Trail du Saint Jacques by UTMB
Trail du Saint Jacques by UTMB – Grand Trail du Saint Jacques - 100K
Monistrol d'Allier → Le Puy-En-Velay
Race guide
Updated 18 July 2026
The Grand Trail du Saint Jacques - 100K is the long-course option at Trail du Saint Jacques by UTMB, an 86 km point-to-point run from Monistrol d'Allier to Le Puy-en-Velay across the volcanic uplands of the Haute-Loire. It follows the spirit of the ancient pilgrimage country of the Camino de Santiago, climbing 3039 m over the day with a high point of 1422 m. This is a runnable but substantial ultra: the terrain is high plateau and river valley rather than alpine, but the repeated climbs out of the Allier gorges and the 3039 m of cumulative ascent make it a real test of pacing and endurance. From a low start at Monistrol d'Allier (613 m) the route works up onto the plateau, dips through a series of villages and lakes, and finishes in the historic town of Le Puy-en-Velay at 631 m.
The course: Monistrol d'Allier to Le Puy-en-Velay
The race is a point-to-point from Monistrol d'Allier at 613 m to Le Puy-en-Velay at 631 m, covering 86 km with 3039 m of climbing. It opens with an immediate ascent out of the Allier valley, climbing to Saint Privat d'Allier at 11.3 km (877 m) and higher to Saint Jean Lachalm at 20.2 km (1157 m), one of the highest sustained points on the course near the 1422 m maximum. Then the route drops sharply back to the river at Alleyras (784 m) by 32.1 km. From Alleyras the course climbs again onto the plateau to Lac du Bouchet at 48.2 km (1237 m), a volcanic crater lake, then rolls through Bains at 64 km (1178 m) before descending to Saint Christophe sur Dolaizon at 70.8 km (913 m). The final section passes Les Chibottes at 81 km (769 m) before the closing 5 km drop into Le Puy-en-Velay at 86 km. The profile is a sequence of climbs and descents between roughly 600 m and 1240 m rather than one big mountain.
Where the race is decided
The two defining climbs come early and mid-race. The first is the long haul from Monistrol d'Allier up through Saint Privat d'Allier to Saint Jean Lachalm at 20.2 km, gaining more than 500 m from the valley floor to the high plateau near the course's 1422 m ceiling. The sharp descent from there to Alleyras at 32.1 km, dropping close to 400 m back to the river, is a quad-punishing section that must be run within yourself. The second key effort is the re-ascent from Alleyras to Lac du Bouchet at 48.2 km, another significant climb back onto the plateau at the roughly halfway mark. Beyond Bains at 64 km the terrain trends gently downward toward Le Puy-en-Velay, so the closing 20 km reward runners who kept something back. The race is won and lost in how you manage the first two big climbs and the descent to Alleyras: over-commit early and the runnable plateau to the finish becomes a slog.
Pacing and fuelling to the cut-offs
The cut-offs span Saturday into early Sunday and demand steady progress on the climbs. The key gates are Saint Jean Lachalm at 20.2 km (Saturday 12:10, a crew point), Lac du Bouchet at 48.2 km (18:00, crew point), Saint Christophe sur Dolaizon at 70.8 km (22:40, crew point) and the finish at Le Puy-en-Velay at 86 km (Sunday 02:15). Crew points at Saint Privat d'Allier, Saint Jean Lachalm, Lac du Bouchet and Saint Christophe give plenty of chances for support. Aid and checkpoint spacing runs roughly 5 to 16 km, so carry enough for the longer plateau stretches such as Alleyras to Lac du Bouchet and Bains to Saint Christophe. With the finish deep into the night, plan for a period of running in the dark from around Saint Christophe onward and pack a headtorch. Fuel steadily on the two big early climbs so you reach Lac du Bouchet at 48.2 km in good shape, then use the gentler run-in from Bains to press toward Le Puy-en-Velay while managing the cut-off at Saint Christophe.
Terrain and conditions
This is Haute-Loire plateau and gorge country: volcanic uplands, crater lakes such as Lac du Bouchet, river valleys of the Allier, and the pilgrimage villages of the Camino de Santiago heartland. With a high point of 1422 m the altitude is moderate, but the exposed plateau sections can be windy and the descents into and out of the Allier gorges are steep and demanding on tired legs. Conditions on the open plateau can swing between warm sun and cold, breezy stretches, especially overnight as the race pushes toward a Sunday-morning finish at Le Puy-en-Velay. Expect a mix of runnable track and rougher trail, with the river-valley climbs and descents providing the most technical footing. Because the closing hours are run in the dark, plan warm layers and lighting for the section from Saint Christophe sur Dolaizon to the finish, and treat the historic descent into Le Puy-en-Velay as the reward for a well-managed day on the plateau.
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Checkpoints & cut-offs
✓ Course data verified against the official source (2026-07-17) · official source
0 km · 613 m · —
11.3 km · 877 m · —
20.2 km · 1157 m · Sat 12:10
32.1 km · 784 m · —
48.2 km · 1237 m · Sat 18:00
64 km · 1178 m · —
70.8 km · 913 m · Sat 22:40
81 km · 769 m · —
86 km · 631 m · Sun 02:15
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