From 12th-14th November 2026, the first Topo Athletic Bibracte Ultra-Trail® will bring nearly 1,000 runners and their families to Bibracte during the off-season. Along the route, the 14 host villages and their associations will organise activities to showcase the territory. Registrations so far come mainly from Bourgogne-Franche-Comté and the Paris and Lyon areas, in line with the target audience.
One year of coordination
Since last year, the Bibracte pilot team and its partners have been working closely to prepare the event : this has involved weekly meetings with Morvan Oxygène, the local sports association co-organising the race; monthly meetings with the territory’s three tourist offices and the Bourgogne-Franche-Comté Regional Tourism Board; visits to every town hall along the route; volunteer recruitment; the search for private an public financial and in-kind support; and the involvement of local producers and an agricultural secondary school. Alongside the logistical, technical and safety work, a press and public relations campaign has raised the event’s regional and national profile and highlighted the network of ancient rural paths that forms part of the Grand Site de France’s heritage.
A community effort
The race relies on some 300 volunteers of all ages, from neighbouring villages and sometimes much further afield, who will fill 700 positions across 14 villages. From road safety and bib distribution to site set-up and refreshment stations, they play a key role in welcoming and protecting runners, showcasing the territory and preserving its ecosystems. Residents are also preparing activities to cheer on the runners and welcome visitors, turning the weekend into a celebration across the whole territory.
Running through a protected landscape
The route crosses a highly protected area, largely covered by Natura 2000 and including two regional nature reserves and two listed heritage sites. Some ten authorisations were required to cross protected areas, and specific measures have been put in place: footbridges over watercourses, quiet zones, and awareness-raising signage and waymarking in sensitive areas. After the event, an environmental impact assessment of the route and a feedback survey of the local businesses and professionals involved will be carried out.
A shared business model
A partnership agreement between Bibracte and Morvan Oxygène sets out the event’s business model and defines how funding and human resources are shared between the two organisations. The budget combines sponsorship from companies with strong local roots, in-kind support and funding from local authorities.
More than a race
The trail is above all an exercise in territorial cooperation, facilitated by the Bibracte team as part of the SECreTOUR pilot work. It promotes cultural tourism and awareness of biocultural heritage, in keeping with the Grand Site’s role as a territorial laboratory. It also aims to demonstrate that a sporting event can meet the demanding standards of a protected site, setting a benchmark for private operators who might otherwise organise less sustainable events in the area. From the 12th-14th November 2026 the event will bring nearly 1,000 runners and their families to Bibracte in the off-season, while the 14 villages along the route will host activities with local associations and villages to showcase the territory. To date, participants come mainly from Bourgogne-Franche-Comté and the Paris and Lyon areas, matching the target audience.
