"To conquer the wall is to surpass oneself": who dares to challenge one of the steepest walls in France... Thursday evening in this village on the Côte d'Azur?

Ready, set, go! La Colle-sur-Loup will ring the whistle tonight at 8 p.m. to kick off its trail. After 800 runners in 2019 and 1,000 in 2024, "places have been sold out for weeks already. This year again, registration has broken its record with 1,200 athletes, including 200 children." That's the equivalent of 15% of the village's 8,000 inhabitants, gathered in one evening. This is enough to delight Vincent Pomparat, the event organizer. All departments are on the starting line. For this 6th edition, registrants will even meet Dominique Chauvelier, the trail's patron. A leading figure in running, the four-time French marathon champion is coming to Le Mans for the occasion.

“To conquer the Wall is to surpass oneself”

The runners will have to set off through the narrow streets of Col de la Creuse, treading the rural plots of the Bois de Montgros. The course ends on the famous slope of the Chemin de l'Avencq: "The Wall" , the name the trail takes in his honor. The hill, taken by the runners of the Paris-Nice in 2018, is classified as one of the steepest in the country. For Vincent Pomparat, "conquering the Wall is about surpassing yourself" : 90% of participants, even those who are trained, stop running and tackle it by walking: "in the 20% elevation section, it's almost a vertical race" , he says ironically.

The event, organized by the Village Trail de la Colle-sur-Loup, offers several challenges: 12km with a 390m elevation gain or 8km with a 260m elevation gain. Children can choose from two suitable races: the 500m (5-9 years old) or the 1.6km (10-15 years old). These accessible short distances attract families who take on the challenge together. At the finish line, each runner receives a merguez sausage sandwich, accompanied by a beer, "except for the young ones, of course!" A band will entertain the evening, amidst food truck stands, temporarily set up. This will provide plenty of refreshments for athletes, but especially for the companions who support their colleagues. "It's fun, ultra-friendly: word of mouth works, and participants come back. And then, a trail during the week, in the evening, is unusual, but it frees up the weekend, so the idea is popular," notes the organization from Colle-sur-Loup.

Ready, set, go! La Colle-sur-Loup will whistle the start of its trail this Thursday, July 10, 2025, at 8 p.m. After 800 runners in 2019 and 1,000 in 2024, "places have been sold out for weeks already. This year again, registration broke its record with 1,200 athletes, including 200 children." That's the equivalent of 15% of the village's 8,000 inhabitants, gathered in one evening. This is enough to delight Vincent Pomparat, the event organizer. All departments are on the starting line. For this 6th edition, registrants will even meet Dominique Chauvelier, the trail's patron. A leading figure in running, the four-time French marathon champion is coming to Le Mans for the occasion.

“To conquer the Wall is to surpass oneself”

The runners will have to set off through the narrow streets of Col de la Creuse, treading the rural plots of the Bois de Montgros. The course ends on the famous slope of the Chemin de l'Avencq: "The Wall" , the name the trail takes in his honor. The hill, taken by the runners of the Paris-Nice in 2018, is classified as one of the steepest in the country. For Vincent Pomparat, "conquering the Wall is about surpassing yourself" : 90% of participants, even those who are trained, stop running and tackle it by walking: "in the 20% elevation section, it's almost a vertical race" , he says ironically.

An accessible and unusual trail

The event, organized by the Village Trail de la Colle-sur-Loup, offers several challenges: 12km with a 390m elevation gain or 8km with a 260m elevation gain. Children can choose from two suitable races: the 500m (5-9 years old) or the 1.6km (10-15 years old). These accessible short distances attract families who take on the challenge together. At the finish line, each runner receives a merguez sausage sandwich, accompanied by a beer, "except for the young ones, of course!" A band will entertain the evening, amidst food truck stands, temporarily set up. This will provide plenty of refreshments for athletes, but especially for the companions who support their colleagues. "It's fun, ultra-friendly: word of mouth works, and participants come back. And then, a trail during the week, in the evening, is unusual, but it frees up the weekend, so the idea is popular," notes the organization from Colle-sur-Loup.