Trail Alsace by UTMB
Trail Alsace by UTMB – Trail des Celtes
Barr → Obernai
Race guide
Updated 18 July 2026
The Trail des Celtes is the 47 km option at Trail Alsace by UTMB, a point-to-point run from Barr to Obernai across the wooded foothills of the Vosges above the Alsace vineyards. Over its 47 km it climbs 1488 m, topping out at a modest 778 m, which makes it an accessible but honest middle-distance trail race rather than a high-mountain outing. The route trades on Alsace's mix of forest ridge and village, starting at Barr at 210 m, working through the hills to the Abbaye de Niedermunster and Klingenthal, then easing down through Rosheim to the finish at Obernai at 183 m. With no single big climb but steady rolling terrain, it rewards runners who pace the first, hilliest half sensibly and stay strong on the flatter run-in.
The course: Barr to Obernai across the Vosges foothills
The Trail des Celtes is a point-to-point line from Barr (210 m) to Obernai (183 m), a net-flat profile that hides a genuinely hilly first half. The opening 17.1 km climbs from the vineyards of Barr up to the Abbaye de Niedermunster at 514 m, the highest checkpoint on the course and close to the 778 m high point of the route. This is where most of the 1488 m of total climbing is concentrated, on forested trails winding through the hills above the Alsace plain. From Niedermunster the course drops to Klingenthal at 24.6 km (311 m), a crew point and natural halfway marker, before a long undulating passage down to Rosheim at 40.8 km (190 m) and the final 6 km run-in to Obernai. The back third is markedly gentler than the front, so the shape of the race is a climbing first half over the ridges followed by a faster, lower finish through the villages and vineyards.
Where the race is decided
With no alpine climbs to break the field apart, the Trail des Celtes is won and lost on how you handle the first 25 km. The sustained climb to the Abbaye de Niedermunster at 17.1 km takes you from 210 m to 514 m and carries the bulk of the day's 1488 m of ascent; runners who push too hard up this early forest climbing will pay for it on the rolling terrain that follows. The descent to Klingenthal at 24.6 km is the moment to settle into rhythm rather than chase time. The closing 22 km from Klingenthal to Obernai lose altitude overall and run through lower, more runnable ground via Rosheim. This is where a well-paced runner makes up places: the legs that were held back on the Niedermunster climb can turn the gentle downhill toward Obernai into fast, steady kilometres, while those who over-cooked the first half fade on exactly the terrain where they should be moving best.
Pacing and fuelling to the cut-offs
The cut-offs are set for a Sunday and give a reasonable window, but they tighten if you stall on the early climb. The gates are the Abbaye de Niedermunster at 17.1 km (Sunday 11:00), Klingenthal at 24.6 km (12:15, a crew point), Rosheim at 40.8 km (15:35, also crew-accessible) and the finish at Obernai at 17:00. The aid and checkpoint spacing is comfortable, with roughly 6 to 17 km between marked points, so a single well-managed carry between stops is enough for most runners. Because the hard work is early, fuel before you need to: eat steadily on the climb to Niedermunster so you reach Klingenthal at 24.6 km with the legs and stomach in good order. Klingenthal and Rosheim are both crew points, making them the logical spots to restock and refresh. The final stretch to Obernai is short and runnable, so the aim is to arrive at Rosheim (40.8 km) with enough in the tank to run the closing 6 km rather than survive them.
Terrain and conditions
This is classic Alsace trail running: forested ridges, vineyard edges and village approaches rather than exposed high mountain. With a high point of only 778 m the altitude is never a factor, but the 1488 m of accumulated climbing across 47 km means the ground rarely stays flat, especially in the first half around Niedermunster. Expect a mix of woodland singletrack and wider forest track underfoot. Seasonally the main variables are footing and temperature rather than altitude. Wet weather can make the wooded descents around Niedermunster and toward Rosheim slick, so shoes with reliable grip help. The lower, more open sections through the vineyards and into Obernai can warm up under sun, making hydration on the flatter back half worth watching. Overall it is a forgiving course by UTMB standards, best approached as a well-fuelled, evenly paced 47 km with the effort banked for the climbing early and the running late.
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Checkpoints & cut-offs
✓ Course data verified against the official source (2026-07-17) · official source
0 km · 210 m · —
17.1 km · 514 m · Sun 11:00
24.6 km · 311 m · Sun 12:15
40.8 km · 190 m · Sun 15:35
47 km · 183 m · Sun 17:00
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