La Verticale du Criou à Samoëns

La Verticale du Criou in Samoëns, France is a demanding vertical kilometer, or VK, race that climbs 1,000m in under 2 km. The route rises directly from the valley floor to the summit ridge of the Criou, a prominent peak that towers over the village and serves as its natural backdrop. With race organizers calling the event “completely crazy,” runners can be sure that they will come away with burning quads and lungs.

The course follows a relentlessly steep gradient through meadows and forest before emerging onto alpine slopes with wide views over the Haut-Giffre valley, a landscape of cliffs, waterfalls, and pastures framed by towering peaks.

This uphill-only challenge is a showcase of pure climbing strength and stamina, set within a lush and wild valley in the northern French Alps, just an hour’s drive from Geneva.