Festi-Trail des Bourriques

A semi-night trail in the heart of Velay

Born from the passion of a young team of volunteers from the association Les Auvergnades, the Festi-Trail des Bourriques is a trail running event that takes place every year in October in Yssingeaux, in the heart of Haute-Loire. The event succeeds the Trail des Sucs, organized by the association Tryssingeaux until 2022, and the Capito Trail of Saint-Julien-Chapteuil. The young volunteers of Les Auvergnades, themselves trail runners, drew on their experience participating in numerous local races to create an event in their image: sporting, friendly, and festive.

Three courses for all types of trail runners

The Festi-Trail des Bourriques offers three distances in a semi-night format, with late afternoon starts from the Montbarnier stadium and night finishes:

• Trail des Chanis (26 km, 860 m D+): the main event, starts at 5:15 PM. A demanding course that winds through the rolling landscapes of Yssingeaux and Saint-Jeures, offering spectacular panoramas of the Velay sucs before plunging into the night.
• Trail des Empuètes (21 km, 715 m D+): starts at 5:45 PM. A technical and varied course that allows you to discover the trails and country paths of Haute-Loire in the fading light of dusk.
• Trail des Clèdes (13.5 km, 350 m D+): starts at 6:00 PM. An accessible format open from the cadet category, ideal for a first night trail experience or for runners looking for a shorter challenge.

A festive atmosphere after the effort

The Festi-Trail des Bourriques is not limited to the race: the event continues with a festive evening at the Montbarnier gymnasium, open to both runners and non-runners. On the program: a giant croziflette — this iconic dish of Auvergne gastronomy made with crozets, cream, and cheese — served to 600 guests during the first edition, followed by a DJ set to keep the party going until the end of the night. This festive and gourmet dimension is what makes the event so original and creates a unique moment of sharing between runners, volunteers, and companions.

Immediate success

From its first edition in October 2025, the Festi-Trail des Bourriques was a resounding success: 500 runners from 21 departments started the three races, with registrations selling out a week before the event with 480 registered participants. The weather conditions — rain and night — did not dampen the enthusiasm of the participants, who ran under the encouragement of volunteers and the public lined up along the courses. The winner of the Trail des Chanis, Paulin Trivel, danced in the rain as he crossed the finish line, perfectly embodying the festive spirit of the event.