Set in the mountains of Haute-Savoie around Lake Annecy, the MaXi-Race is considered one of the flagship events of French Alpine trail running.
What began as a small gathering of runners has grown into a community festival-style event,
now supported by about 20 local associations and more than 750 volunteers,
and the organizers themselves describe it not as a mere competition but as "a pretext for travel, adventure, and self-discovery."
The course is broken down by difficulty, from a full loop around Lake Annecy (100-105km, roughly 5,700-6,100m of elevation gain),
to a marathon-length half-loop of the lake (42km, roughly 2,800m of gain), to a 16km short course that even beginners can take on.
There are also the roughly 55km "Demi Tour du Lac," the 40km Marathon-Expérience,
the roughly 20km "Quart de Tour du Lac," and relay legs split among teams of two or four —
six formats in total, bringing together beginners and elite ultrarunners alike around Lake Annecy on the same weekend.
The event is built around two pillars: a competitive "Race" division and an "Expérience" division focused on the finish itself rather than ranking.
Organizers say they treat all Expérience participants equally,
and that the course is designed to take in scenic overlooks of the lake and local culture along the way.
With Adidas Terrex as title sponsor, the event has become a fixture for trail running fans visiting Annecy every late May,
offering both Alpine mountain course and lake views in one event.
