Trail running in La Manche

A vast natural playground for trail runners to enjoy

In La Manche, trail running has found its natural playground! With its unspoilt landscapes, sweeping coastline and unique bocage countryside, the department inspires runners of all levels. Thanks to its Espaces Trail, the territory offers routes of varying difficulty between land and sea, allowing you to run safely while respecting the environment. And for those in search of a challenge, the calendar is packed with trail events throughout the year all over the territory. Time to lace up your trainers!

The Espaces Trail of La Manche

Positioned as an ideal playground for outdoor activities, La Manche joins around 30 French destinations dedicated to trail running. Le Mortainais, Coutances Mer et Bocage, Granville Terre et Mer and Saint-Lô Agglo, members of the “Uni’vert Trail” network, and the Cotentin Peninsula, which has the Station de Trail® label from On Piste, now have their own dedicated routes. These trail areas provide runners with clearly marked routes suited to all levels and a range of services to support training and sporting stays (showers, changing rooms, training courses, practical guides, etc.).

Trail in Saint-Lô agglo

Trail running in the heart of the Vire Valley

For a mix of town and countryside, try the trail route in Saint-Lô – a peri-urban loop between the bocage landscape and the Vire river. For a change of scenery, head to Marigny, where the route takes you past wetlands and along sunken lanes. And the cherry on the cake: Les Roches de Ham. From the top, the view is breathtaking and gives you a real sense of the vast, green playground below, full of ups and downs. At the bottom, the Vire winds its way through the landscape, and you can reach it by running along woodland trails and rocky paths.

The Saint-Lô trail route:

Trail in the Mortainais

Running amid waterfalls, woodlands and rocky trails

With its waterfalls, cliffs and leafy woods, the Mortainais is a real breath of fresh air in the south of La Manche. The climbs here promise some great challenges for trail runners! Follow the river and take in the local highlights: the Pont du Diable, the two waterfalls and the Rocher de l’Aiguille.

Trail in Coutances Mer et Bocage

Route between town and countryside

Starting from the town of Coutances, classified as a Ville d'Art et d'Histoire, enjoy the trail routes through the Bois des Vignettes. This 13-hectare natural area, set beside the Bulsard pond, offers scenic routes for running amidst lush, peaceful surroundings.

The trail routes in Coutances :

Trail in Granville Terre et Mer

Running by the sea

Between the coast and countryside paths, the Granville Terre et Mer trail area offers a variety of routes for runners of all levels.

Starting from Saint-Pair-sur-Mer, four routes of varying difficulty allow you to explore Granville’s heritage, along with coastal landscapes and seaside villages. You’ll enjoy the climbs along the GR®223 coastal path, the peaceful country lanes and the gently sloping streets of Saint-Pair.

The trail routes in Granville:

Trail running on the Cotentin Peninsula

From the dunes to the cliffs of la Hague

Miles of fine sandy beaches, sweeping dunes, rugged cliffs, and the sea always beside you – this really is ideal trail running terrain! The Cotentin, especially la Hague, is made for trail running. The Cotentin has five certified Stations de Trail®, each with three to ten different routes:

Brix / Sottevast
Cherbourg-en-Cotentin
La Hague
Barneville-Carteret / Les Moitiers-d’Allonne
Fermanville

The trail routes of the Cotentin

The major trail events in the territory

With varied elevation gains and distances suited to all levels, whether along the GR®223 or through striking and unusual locations, here are some of the unmissable trail races in La Manche:

Rock & Trail and its famous event, the 24-hour Chrono! Complete as many laps as possible of this special site: a former quarry. There are also 7km and 20km races to try.
Trail des Cascades with its 32km route around the waterfalls of Mortain. There’s also a night race
La Diabolik de Ragnar, the unmissable endurance trail of La Hague. This time, set off for 6 hours, completing as many laps as possible, with over 400m of positive elevation gain.
La Barjo and its famous ultra trail! With a route through the most beautiful landscapes of the Cotentin Peninsula, this race appeals to all trail runners for its varied distances of between 15 and 80km
Trail des Roches de Ham following the Vire Valley route. Three races from 11 to 35km take runners along paths beside the River Vire, with several river crossings..
Trail des Loups de Moyon : from 14 to 50km and up to more than 1 000m of elevation gain for a real challenge in the wooded countryside of La Manche..
Granvillaise Urban Trail : a trail in the Monaco of the North at dusk. Choose from 9km or 16km, crossing through the town along cobbled streets, steps and coastal paths, to the sound of drums.
Trail à la Belle Étoile de Cherbourg : 8, 12, 21 or 30km around Cherbourg at night, along wooded paths and through fields.

The major sporting events

Portrait: Alexis Berg

The famous trail photographer captures La Manche !

Alexis Berg, a renowned outdoor photographer and expert in trail running, has followed ultra-runners at the iconic Barkley in the US and documents the biggest events in the discipline worldwide. While passing through La Manche, he photographed several Espaces Trail as well as the Rock & Trail event, where he offered photography workshops in 2024.