MILLET XTrail COURCHEVEL 2026

Fallback course for the 2026 edition of the Millet XTrail Courchevel

After several weeks marked by ever-present sunshine and repeated heatwaves, the organisers of the Millet XTrail Courchevel were hoping for a lull to offer runners ideal conditions. While the heat was due to give way to more pleasant temperatures, it was in the end a storm that turned up, profoundly upsetting the running of the 2026 edition.

The day before the race, the forecasts predicted storms in the evening, followed by a gradual improvement with only a few scattered showers on Sunday morning and the return of sunny spells in the early afternoon. This scenario seemed compatible with keeping the courses, even offering ideal conditions to enjoy the Alpine panoramas that have made the Millet XTrail Courchevel famous.

But the mountain decided otherwise. The storm cells persisted well beyond the forecasts and, as dawn approached, the weather bulletins became increasingly pessimistic, announcing a risk of further storms from mid-morning.

A few minutes before the start, the organisation had to make a difficult but unavoidable decision. It was impossible to expose volunteers and athletes to a risk of lightning on courses that, from the 22 km, run above 2,400 metres in altitude, crossing several passes along ridges that are particularly exposed to lightning.

It was therefore a real twist that awaited the 1,700 participants at the final briefing. The six courses originally planned gave way to a single 11-kilometre loop to be run up to 6 times, in order to preserve the “Find Your Limit” concept, the true signature of the Millet XTrail Courchevel. As every year, everyone was free to stop at the end of each loop or to set off again to try to reach the next distance up.

Although the announcement first caused disappointment, even incomprehension, the spirit of trail running quickly took over. When the start was given at 5.30 am, eyes were already on what mattered: pushing one’s limits. Despite a completely reworked playground, participants found the very essence of the event as they set off on the six emblematic distances: 11, 22, 33, 44, 55 and 66 km, with a single objective: to go as far as possible before the cut-off times closed.

Jean-Baptiste Curtet and Karla Salou win the 11 km

Winner of the 44 km in 2024, local favourite Jean-Baptiste Curtet wins this time over the 11 km in 57 min 32 s. He finishes ahead of Jean-Christophe Venville (1 h 02 min 08 s) and Benjamin Perney (1 h 02 min 50 s).

Among the women, Karla Salou wins in 1 h 11 min 13 s ahead of Lylou Patty (1 h 11 min 44 s) and Géraldine Bau (1 h 15 min 53 s).

The 22 km for Leslie Barbier and Nicolas Jenin

After 2 loops, Leslie Barbier, licensed with Athlétisme Club Romorantin, wins in 2 h 44 min 25 s ahead of Belgium’s Mathilde Bailleux (2 h 46 min 52 s) and Lauriane Perrier (2 h 57 min 30 s).

Among the men, Nicolas Jenin wins ahead of Lucas Assailly (1 h 58 min 44 s) and Hélios Pannaux (2 h 05 min 29 s).

Paul Burette and Cloé Chenivesse take the 33 km

“It was original and this race format is really nice. As soon as you finish the first loop, you know what awaits you and you quickly ask yourself: do I carry on or do I stop?” explains Paul Burette, winner of the 33 km in 3 h 10 min 52 s after the 3 loops. He finishes ahead of Belgium’s Sylvain Léonard (3 h 20 min 40 s) and Ferdinand Airault (3 h 27 min 59 s).

“It restarts all the time and it’s hugely energetic. You never have time to rest and, frankly, I loved it. I had planned to do the 44 km but I preferred to stop at the 33 km,” says Cloé Chenivesse, victorious in the women’s race in 3 h 48 min 43 s. Margaux Guegen finishes second in 4 h 06 min 50 s ahead of Emma Pages. (4 h 27 min 16 s).

Julie Baverel and Quentin Sauvadon take the 44 km

After 4 rotations, Quentin Sauvadon, winner of the Intégrale des Causses at the Festival des Templiers 2025, wins the 44 km in 4 h 16 min 06 s. He finishes ahead of Esteban Luchez (4 h 30 min 02 s) and Marc Guicheteau (4 h 45 min 19 s).

“I was a bit surprised because I learned about the course change in the first kilometres of the race. But I was in great shape and very happy to win this edition. I had already come last year and the 44 km course was incredible. I was hoping to find it again, but never mind. This loop was really nice, with a lot of elevation gain and huge numbers of people all along the course to cheer us on,” says Julie Baverel, victorious in 4 h 47 min 55 s. Camille Bertume (5 h 32 min 44 s) and Fanny Claret (6 h 41 min 15 s) complete the podium.

Eve Moore and Pierre Rivet win the 55 km

Britain’s Eve Moore, recent winner of The Adidas Terrex Keswick Mountain Festival 2026, takes the 55 km in 6 h 07 min 45 s ahead of Auriane Mouton (6 h 47 min 02 s) and Switzerland’s Elizabeth Wilson (6 h 56 min 08 s).

Among the men, Pierre Rivet, third in the Millet XTrail Courchevel 44 km in 2024 and an employee of partner company Millet, wins in 5 h 38 min.

“On the last loop, I probably left a bit too much energy behind to hope to set off again on the 66 km. Anyway, I had come with the idea of doing either the 44 or the 55 km. It’s a shame not to have been able to run on the ridges, because I know how beautiful the landscapes are. But I completely understand the organisers’ decision not to send the race through exposed sections with a risk of storms.”

Gildaz Magre (6 h 01 min 46 s) takes second place ahead of Amaury Paille (6 h 10 min 03 s).

A record number of finishers on the 66 km

With 66 finishers on the 66 km, this edition sets a new record. A performance all the more remarkable given that you had to have completed the 55 km in under nine hours to be allowed to start the last loop.

The title of XTrailler 2026 goes to Poland’s Kamil Lesniak, this year’s winner of the Trail Alsace by UTMB and the Québec Mega Trail. He wins in 6 h 49 min 30 s.

“It was really great, but also hard because I never knew whether someone was ahead of or behind me. So I was very motivated and gave it everything. It was a superb race and, in the end, this format was perfect for my UTMB preparation.”

Luc Demaret takes second place in 7 h 05 min 23 s ahead of Nicolas Raybaud, licensed with Courchevel Sports Outdoor, who steps onto the third step of the podium for the second year running in 7 h 16 min 01 s.

Among the women, the title of XTrailleuse 2026 goes to Marie Dohin (Team Kiprun), already the 55 km winner in 2025, with a time of 8 h 17 min 49 s. As a result, she enters the legend of the Millet XTrail Courchevel

“It was an excellent decision to keep the event going, because these are very difficult choices to make. During the first lap there was a bit of discussion among the runners, but in the end everyone accepted the decision and adapted their challenge. We had come to spend a day in the mountains and, in the end, we had a day of mental toughness. This 11 km loop was really interesting. Instead of managing a mountain course with altitude and technicality, you had to manage each lap, identify your landmarks and know where to push on and where to save yourself.”

Laetitia Mitault (9 h 07 min 18 s) and Juliette Mahé (9 h 29 min 56 s) complete the podium.

An edition that will stand apart

In the end, this 2026 edition was played out as much in the legs as in the head. This unprecedented format created a particularly warm atmosphere on the finish line, where applause for the finishers mingled with encouragement for those setting off on another loop.

After the rain comes the sunshine. Participants, volunteers and organisers now have their eyes on 2027, hoping to find the high-altitude courses again and to fully relive this great mountain adventure.