Trail Alsace by UTMB
Ultra-Trail des Païens
Orschwiller → Obernai
Race guide
Updated 19 July 2026
The Ultra-Trail des Païens is the flagship 109 km distance of Trail Alsace by UTMB, running from Orschwiller to Obernai through the vineyard hills and forested ridges of the Alsace Vosges foothills. With 3580 m of climbing and a high point of just 776 m, this isn't a high-mountain race in the alpine sense — it's a long, relentlessly undulating course that strings together historic Alsatian villages, castle ruins and one significant summit at Mont Sainte-Odile. The single overall cut-off structure (Day 07:00 at both start and finish) means this is a race about sustained rhythm over a long day and night rather than surviving brutal single climbs.
The Course & Terrain
From Orschwiller at 230 m, the route climbs immediately to Haut-Koenigsbourg at 9.9 km (724 m) — one of the biggest single gains of the day, right out of the gate, taking runners up to the famous castle. From there the course drops back down to Châtenois (18.4 km, 193 m) before threading through the vineyard belt via Dambach-la-Ville (31.4 km, 225 m) and Andlau (51.3 km, 388 m). This middle section is classic Alsace: rolling vineyard tracks and forest paths with repeated short, sharp ups and downs rather than one long grind. The terrain profile — 3580 m of D+ spread over 109 km with a modest 776 m ceiling — tells you this is a course of constant elevation change, not sustained altitude, so legs take a cumulative beating from the repetition rather than from any single monster ascent.
Where the Race Is Won or Lost
The two defining terrain features are the Haut-Koenigsbourg climb in the opening 10 km and the Mont Sainte-Odile / Niedermunster sector at 73.6 km (719 m), which sits close to the overall high point of the race. Going hard up to the castle early is tempting given fresh legs, but with 100 km still to run afterward it's a common mistake — save something for the return climb toward Sainte-Odile in the second half, which comes after already covering more than 70 km and will hit far harder on tired legs. Between Barr (64.2 km, 456 m) and Sainte-Odile the course gains real vertical again after the flatter vineyard running, and this transition from rolling terrain back into sustained climbing is where pacing errors from earlier in the day get punished. The final third, from Sainte-Odile through Klingenthal (92.3 km, 552 m) to Rosheim (108.5 km, 190 m) and the finish in Obernai, is a long net descent — runners who've managed their quads through the earlier repeated ups and downs will be able to capitalize on this closing stretch.
Pacing & Fueling
With a single cut-off window framed as Day 07:00 at both ends, this is a race demanding even, sustainable pacing rather than aggressive early splits, especially given the early Haut-Koenigsbourg effort. Treat the first climb as a warm-up, not a statement — the real test comes at Sainte-Odile past the 70 km mark. Crew points are generously spaced at Haut-Koenigsbourg, Châtenois, Dambach-la-Ville, Andlau, Barr, Klingenthal and the Obernai finish, giving multiple opportunities to restock food, adjust layers and manage feet over what will be a long day and likely a night out on the vineyard trails. Given the cumulative, repetitive climbing profile rather than one or two huge cols, fueling should be steady and continuous throughout rather than banked around a single big effort — the fatigue here builds from constant small elevation changes over 109 km.
Conditions to Expect
Running between vineyard villages and forested ridgelines at modest altitude (topping out at 776 m), the Ultra-Trail des Païens is unlikely to bring extreme mountain weather, but the long duration means runners should prepare for a full range of conditions across a day and night on course. The vineyard sections around Dambach-la-Ville and Andlau are exposed to sun and wind, while the forested stretches near Mont Sainte-Odile and Klingenthal offer more shelter but can hold moisture and cooler temperatures, particularly if tackled at night given the race's length. With finish cut-off set for Day 07:00, plan for a second sunrise on course and pack accordingly for a temperature swing from daytime vineyard heat to overnight forest cool.
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Checkpoints & cut-offs
✓ Course data verified against the official source (2026-07-05) · official source
0 km · 229 m · —
10.1 km · 725 m · Fri 09:45
18.3 km · 191 m · Fri 11:00
31 km · 215 m · Fri 13:45
48.3 km · 235 m · Fri 18:05
61.2 km · 206 m · Fri 20:45
77.8 km · 514 m · Sat 00:30
85.2 km · 313 m · Sat 02:15
101.5 km · 192 m · Sat 06:15
109 km · 183 m · Sat 07:45
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