Ventoux by UTMB 2027: preparation, logistics and gear guide

The Ultra Géant de Provence starts from Malaucène on Friday 23 April 2027: 125 km, 5,700 m+, four Running Stones. The Grande Épopée Ventoux starts on Saturday 24 April (87 km, 4,200 m+, three Running Stones), the Trail des Coteaux the same day (26 km, 1,100 m+), and the Mistral Marathon Trail on Sunday 25 April (51 km, 2,500 m+).

Mont Ventoux tops out at 1,910 m, and in late April it can still carry snow on the north face while the plain is in t-shirts. The mistral, which gives the marathon its name, blows dry and cold: it turns an easy pass into an exposed section where the jacket comes out of the pack.

This guide gives the published 2027 facts, then the order of decisions: distance, accommodation, transport, gear. The 2027 rules and gear list were not yet published on 2026-09-04; what follows relies on the announced format and on the usual rules of UTMB World Series events.

Ventoux is a long climb on regular gradients then a descent on stony tracks: work fast hiking uphill and long descents on loose stones. For the 125 km, a Friday start means a full night out: night run with the mandatory race pack.

Wind is a load of its own: practise putting the jacket on and off while walking, eating despite dry cold, and running into the wind without overspending. A Provençal spring can also be hot on the plain; water management starts in March.

Malaucène is a village of 2,700 people: it is the start of all four races and, most likely, the place for bib pickup and the finish. Its accommodation capacity is small; 125 km runners who want to sleep on site book as soon as registration opens.

Three races over three days: a supporter can follow several starts without changing base. The detailed 2027 agenda (pickup hours, exact start times) was not published on 2026-09-04; keep the official link in your Prep and re-read it when the rules come out.

The useful stations are Avignon TGV and Orange, 40 to 50 minutes by road; Marseille-Provence airport is about an hour and a half away. There is no station in Malaucène: you need a car, a car share or a shuttle announced by the organiser.

On race weekend the access roads to the Ventoux from Malaucène and Bédoin may be regulated; check the traffic instructions in the 2027 agenda before planning to follow by car.

Malaucène, Bédoin, Vaison-la-Romaine and Carpentras form the useful circle: B&Bs, gîtes, campsites and a few hotels. For the 125 km, sleeping in Malaucène the night before removes the morning drive; for the Saturday and Sunday races, Vaison or Carpentras offer more beds twenty minutes away.

Late April is already tourist season in Provence: during Ventoux by UTMB week, beds go early. Book as soon as your distance is chosen, even before registration is confirmed if the cancellation terms allow it.

Ventoux by UTMB 2027 already has its dates and numbers; what is still missing, the rules and agenda, will come. Open a TrailCompanion Prep from this guide: it dates the registration, the bed in Malaucène and the rules re-read, and it will update when the official numbers move.