Gran Trail Courmayeur
In the summer we headed to Courmayeur for the Gran Trail Courmayeur (GTC), a trail running event in the Italian Alps at the foot of Mont Blanc. The race offers three distances – 30 km, 55 km and 100 km – and we had all signed up for the 30 km. What started as a race weekend turned into a proper trip: a few days in town before the start, friends from the Tour du Mont Blanc dropping in for a rest day, and our running crew slowly filling a big rented house. It was one of those trips where the people and the place mattered just as much as the race itself.
Getting there
I travelled with Katrine and we gave ourselves a few days’ head start. We flew to Geneva, took the bus to Chamonix and then hitchhiked across the tunnel into Italy and up to Courmayeur. The hitch was straightforward – the valley road is used to hikers and runners – and we arrived in town with time to spare. Courmayeur sits in a stunning bowl under Mont Blanc; the streets are full of trail runners, TMB hikers and ski-tourers depending on the season. In July it was all sun, ice cream and race buzz.
Friends on the trail
A day or two after we arrived, Rasmus and Sofia showed up – they were hiking the Tour du Mont Blanc and had planned a rest day in Courmayeur. Having them in town was a nice surprise; we caught up, compared notes on the TMB and the GTC, and they got a taste of the pre-race atmosphere. Slowly the rest of our running crew started dripping in – people flying or driving in from different places, all heading for the same house and the same start line. That build-up, with the group getting bigger each evening, was a big part of the experience.
The house
We had rented a large Airbnb for the whole group. Staying under one roof made the trip feel like a proper crew adventure rather than just a race. We cooked together, sat around the table in the evenings, and could relax without worrying about logistics. The day before the race we kept it low-key: a bit of prep, some pasta, and an early night. Having that base – and the space to spread out maps, kit and snacks – made race morning simple and calm.
Race day – GTC 30
The GTC 30 starts in Courmayeur and takes you through Val Veny and Val Ferret – the same valleys that the Tour du Mont Blanc crosses – with about 2,000 m of elevation gain and a time limit of eight hours. We set off in the morning with the rest of the 30 km field. The course is classic Alpine trail: climb, ridge, descent, and long views of Mont Blanc and the surrounding peaks. The organisation was smooth, with clear marking and aid stations where you needed them. For us it was the right distance – enough to feel like a real day in the mountains without the commitment of the 55 or 100 km options.
Crossing the finish line in Courmayeur with the crew was the perfect end to the trip. We had run the same race, shared the same house and the same build-up, and that made the whole thing feel like a single, shared experience rather than just a personal result.
Looking back
The Gran Trail Courmayeur weekend was one of those trips that stick with you. The race itself was tough and beautiful, but what made it special was the combination: the journey there with Katrine, meeting Rasmus and Sofia on their TMB rest day, the crew gradually filling the house, and then everyone on the same start line. If you like trail running and want an event in the heart of the Alps with a range of distances and a great atmosphere, the GTC is well worth it. And if you can do it with a group and a big house in Courmayeur, so much the better.
