Event Overview
| Date | Oct 30, 2026 |
|---|---|
| Location | Saint-Laurent-du-Pont, Isère, France |
| Format | Backyard Ultra |
| Terrain | Mixed |
| Region | Europe |
| Distance / duration | 6.706 km every hour |
| Course model | Loop |
| Edition note | Registration for 2026 is full, with a waiting list on njuko at €79. The organizer’s French pages carry the 2026 date; the English pages still describe the 2022 edition. The organizer’s home page still calls the race a Silver Ticket event and quotes a 308 km Chartreuse record, which is Christian Mauduit’s 46 yards from 2020. Big’s race page labels the 2026 race Bronze, and the organizer’s own 2022 results show 56 yards (375.536 km). The rules give 6.704 km per yard; the race information page and Big’s say 6.706 km. Yards completed here count toward Big’s At-Large list, which takes the best results between August 16, 2025 and August 15, 2027. |
| Elevation gain | About 20 m per yard (organizer); Big’s lists 65 ft per loop |
| Cutoff | Each 6.706 km yard must be finished within the hour, and runners must be in the start corral when the next yard starts, with signals 3, 2 and 1 minutes before. No late starts and no fixed overall finish. The winner is the last runner to complete one more yard than everyone else; if nobody does, there is no winner. |
| Start | 12:00 PM (noon) Friday, October 30; bib pickup from 10:00 AM at the municipal gymnasium |
| Field size | The current rules cap the field at 350, as does Big’s race page; the organizer’s race information page says 300. Yardlore counted 270 starters in 2025, while Lyon Capitale reported 330. |
| Highlights | Flat Riverside Yards, Course Record: 56 Yards |
Chartreuse Backyard Ultra results by year
Winner, assist and most yards by a woman at each race in Saint-Laurent-du-Pont. The 2020 race was France’s national race in the satellite world championship, held at the same venue.
| Year | Winner | Yards | Assist | Most yards by a woman |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | Sonia Poutrel | 47 | Anthony Fauvi, 46 | Sonia Poutrel, 47 (winner) |
| 2024 | Sébastien Despas | 44 | Xavier Messing, 43 | Alexandra Rousset, 41 |
| 2023 | Liess Makhlouf | 52 | Ronan Pierre, 51 | Elsa Rabou, 25 |
| 2022 | Nicolas Cointepas | 56 | Christophe Baud, 55 | Alexandra Rousset, 38 |
| 2021 | Liess Makhlouf | 38 | Sébastien Ohl, 37 | Alexandra Rousset, 33 |
| 2020 | Christian Mauduit | 46 | Valery Caussarieu, 45 | Claire Bannwarth, 41 |
| 2019 | Maxime Gauduin | 41 | Valery Caussarieu, 40 | Not given in the results |
Yards come from the organizer’s result files, except the 2024 assist, which comes from Yardlore. The 2024 winner and leading woman come from the organizer’s race report.
Sources: Organizer’s 2025 results (lap by lap, PDF); Organizer’s 2024 race report; Organizer’s 2023 results (PDF); Organizer’s 2022 results (PDF); Organizer’s 2021 results (PDF); Organizer’s 2020 French national race results (PDF); Organizer’s 2019 results (PDF); Yardlore: Chartreuse Backyard Ultra edition history.
Course & Terrain
An out-and-back of 6.706 km from the stadium and municipal gymnasium in Saint-Laurent-du-Pont, along the banks of the Guiers river, with about 20 m of climbing. Each yard starts with a 400 m lap of the stadium track. At the far end runners go around a cone and cross a timing mat; missing that halfway check is a disqualification. The same course is used day and night.
Key course features to know before comparing this race:
- Out-and-back along the Guiers river with views of the Chartreuse peaks
- A 400 m stadium-track lap at the start of every yard
- Base camp inside the municipal gymnasium
Very flat. Big’s describes the riverside path as gravel, and the organizer’s FAQ calls it a wide track. The course is marked and closed to cars.
The race runs at the end of October or start of November, at about 414 m (Yardlore). Yardlore recorded 3°C to 11°C in 2023 and 9°C to 20°C in 2025, and the 2025 race was run in heavy rain.
Entry & Logistics
| Registration and fees | Check the official event website for current availability, deadlines, prices, taxes, and refund terms. |
|---|---|
| Qualification | No qualifying race. Open to men and women aged 18 and over, licensed or not, in one mixed ranking. French law requires a medical certificate for competitive running issued within a year, a Parcours Prévention Santé (PPS) certificate, or an FFA competition licence. Foreign runners need a PPS or a medical certificate written in French or with a certified translation; without one, no bib is issued. Entry costs €79, online only. |
| Support model | Each runner has a space in the gymnasium, about 2 m² at first, growing as runners drop out, plus showers, changing rooms and toilets. The organizer provides basic food between yards (water, cola, bread, ham, cheese, fruit and snacks), hot noodles from the third hour, hot water and a microwave. A first-aid team is based at the start and finish. Timing is by electronic chip. Every runner who stops gets a DNF medal; the winner gets the only finisher medal and a jeroboam of Chartreuse. |
| Crew / pacers | Crews can help as much as they like in the gymnasium but may not enter the start corral or help on the course. No pacers, and eliminated runners may not run with those still racing. In 2025, Anthony Fauvi was still with Sonia Poutrel on Sunday morning when he had to stop because his crew handed him a watch he had left behind, which counts as outside help (Lyon Capitale). |
| Logistics note | Runners park in the car park near the collège; parking inside the stadium and gymnasium grounds is not allowed. Camper vans can use the car park in front of the stadium, 200 m from the start. Gas stoves are banned in the gymnasium, kettles are allowed, and there are only a few power sockets. Runners who drop out and crew can sleep in the gymnasium with their own gear. Every runner must carry a working phone, and a headlamp at night. |
Why This Race Matters
The organizer’s results archive starts with the first edition in 2019, which Maxime Gauduin won with 41 yards. On October 17, 2020 the same venue hosted France’s national race in the satellite world championship. The Chartreuse Trail Outdoor association organizes the race, and Big’s race page lists Benoit Laval as race director. Nicolas Cointepas set the course record of 56 yards in 2022, and in 2025 Sonia Poutrel became the first woman to win.
Historical benchmark notes in the directory record (verify current records with the linked official sources):
- Course record: 56 yards (375.536 km), Nicolas Cointepas, 2022. Christophe Baud was the assist with 55.
- Women’s best: 47 yards (315.182 km), Sonia Poutrel, 2025, when she became the first woman to win the race.
- Liess Makhlouf has won twice, with 38 yards in 2021 and 52 in 2023.
- At France’s national race of the 2020 satellite world championship, held here on October 17, 2020, Christian Mauduit won with 46 yards and Claire Bannwarth reached 41.
Preparing for a Race Like Chartreuse Backyard Ultra
The backyard ultra race guide covers the format as a whole. These guides go deeper:
- Backyard ultras explained: Rules, distance math, current records and how a race ends.
- Backyard ultra training plan: A 16-week framework with hourly-loop rehearsals and a printable worksheet.
- Backyard ultra race strategy: Loop pacing, the routine between loops, sleep and knowing when to stop.
- Backyard ultra nutrition: A tested fueling routine for eating and drinking between loops.
Best Fit
- Runners wanting a flat course for a first 100 miles in 24 hours
- First-time backyard runners aiming for a half marathon, marathon or 100 km
Planning Notes
- Practice the exact hourly routine: loop, eat, foot check, bottle refill, and back to the start. The format rewards repeatability.
- The directory marks this as having comparatively simpler logistics. That editorial label is not a safety rating; verify cutoffs, terrain, support, crew access, and withdrawal procedures.
- Be in the corral at the signal; late starts are not allowed
- Any help on the course, even handing over a watch, ends your race
- Foreign runners need a PPS or a French-language medical certificate to collect a bib
- Floor space and power sockets in the gymnasium are limited
Event FAQs
When is the 2026 Chartreuse Backyard Ultra?
The first yard starts at noon on Friday, October 30, 2026, at the gymnasium in Saint-Laurent-du-Pont, Isère. Bibs are handed out from 10:00 AM that day. The race continues every hour until one runner is left; in 2025 it lasted until Sunday, November 2.
Can you still enter the Chartreuse Backyard Ultra 2026?
Not directly. The organizer says 2026 registration is already full, and njuko runs a waiting list at €79. Runners must be 18 or over and need a PPS certificate, a medical certificate issued within a year, or an FFA competition licence. Foreign runners need the PPS or a medical certificate in French or with a certified translation.
What is the Chartreuse Backyard Ultra record?
56 yards, about 375.5 km, by Nicolas Cointepas in 2022, one yard ahead of Christophe Baud. The women’s best is Sonia Poutrel’s 47 yards from 2025, when she became the first woman to win the race. The 308 km record on the organizer’s home page is Christian Mauduit’s 46 yards from 2020, which has since been beaten.
Related Preparation
- Compare this race in the full 2026 calendar
- Browse the 2026 backyard ultra calendar
- Open the Backyard Ultra format guide
- Compare all race formats
- Use the timed-race pace calculator
- Build a backyard yard and rest-time schedule
- Build a crew and drop-bag plan
- Build a race-specific gear checklist
Verification & Sources
Verification scope: the listed edition's date, location, format, and available logistics were checked against the event-specific official sources below during the directory review dated October 20, 2026. Organizers can revise details after review.
- Organizer’s home page with the 2026 date and entry status (French) — https://www.chartreusebackyard.fr/b/
- Organizer’s race information: course, aid, prizes — https://www.chartreusebackyard.fr/infos_course/
- Organizer’s rules (PDF) — https://www.chartreusebackyard.fr/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/ReglementCBY2025-v1.pdf
- Organizer’s FAQ: course, aid and crew — https://www.chartreusebackyard.fr/faq/
- 2026 registration and waiting list (njuko) — https://in.njuko.com/chartreuse-backyard-2026?currentPage=select-competition
- Big’s Backyard Ultra race page — https://bigsbackyardultra.com/races/chartreuse-backyard-ultra/
- Organizer’s 2025 results and race report — https://www.chartreusebackyard.fr/chartreuse-back-yard-ultra-2025/
- Lyon Capitale: Sonia Poutrel wins the 2025 race — https://www.lyoncapitale.fr/?p=468147
- Yardlore: Chartreuse Backyard Ultra edition history — https://www.yardlore.com/backyards/chartreuse-backyard-ultra
- Multiday Running event directory review scope: October 20, 2026.