Become a volunteer!

From Thursday to Saturday, Place du Mont-Blanc is home to the Trail Camp, race bib collection and the Marathon du Mont-Blanc Information Point. Based at the entrance to the Trail Camp, you will welcome runners, their supporters and the general public, answer their questions and provide information about the event programme and practical arrangements.

A member of the organising team will always be there to support you. You will need a good knowledge of the Marathon du Mont-Blanc and the Chamonix Valley and be able to communicate in both French and English. Any additional language is a bonus!

During the event, the Club des Sports becomes the central hub of the organisation. At reception, you will welcome, assist and direct volunteers, photographers, partners, medical teams and anyone else coming to Race HQ.

You will also help hand out volunteer kit, packed lunches and equipment needed for the different roles, including radios, first-aid kits and high-visibility vests.

A member of the organising team will always be there to support you. You will need a good knowledge of the event and the Chamonix Valley, be able to communicate in French and English and be comfortable using simple computer tools.

Based at a strategic point along the course, you will use timing equipment to record runners as they pass.

These checkpoints help us monitor runners' progress and estimate their passage times, while also playing an essential role in runner safety by allowing us to keep track of participants who are still out on the course.

You will therefore work closely with Race HQ and LiveTrail. As some checkpoints are located at altitude, a good knowledge of the trails and a good level of fitness are required.

At the start, finish or directly on the course, you will help ensure that runners and their supporters comply with the Marathon du Mont-Blanc race regulations.

Depending on your position, you may be asked to check mandatory equipment, make sure the rules on outside assistance are respected, monitor participants' behaviour or ensure that environmental regulations are followed.

If you witness a breach of the regulations, you will record the relevant information and report it to Race HQ. Any decision regarding a penalty or disqualification will then be made by the organisers in accordance with the race regulations.

Anti-doping controls are carried out independently and at random by the French Anti-Doping Agency (AFLD). When anti-doping controls take place during the Marathon du Mont-Blanc, some volunteers initially assigned as race marshals may be asked to act as chaperones.

Following a briefing from an AFLD representative, your role will be to meet the selected athletes as soon as they cross the finish line, inform them that they have been selected for an anti-doping control and accompany them to the testing area, making sure they remain under your supervision until they are handed over to the anti-doping control team.

This role is only open to volunteers aged 18 or over. You need to be comfortable interacting with athletes and able to communicate in French and English. Male chaperones accompany male athletes and female chaperones accompany female athletes.

If no anti-doping control takes place, or if you are not asked to act as a chaperone, you will simply continue with your original role as a race marshal.

At the heart of the organisation, you will assist the Race HQ managers in monitoring the different races.

Your role includes gathering information sent in from the course and passing it on to the right people, recording withdrawals and runners who have missed cut-off times in the race tracking software, and monitoring alerts when a runner has not reached a checkpoint within the expected time.

You will also welcome volunteers such as first-aiders and sweepers, hand out the equipment they need for their role and give them any relevant instructions.

You may also occasionally help the reception team by answering questions or handing out volunteer kit and packed lunches.

You will need a good knowledge of the Chamonix Valley, be comfortable using computer tools and be able to communicate in French and English.

A few days before the event, you will help prepare and sort the thousands of race bibs ready to be handed out to runners.

This role takes place at the Chamonix cross-country ski centre (Maison Nordique).

A great way to start experiencing the Marathon du Mont-Blanc before the first participants even arrive!

During the event, you will welcome runners coming to collect their race bibs. You will check their identity and mandatory equipment, attach a timing chip to their pack where required, and hand out their race bib and runner T-shirt if they requested one when registering.

You will use the Njuko On Site app, which you will need to download onto your smartphone. Training will be provided beforehand and a team leader will always be there to support you.

This role takes place at the EMC2 venue in Chamonix and requires you to be comfortable using a smartphone. Speaking English or another language is a bonus, but is not essential!

Working in pairs, you will help monitor environmentally sensitive areas along the Marathon du Mont-Blanc courses, including Bellachat, La Remuaz, Le Béchar and the Balcon Nord.

Your role is to observe and document the condition of the trails before course marking, during course marking, as runners pass through and after the races when the course markings are removed, using photos, videos and observations made in the field.

You will need a good level of fitness and an awareness of environmental issues in mountain areas.

Depending on your assignment, the role may start early in the morning and require an overnight stay in a mountain refuge.

Join the logistics team and help set up and dismantle the infrastructure and equipment needed for the event, both in Chamonix town centre and at the different checkpoints, start and finish areas, including Planpraz, Place du Triangle de l'Amitié, the paragliding landing fields and Place du Mont-Blanc.

You will need a very good level of fitness, be able to carry heavy loads and be comfortable spending several hours on your feet outdoors.

At the start, you will direct runners to their assigned start pens and make sure supporters leave the area before the race begins. 

At the finish, you will help keep access to the finish line clear, manage access for supporters and help ensure the safety of runners and spectators as participants cross the line.

Our floating volunteers are available during one or more on-call periods to help us deal with the unexpected: replacing an absent volunteer, providing extra logistical support or responding to a last-minute need.

Depending on what is required, you might look after a water point, help with equipment handling, replace a signaller or provide additional support for anti-doping controls.

For this role, you need to live in the Chamonix Valley, be able to get around easily, know the valley well and, above all, be flexible and be independent.

At Place du Triangle de l'Amitié, you will help set up the Vertical Kilometre start area before supporting the team leader with the starts: welcoming runners, checking mandatory equipment, making sure everyone is in the correct order and giving the start signal.

Once all the runners have set off, you will help dismantle the start area.

Doctors, nurses, first-aiders and ambulance staff join the Marathon du Mont-Blanc medical and rescue teams to provide assistance to runners.

Depending on the needs of each race, you may be based in the valley, at a finish area or directly out on the course. Some roles take place at night or at altitude and may require an overnight stay in a mountain refuge.

You will be asked to provide the relevant qualifications for your role when applying.

Physiotherapists, podiatrists and massage therapists provide care for injured runners and those experiencing pain related to physical exertion.

Treatment may be provided at the Chamonix Sports Centre, although some teams may also work elsewhere in the valley or at altitude depending on the needs of the races.

You will be asked to provide the relevant qualifications for your role when applying.

Working in pairs, you will cover part or all of a race route to put up the course markings that will guide runners along the correct route. All the necessary equipment and information about the course will be provided beforehand.

For this role, you need to know the trails of the Chamonix Valley well and be in good physical condition: you must be able to hike for several kilometres in the mountains, with both uphill and downhill sections, while carrying course-marking equipment.

Once the runners have passed, you will work in pairs to cover part or all of the route and remove the course markings put in place before the race.

As with course marking, you need to know the trails well and be in good physical condition: you may need to hike for several kilometres, with both uphill and downhill sections, while carrying equipment.

A few hours before the first runners are due to pass through, you will work in pairs to cover part or all of the route and check that the course markings are still correct and that the trails are passable (e.g., no fallen trees or closed trails).

You may need to reinforce the markings where they are insufficient, replace markers that have been removed, or report any obstacle or problem encountered along the course.

A good knowledge of the trails and a good level of fitness are essential. Depending on your position, the role may start very early in the morning and require an overnight stay in a high-altitude refuge.

Riding a few metres ahead of the race leaders, you will guide the first runners over the opening kilometres, helping them make their way safely through urban areas and onto the correct trails without getting in their way.

For this role, you need to ride a mountain bike regularly and have an excellent knowledge of the race routes and trails in the Chamonix Valley.

An electric mountain bike and safety equipment can be provided by the organisers if required.

Working in pairs, you will wait until the cut-off time has been applied at a checkpoint, usually an aid station, before setting off behind the last runners. Your role is to follow behind the last runners to the next checkpoint and make sure that the final participants are progressing safely.

You must check in at the beginning and end of your section and report any difficulties encountered to Race HQ or Emergency HQ.

Your role is essential: until the sweepers have passed, runners are still out on the course, which means that the aid stations and safety services must remain operational.

A good level of fitness and a good knowledge of the trails are essential. Some positions take place at night or very early in the morning and may require an overnight stay in a mountain refuge.

Positioned at a point along the course where runners may be unsure which way to go despite the course markings, you will guide them in the right direction.

You will also be in contact with Race HQ to pass on important information, such as when the first male and female runners come through and when the sweepers have passed.

A good knowledge of the trails is required. Some positions involve a short hike to reach them and require you to remain standing outdoors for several hours.

Positioned near a road, you will guide runners, ensure their safety at road crossings or along sections of pavement, and help manage traffic, sometimes alongside the police or gendarmerie.

For legal and safety reasons, you must hold a valid driving licence for this role.

Depending on the position, you may work alone or in pairs and must be able to remain standing outdoors for several hours.

Course marking preparation begins several weeks before the races! Workshops are organised to make or repair the markers and stakes needed for the event.

After the Marathon, another workshop is held to sort and prepare the equipment brought back by the course unmarking teams so that it can be reused.

In hot weather, this team plays an essential role in helping runners cool down so that they can continue their race in the best possible conditions.

Positioned at a designated point along the course, you will help cool runners down using buckets, ladles or hoses.

For this role, you need to be energetic, responsive and enjoy working as part of a team.

Located on Place du Mont-Blanc, at the heart of the Trail Camp, the Test Aid Station gives runners the opportunity to try the drinks and products they will find at aid stations during their race.

You will provide information to participants and help set up, restock and pack away the stand.

For this role, you must be able to remain standing outdoors for several hours and communicate at a basic level in both French and English.

Whether in the valley, at altitude or directly at the finish, the aid station teams support runners throughout their race!

Depending on your position and shift, you will help set up and restock the aid station, hand out food and drinks, manage and sort waste, and clean and pack away the area once the runners have passed.

Shifts may take place during the day, in the evening or at night, and for some teams, may continue for a large part of the weekend. You must be able to remain standing outdoors for several hours.

To help reduce the number of cars travelling and parking in the valley, trains, shuttle buses and coaches are provided for runners and their supporters.

Based at the departure or arrival point of these services, you will welcome and direct passengers and provide information about timetables, destinations and drop-off points. Depending on your assignment, you may also be asked to count passengers, check their booking using a smartphone app or accompany them on the journey to Chamonix.

For this role, you need an excellent knowledge of the Chamonix Valley and must be able to communicate easily in French and English.

Driving a minibus or 4x4, you will help with the event's various transport needs: collecting runners who have withdrawn, transporting photographers, camera operators, first-aiders or volunteers, and driving certain groups of supporters.

A valid driving licence is, of course, essential, as is an excellent knowledge of the roads and tracks around the Chamonix Valley. Some shifts start early in the morning or finish late in the evening.

At Vallorcine, Le Tour, Le Buet, Emosson and other car parks used for the event, you will help manage traffic, direct drivers and make the best possible use of the available parking spaces.

You will also help ensure that local residents and the surrounding areas are respected.

As a volunteer, you will receive Marathon du Mont-Blanc headwear and a T-shirt. You will be asked to wear them during your volunteer shifts.

Depending on your shift times, location and role, several meal options are available: 
- Volunteers working outdoors over lunchtime or dinnertime can collect a packed lunch from Race HQ to take with them (vegetarian or non-vegetarian sandwich, fruit and cake).
- Volunteers at race bib collection over lunchtime or dinnertime can eat on site (vegetarian or non-vegetarian sandwich, fruit and cake).
- For some volunteer roles based at altitude near a mountain refuge, lunch or dinner may be provided at the refuge in question. 
Please contact your team leader for further information.

For all volunteers: in line with our environmental policy, we no longer purchase or provide plastic bottles. Volunteers must therefore bring their own water bottle, thermos flask or reusable cup.

Although the event takes place at the end of June, don't forget that we're in the mountains! Weather conditions can change quickly depending on the altitude and time of day. So make sure you bring suitable equipment for your role.

• For all volunteers: comfortable clothing suitable for the weather; walking shoes; a backpack; a reusable cup, water bottle and/or thermos flask (our organisation no longer provides disposable cups or plastic bottles); sunglasses; a fully charged mobile phone and, if possible, a power bank. And, of course, your Marathon du Mont-Blanc T-shirt and headwear, which will be provided by the organisers and must be worn during your volunteer shift!
• For course roles: good walking or trail shoes and a backpack large enough to carry course-marking equipment.
• For night shifts: bring warm, waterproof clothing and a head torch.
• For roles involving an overnight stay in a mountain refuge: sleeping bag, head torch and toiletries.
   

Depending on your role, specific equipment may also be provided by the organisers, such as course-marking equipment, a radio, high-visibility vest or first-aid kit.

Unfortunately, the Marathon du Mont-Blanc organisation is unable to provide accommodation for volunteers.

You can ask Chambot, our little chamois in the bottom right-hand corner of the website, who can answer many of your questions! If you still need help, you can contact us using the contact form at the very bottom of the page.