The Mont-Blanc Marathon

The Creation of the Mont Blanc Marathon

The Mont-Blanc Cross-Country Race was launched on July 1, 1979, at the initiative of the French Alpine Club (CAF) of Chamonix, then chaired by Georges Costaz and Christian Roussel, both avid runners. For this inaugural event, 450 participants took to the trails of the valley and finished their race in Planpraz.

Over the course of 24 years, the Mont-Blanc Cross grew in popularity, attracting nearly 1,000 participants each year. In 2003, the race took a new direction and became the Mont-Blanc Marathon: the iconic 23 km distance was joined by the 42 km race that we still know today. This was followed by the creation of the 10-kilometer race, which was more accessible to the general public. From then on, registrations increased exponentially, to the point where organizers had to limit the number of runners who could register for the Cross and the Marathon starting in 2010. The Mont-Blanc Marathon has continued to grow ever since, with the creation of the Vertical Kilometer in 2011, the 80-kilometer race in 2013 (which later became the 90-kilometer race), and finally the Duo Etoilé and the Young Race Marathon in 2015 (later renamed The Young Race).

The event took on a new dimension in 2018 with Salomon’s creation of the Golden Trail World Series, of which the 42-kilometer Mont-Blanc Marathon will be a part through 2024.

Today, the Mont-Blanc Marathon brings together more than 10,000 runners each year, participating in eight unique races in the Mont-Blanc massif: the 90 km, the 42 km, the 23 km, the 10 km, the Vertical Kilometer, the Duo Étoilé, The Young Race, and the Mini-Cross.

View the history in PDF