Kilomètre Vertical® Face de Bellevarde – France

7 July

Kilomètre Verticale Face de Bellevarde 2016. ©iancorless.com / SWS

Distance: 3 km

Vertical climb: 970m

Highest point: 2,798m

Race records: Xavier Gachet 33’34” (2016); Christel Dewalle 38’11” (2016)

Val d’Isère opens its summer festivities the week-end before the Bastille Day celebration on the 14th of July with the challenging and unique Vertical Kilometer® race on the Face Bellevarde Olympic ski run.

Re-introduced two years ago after a 12-year interval, this individual time trial race hosts some of the best runners in the world and many amateurs who want to take up the challenge. Runners start every 30 seconds and follow their own way up to the finish at 2,798m where welcome food and refreshment awaits them.

Val d’Isère’s Vertical Kilometer® is also open to hikers a couple of hours prior to race departure. No timing for them! Simply the pleasure to climb the legendary Face de Bellevarde, host in winter to “le critérium de la première neige” and the most prestigious World Cup participants.

Val d’Isère, France

Start time: 16.00

Official website