France · Occitanie (Hautes-Pyrénées)
Grand Raid des Pyrénées
Distance
124.8 km
Date
August 21, 2026
Entry fee
175 EUR
€ / km
€1.40
Pyrenees pilgrimage: long, high passes, unpredictable weather, and legendary mountain-town vibes.
Elevation and Terrain
Total Meters
7004m
D+/KM
56.12m/km
For context, the Tor des Géants 330 loop has 73 D+/km.
Avg Uphill Gradient
13.4%
Avg Downhill Gradient
-14.1%
Uphill gradient distribution
Route Profile
Analysed 2026-05-01Terrain breakdown
Terrain
Climbs
Top climbs
12.0 km · 1142 m gain
starts km 33 · avg 9.5% · max 50.5%
9.3 km · 1037 m gain
starts km 94 · avg 11.2% · max 43.6%
6.1 km · 799 m gain
starts km 79 · avg 13.2% · max 50.0%
Top descents
11.3 km · 1588 m drop
starts km 14 · avg -14.0% · max -64.1%
11.4 km · 1416 m drop
starts km 113 · avg -12.4% · max -45.3%
8.8 km · 817 m drop
starts km 85 · avg -9.0% · max -53.6%
How hard is the Grand Raid des Pyrénées 124.8km? (Course profile and descents)
Q: How difficult is the Grand Raid des Pyrénées Tour des Cirques? A: Very demanding. The 124.8km course has approximately 7,000–7,500m of gain (~56m/km) and an average uphill gradient of 13.39% — steeper than approximately 350 of 390 distances in DTR's database. The time limit is 41 hours. A qualifying race with ITRA/effort points is required to enter. Just 11.8% of the course is flat terrain, and nearly half (46.2%) is descending.
How does the Grand Raid des Pyrénées lottery work? (Registration and timeline)
Q: How does the Grand Raid des Pyrénées lottery work? A: Registration is lottery-based. Pre-registration for the 2026 lottery closed January 15, 2026 at 8am; the Tour des Cirques distance sold out once the lottery closed. To enter the 2027 edition, sign up for the lottery well ahead of the January closing date — late entrants cannot join. A qualifying race (with ITRA/effort points from January 1, 2021 – December 31, 2025 for 2026) is also required.
What does the GRP Tour des Cirques route cover? (Key sections and terrain)
Q: What is the biggest descent in the Grand Raid des Pyrénées Tour des Cirques? A: The top single descent drops 1,588m over 11.34km, beginning just 14km from the race start. With an average gradient of 14% and a maximum of 64.1%, it ranks among the 25 largest single descents in DTR's database of nearly 390 distances. A second major descent of 1,416m (11.43km) arrives near the end. Together they account for over 3,000m of dropping.
How much does the Grand Raid des Pyrénées cost? (Entry fee and €/km)
Q: How much does the Grand Raid des Pyrénées Tour des Cirques cost? A: Entry is €175 until April 30, then €187. At €175 that's €1.40 per kilometre — mid-range for a European alpine 100km+ event.
Logistics
Nearest airport
Toulouse (TLS)
Notes
Start: ~2–2.75 hrs drive to Vielle-Aure/Saint-Lary-Soulan area / Public transport: train/bus to Tarbes/Lannemezan + bus/taxi to Saint-Lary / Accommodation: strong in Saint-Lary; book early
