Trail Alsace by UTMB
Trail Alsace by UTMB – Trail des Pèlerins
Barr → Obernai
Race guide
Updated 18 July 2026
The Trail des Pèlerins is the 29 km distance at Trail Alsace by UTMB, a point-to-point run from Barr to Obernai through the forested foothills of the Vosges above the Alsace vineyards. With 772 m of climbing and a high point of 759 m, it is the accessible entry into the Trail Alsace weekend, short enough for newer trail runners yet with enough climbing to reward good pacing. Starting at Barr at 210 m and finishing at Obernai at 183 m, the route front-loads its climbing on the way to the Abbaye de Niedermunster before descending through Ottrott and on to the finish. It is a race defined by one main climb early and a runnable second half, making it an ideal first-timer's ultra-adjacent trail or a fast day out for the experienced.
The course: Barr to Obernai via Niedermunster
The Trail des Pèlerins runs point-to-point from Barr (210 m), a crew point at the start, to Obernai (183 m). Almost all of the 772 m of climbing comes in the first 17.1 km, a steady pull from the vineyards up to the Abbaye de Niedermunster at 513 m, near the course's 759 m high point. This opening section on wooded trails is the heart of the race and where the day's climbing is concentrated. After Niedermunster the route turns downhill, dropping to Ottrott Village at 23.2 km (267 m), a crew point, before the gentle final 6 km run-in to Obernai at 29 km. With the high ground behind you by the 17 km mark, the character of the race shifts from climbing to running, and the closing third is fast and forgiving compared with the start.
Where the race is decided
On a course this short and with only 772 m of climbing, the single decisive feature is the climb to the Abbaye de Niedermunster in the first 17.1 km. This is where the entire day's ascent effectively happens, taking runners from 210 m at Barr to 513 m at the abbey. Running it under control is the whole game: push too hard and the descent to Ottrott and the flat run to Obernai become a struggle; hold back and you arrive at the top with legs ready to run. The 12 km from Niedermunster to the finish drop steadily through Ottrott to Obernai and are the fastest ground on the course. This is where a sensibly paced runner makes up time and places. The margin between a comfortable finish and a hard one is set almost entirely by how evenly you climbed the first half, because there is very little climbing left to slow the field once you crest Niedermunster.
Pacing and fuelling to the cut-offs
The cut-offs are set for a Saturday and are generous for the distance, but they still require steady early progress. The gates are the Abbaye de Niedermunster at 17.1 km (Saturday 17:20), Ottrott Village at 23.2 km (18:45, a crew point) and the finish at Obernai at 19:45. With checkpoints roughly 6 to 17 km apart, a single carry between aid stops covers the course comfortably for most runners. Because the climbing is concentrated early, fuel on the way up to Niedermunster rather than waiting for the descent. Ottrott at 23.2 km is a crew point and the natural place to top up before the short final push to Obernai. The closing 6 km are runnable, so the goal is to reach Ottrott with enough energy to run home rather than walk it in. For many entrants this is a first taste of the UTMB series, and the simplest plan works best: climb steadily, eat early, and enjoy a fast finish through the Alsace foothills.
Terrain and conditions
The Trail des Pèlerins is a foothills course, not a mountain one: forested trails, vineyard edges and village approaches, with a high point of just 759 m so altitude is never a concern. The 772 m of climbing over 29 km is almost all delivered in the first half around Niedermunster, leaving the back end runnable on lower, gentler ground toward Ottrott and Obernai. Conditions are the usual Alsace mix of woodland and open vineyard terrain. Wet weather can make the descent off Niedermunster and the wooded sections toward Ottrott slippery, so grippy shoes are worth having. The lower, more exposed stretches near the vineyards and the finish at Obernai can be warm under sun, so keep an eye on hydration on the runnable back half. As the shortest Trail Alsace distance, it is a forgiving, well-supported introduction to the terrain, best run as a controlled climb followed by a relaxed, faster finish.
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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 · 513 m · Sat 17:20
23.2 km · 267 m · Sat 18:45
29 km · 183 m · Sat 19:45
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