Trail du Saint Jacques by UTMB
Trail du Saint Jacques by UTMB – Les Chibottes - 20K
Solignac-sur-Loire → Le Puy En Velay
Race guide
Updated 18 July 2026
The Les Chibottes 20K is the short-format race at Trail du Saint Jacques by UTMB, a point-to-point run that starts at Solignac-sur-Loire and finishes in Le Puy-en-Velay. On paper it is the entry distance of the event, but the numbers tell a fuller story: the course actually measures 28 km with 662 m of climbing, so it rewards runners who treat it as a proper trail effort rather than a road 20K. Starting high at 856 m and finishing at 631 m in Le Puy-en-Velay, the route is net downhill but far from a straight descent. Expect a rolling profile through the Velay uplands, with the named waypoints of Charentus, Le Riou and Les Chibottes breaking the course into distinct thirds. It is a race for runners who want a genuine trail challenge without committing to an ultra distance.
The course: Solignac-sur-Loire to Le Puy-en-Velay
The route runs from Solignac-sur-Loire (856 m), through Charentus at 12.5 km (640 m), Le Riou at 17.1 km (791 m) and Les Chibottes at 22.4 km (769 m), before dropping into the finish at Le Puy-en-Velay (631 m) at 28 km. With a high point of 891 m, the terrain stays on the plateau country of the Haute-Loire throughout, never gaining serious altitude but constantly undulating. The defining shape is a long opening descent followed by a mid-race reclimb. From the start you lose more than 200 m of altitude over the first half to reach Charentus, the lowest point on the course, then have to earn it back on the pull up to Le Riou. Because the net drop of 225 m from start to finish is spread across 662 m of total climbing, there is far more up-and-down than the point-to-point numbers suggest. Runners should study the profile and resist banking too much time on the early downhill.
Where the race is decided: the climb to Le Riou
The single most decisive stretch sits between Charentus (12.5 km, 640 m) and Le Riou (17.1 km, 791 m). Having descended to the low point of the course, you face roughly 150 m of climbing over 4.6 km with tired quads that have just absorbed a long descent. This is where fields spread out and where runners who went out hard on the downhill start to pay for it. From Le Riou to Les Chibottes (22.4 km, 769 m) the profile eases into rolling ground before the closing descent into Le Puy-en-Velay, losing around 138 m over the final 5.6 km. That last section is a genuine opportunity: legs that were held in reserve on the climb can be turned loose here. The tactical lesson is simple — run the first descent under control, work steadily through the Le Riou climb, and save your best downhill running for the run into the finish.
Pacing and fuelling a 28 km trail race
There are no published cut-offs on the Les Chibottes course, which reflects its short format, but the 28 km distance and 662 m of climb still deserve respect. Break the race into the three waypoint segments: Solignac to Charentus (12.5 km of net descent), Charentus to Le Riou (the reclimb), and Le Riou through Les Chibottes to the finish (rolling, then downhill). Aiming for even effort rather than even pace across those segments is the key to a strong finish. Solignac-sur-Loire is the marked crew and start point, so plan to leave fully topped up and carry enough fluid and calories to cover the roughly 12 km gap to Charentus and beyond. For most runners one soft flask or a small pack plus a couple of gels or bars will comfortably see them through; the descents mean you will drink less than on a steep climbing course, but the mid-race pull up to Le Riou is where a timely gel keeps the effort strong.
Conditions and terrain to expect
The course sits in the Velay highlands of the Haute-Loire, running between roughly 630 m and 890 m of altitude. This is open plateau and upland trail country, and the weather can swing quickly: exposed sections can be warm and dry in sun or cold and wind-blown in poor weather, so pack a layer even for a short race. The finish in Le Puy-en-Velay, a well-known waypoint on the pilgrimage routes that give the event its name, provides a memorable, downhill arrival into town. Underfoot, expect the mixed trail and track typical of this landscape rather than technical mountain terrain — the modest high point of 891 m keeps the going runnable throughout. That makes footwear choice straightforward: a standard trail shoe with reliable grip is enough. Because so much of the descending comes in two concentrated blocks, the early drop to Charentus and the closing run to Le Puy, runners who have trained their downhill legs will have a clear edge.
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Checkpoints & cut-offs
✓ Course data verified against the official source (2026-07-17) · official source
0 km · 856 m · —
12.5 km · 640 m · —
17.1 km · 791 m · —
22.4 km · 769 m · —
28 km · 631 m · —
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