Our Run the Alps team has dozens of years of experience, trail running throughout Switzerland, France, and Italy. Take a moment to meet them!
Guide
Favorite Alp trail run
From the top of the Brevent lift in the Chamonix valley, down the GR5 long distance hiking route, across the top of Mont Pormenaz, and finally down to our home in Servoz for tea and scones.
Senior Guide
Favorite Alp trail run
The trail run up from Servoz to the Alpage at Ayères des Rocs beneath the towering Fiz massif, located in the larger Chamonix valley. It always provides a good workout in a beautiful setting. The first half, up to Lac Vert, involves a sustained grind through quiet, shaded pine cover before giving way to increasingly open views of the Mont Blanc massif. If time allows you can contemplate gathering your reserves and continuing up to the Col d’Anterne or making the boucle, or loop, back to Servoz over the Lac de Pormenaz in the distance.
Guide
Favorite Alp trail run
It’s so difficult to choose, but it is hard to beat the experience of running the last section of the UTMB and CCC race route. Arriving at the top of the long climb from the Col de Montets, you come round a bend to be almost stopped dead in your tracks by the truly awesome view across to the Mont Blanc massif. I absolutely love blasting down the final descent from La Flégère as well – if my leg muscles allow it, that is!
Senior Guide
Favorite Alp trail run
It might have to be the simplicity of being able to run out the door, skirt the north end of Lake Annecy and run up the steep end of Mont Veyrier, at first through dense woodland and gradually thinning until… wham! Suddenly, you’re hit with a stunning view down the lake from the Col des Sauts. A final push to the summit leads to a spectacular 2-km ridgeline along Mont Baron, then the run finishes with a descent to the historic Col des Contrebandiers.
Guide
Favorite Alp trail run
Coming up from La Fouly, Switzerland to cross the Swiss-Italian border at Grand Col Ferret is just amazing. The view down the valley towards the Grandes Jorasses and Dent du Geant is stunning, so dramatic!
Senior Guide
Favorite Alp trail run
For me this has to be the classic Grand Balcon Sud, linking Flégère to Brévent above Chamonix Valley. This gently undulating trail has stunning views of the Mount Blanc massif and is a welcome ‘flat’ section for runners on the Chamonix marathon, being the last leg of the race.
Guide
Favorite Alp trail run
My favorite trail run starts on the trail system in le Buet, on the French-Swiss border not far from Chamonix. The run through the Vallon de Berard and on up to Mont Buet is fabulous. From the hot pine smells low down, past glacial pools, coffee at the refuge and on up to the desert-like landscape around 3,000 meters – complete with views of Mont Blanc and its satellite peaks – gives a day out for all the senses. It links really well to other trails for a point-to-point, from Servoz, or Chamonix, with the advantage of a valley train to get you back to your start.
Guide
Favorite Alp trail run
The Aiguillette des Posettes, which is right behind my house. I’ve been up there dozens of times, but it never gets boring. I like to run the trail from the Le Tour ski area parking lot. The trail winds up through a beautiful forest. When you get above treeline, you’re in a great spot to graze on a few wild berries and spot some marmots. Once at the summit, you can really see everything in the Chamonix Valley: Mont Blanc, the Aiguille Verte, and right into the Argentière basin. Behind you is Mont Buet, and also some great views into Switzerland. The run down is equally spectacular, following an amazing ridge down to the pretty hamlet of Tré-le-Champ.
Guide
Favorite Alp trail run
The Tour du Mont Blanc is such an obvious choice! The first time will always be memorable for me. We ran it over four days, taking all the high alternatives. The last day was long: We ran from Relais d’Arpette to Les Houches. I was feeling very tired at Flégère, but a cold drink and tarte aux pommes perked me up. We reached Brévent to see an amazing sunset, before descending to Les Houches in the dark.
Guide
Favorite Alp trail run
In 2016, I ran through a beautiful section of Switzerland’s Italian-influenced Ticino region. We ran from the Ticino River to Verzasca River via a 2000m climb over the Passo de Gagnone. We battled hail, wind, cloud, snow and gravity to reach the pass, by which point we were cold, wet, tired and doubting our sanity. Crossing the watershed everything changed. The sun broke through, the wind abated and we made fresh coffee at the Campanna d’Efra. An unprecedented state of flow ensued during the magnificent descent to the Verzasca: a slowly rising euphoria, the like of which I have been searching for ever since!
Guide
Favorite Alp trail run
The Pigne de la Lé in Switzerland above the Cabane Moiry. You get to run across some great mountain terrain, crossing glaciers and scrambling up alpine ridges to a lovely summit. It has everything I want from a mountain run. Plus, the Cabane Moiry has to be one of the nicest places in the Alps to stop and enjoy a post-summit beer.
Senior Guide
Favorite Alp trail run
My favorite Alp trail run is the Tour de Argentière near the Grand Muveran in Switzerland. It challenges you in so many ways, as well as exposing you to the fantastic flora and fauna that you can find in this gem of an area.