Changes for 2018
- Return to the direction 2015 for the loop La Mongie – Pic du Midi – Barèges Tournaboup
Warning: the course has many parts on mountain trail where it is not easy to run
Program
Friday, August 24
13:00 – 19:00: Collection of bibs and verification of bags of the Tour des Lacs – Village partners
18:30 – 20:30: Pasta Party
Saturday, August 25
05:00: Departure of the Tour des Lacs from the center of Vielle Aure (Tourist Office)
15:00: Arrival of the first Tour des Lacs on the Place de Vielle-Aure
All night long: arrivals from the Tour des Lacs runners in the center of Vielle Aure
Sunday, August 26
06:00: Arrival of the latest Finishers Tour des Lacs
10:00 – 12:00: Award ceremony (Place de Vielle-Aure)
12:15: Closing buffet of the Grand Raid of the Pyrenees in the presence of all the partners and volunteers
Supply composition
At the Merlans restaurant (round trip), La Mongie, Col de Sencours (one way): oranges, bananas, bread, cheese, ham, sausage, dried fruit, salted cakes, cakes, chocolate in tablet, still water, sparkling water, coca, tea, coffee and soup
Tournaboup: same as above, pasta and compotes more
At the Aygues Cluses hut: sausage, dried fruits, salted cakes, cakes, still water and soup
Mandatory material
The list is as follows
– Personal cup for drinking liquids (water, coca and soup) at the refreshments
– Minimum water reserve 1.5 liters
– food reserve
– two lamps in good working order with spare batteries
– survival blanket (minimum 2 m²)
– Whistle
– adhesive elastic band allowing bandaging or strapping
– waterproof and breathable jacket, membrane or coating type (jacket type KWAY or poncho not accepted)
– pants or long tights or corsair with socks up (this solution is accepted only if the legs can be fully covered)
– cap or equivalent
– long sleeve warm clothing, serving as a second layer between the t-shirt and the waterproof and breathable jacket (eg fleece or other warm technical clothing) (*)
– gloves completely covering the hands (mittens accepted) (*)
(*): The organization may decide before the start of the race to make this equipment recommended and no longer mandatory (typically based on weather forecasts). The announcement will be made at the time of the race briefing
Course
The start will be given on Saturday at 5 o’clock. Runners will ride on motorized roads and then ski slopes at Col du Portet. They will then switch to the Néouvielle sector to join the Col de Bastanet and descend on Mongie. Then climb to the Col de Sencours, then the Pic du Midi, return to the Col de Sencours then descent to Tournaboup. Back in the area of Néouvielle by the cabin of Aygues Cluses to pass the Col de Barèges and join the Col de Portet which brings back to Vielle Aure.
The best could take less than 10 hours while the time barrier is set for the last ones to finish in less than 25 hours.
The file of the kilometers and height differences is HERE.
The course is viewable HERE. The GPX or Google Earth version of the course can be downloaded at the same place.