Asics SaintéLyon

The SaintéLyon is the oldest trail race in France: since 1952 it has linked Saint-Étienne to Lyon at night, by headlamp, across the Monts du Lyonnais. The 2027 race will be the 73rd edition. Its date is not official yet: the organiser (Extra Sports, for CT Lyon) sets it every year on the weekend before Lyon's Fête des Lumières, which points to 4–5 December 2027. We will confirm it here as soon as saintelyon.com publishes it.

Close to 20,000 runners spread over five distances and eight formats, all finishing at the Halle Tony Garnier in Lyon. In 2026 the 20,000 bibs sold out in under an hour, so here is what you need to plan 2027, registration included.

Formats

• LyonSaintéLyon, 160 km: the outbound Lyon → Saint-Étienne leg as a timed hike (13 h maximum, no ranking) starting at 9:00 from the Halle Tony Garnier, then the return in the front row of the SaintéLyon. 800 places, about 5,000 m of climbing.
• SaintéLyon, 80 km: the flagship, starting in Saint-Étienne at 23:30 in six waves of 1,500 runners every ten minutes. About 2,400–2,500 m D+; the course changes every year (over 40% new in 2026). 8,000 solo places plus relays of 2, 3 or 4.
• SaintExpress, 45 km from Sainte-Catherine at 23:00 (4,300 places); SaintéVia, 35 km from Mornant along the Roman aqueduct (1,000 places, new in 2026); SaintéSprint, 24 km from Soucieu-en-Jarrest at 23:00 (2,900 places); SaintéTic, 13 km from Chaponost at 22:30 (1,800 places, open from age 18, 20 for the other formats); SaintéGones kids' races on Friday evening.

Registration 2027: what to expect

The 2027 opening date has not been announced. In 2026, registration opened on Tuesday 17 March at 13:00, first come first served, and sold out within the hour. Expect a mid-March 2027 weekday opening at 13:00: be logged in on time with your payment card ready. 2026 prices as a guide: €30 (13 km), €50 (24 km), €78 (45 km), €125 (80 km solo), €150–225 (relays), €235 (160 km), €10 (kids). No qualification and no lottery; a French FFA licence or a PPS health-prevention number (pps.athle.fr) is compulsory, medical certificates are no longer accepted. Bib transfers are allowed from your runner account until ten days before the race (the new runner pays the current price plus €10), and a waiting list opens per race once it is full. 2026 entrants who bought the "Report 2027" option can carry their bib over to 2027.

Course and cut-offs (80 km, 2026 reference)

Saint-Christo-en-Jarez (km 17, 04:00), Sainte-Catherine (km 32, 07:00), Saint-Genou – Le Camp (km 46, 09:30), Soucieu-en-Jarrest (km 60, 12:00), Chaponost (km 67, 13:30), finish in Lyon (km 82, 16:00). Five aid stations; cut-offs are eliminatory with a shuttle back to the finish. High point near Saint-Christo (757 m), then the descent to Lyon past the Beaunant aqueducts. 2025 winners: Sylvain Cachard in 5:36:33 and Adeline Martin in 6:42:34. Poles are banned.

Mandatory kit (80 km)

Running pack, phone, 15 cl cup, 1 litre of water, headlamp with spare batteries, survival blanket (1.40 × 2 m), whistle, elastic bandage, food reserve, waterproof hooded jacket and ID. A cold-weather kit (glasses, hat, waterproof gloves, over-trousers, extra warm layer, closed trail shoes) can be activated by the organiser. Bring studded shoes: mud, ice and snow are common.

On site

Bib pickup at the Halle Tony Garnier on Friday 12:00–20:00 and Saturday 9:00–17:00 (ID, pickup card and medical document). Shuttles from Lyon to Saint-Étienne for the solo 80 km are an option to book at registration; they are included for the 45, 24 and 13 km. A bag under 10 kg is carried from start to finish; showers, changing rooms, a hot meal and physios await at the finish. Courses close at 16:30 on Sunday; live tracking on LiveTrail.

History

It started in 1952 as a 75 km timed hike in two stages: fifteen starters. Running was only allowed in 1977, the name SaintéLyon dates from 1991, the move to the Halle Tony Garnier from 2015, and the 70th edition in 2024 reached 20,000 bibs. In 1990 a snowstorm stopped the race at Sainte-Catherine: 96 finishers out of 900 starters.