.2 km · 12 m · Sun 15:15
More races
More UTMB World Series
More in France
Similar distance (100 miles and beyond)
Racing Nice Côte d'Azur by UTMB 100M?
Get a complete race strategy — pacing, fuelling, crew plan and the crux moments — built on this exact course.
Plan your race in Crux →Strava is your training. Crux is your races.