OFFICIAL HIGHLIGHTS #6 – CLIMBING OUT OF THE RAVINE

📍 From KM 57 – Ultra du Saint-Jacques

The Rochegude ravine is the first "variant" imagined by Patrick Dufour, the race president and official course designer.

The stage is set as you cross the famous Eiffel Bridge in Monistrol-d’Allier, unmistakable with its green metal lattice structure. It takes you across the Allier river before following its banks along a sandy trail.

Then, the terrain turns wilder. A narrow, technical game trail rises sharply. Carefully marked and secured with ropes—reminiscent of the paths used by local hunters in Saint-Privat-d’Allier—it demands focus and commitment. Here, the markers are your only compass: the single track, barely 40 centimeters wide, winds through pine trees and dense vegetation.

After reaching a more open area, the climb continues to the village of Pratclaux, the midpoint of this grueling section. There, you will rejoin the legendary GR65 trail, which leads to the Rochegude Chapel, another powerful symbol of the race. Perched atop a rocky outcrop, the ruined tower of Rochegude catches the eye. Likely a former watchtower, it once guarded the crossing over the Allier, over 300 meters below, and was said to signal the Château de Saint-Didier-d’Allier in case of danger. A place steeped in history!