Trail des Vans 2027: complete FR + EN guide

Trail des Vans is part of the Week 28 TrailCompanion guide batch. This page condenses the practical decisions to make before booking: reference format, terrain, access, lodging, gear and official links to check before travel.

The key is not distance alone. On this kind of trail, success depends on pacing the climbing, managing aid stations, adapting to local weather and arriving rested with a simple bib, start and post-race plan.

Build preparation around hilly long runs, controlled descents and hike-run blocks. For 25 km, you need to hike early without losing rhythm, run the easier sections and eat before intensity shuts down appetite.

TrailCompanion Prep then turns the guide into a checklist: tested kit, lodging, transport, documents and week-by-week nutrition reminders.

Start logistics from Les Vans, Banne, Berrias-et-Casteljau and Chambonas. Confirm bib pickup, parking or shuttles first, then choose lodging. An early start or late return can completely change the best base.

Keep the official links in your Prep: race website, registration page, rules, access map and last-minute instructions. This guide gives the framework, but the organiser remains the final source.

Les Vans is mainly a car or carpool race. The main gateways are Valence TGV, Montélimar, Alès or Aubenas, followed by a road transfer that must be solved before race weekend.

If you stay outside Les Vans, check parking around Place Ollier and the post-awards return, as rural buses rarely match race timing.

Les Vans is the simplest base because you can walk to Place Ollier, but lodging capacity is limited outside peak season.

Banne, Chambonas, Berrias-et-Casteljau or Joyeuse work well with a car; choose lodging that tolerates an early start and muddy shoes.

Trail des Vans is best prepared as a complete project: terrain, pack, arrival plan and recovery. The earlier those decisions are made, the more race day becomes about pacing, clarity and enjoyment.