Les 24 Tours Sans Venin

Tucked into the southern edge of the Vercors massif above Grenoble, France, the 24 Tours sans Venin runs in a “Last Runner Standing” format: a 6km loop with 280m of climbing is repeated once per hour for, well, as long as you can manage. There are no pacers allowed, it’s just you, the loop, and the enduring question of how many times you’ll go back for more.

The flagship distance covers 24 loops, adding up to a maximum of 144km and 6,720m of gain. For those after something shorter, the MaraTour (42km / 1,960m) and the Découverte (24km / 1,120m) offer the same course and atmosphere with a less ambitious time commitment. A relay format is also available, sharing the 24-loop distance among two runners.

The race takes place at the foot of the Tour sans Venin, a limestone outcrop that gives the event its name. The race route offers forested trails and old tramway tunnels through the regional hills. Grenoble, one of the Alps’ regional hubs, lies just below. It’s about an hour and a half by train from Lyon and roughly two hours from Geneva.

Grenoble has long been a gateway to the Vercors, a plateau the French Resistance used as a stronghold during World War II, and the whole massif carries a particular weight of local history. After the race, the Chartreuse valley just to the north is worth a detour. It’s home to the monastery where the famous herbal liqueur of the same name has been produced since the 18th century.