Val d’Isère opens its summer festivities the week-end before the Bastille Day celebration on the 14^th of July with the challenging and unique Vertical Kilometer^® race on the Face Bellevarde Olympic ski run.

Re-introduced three years ago after a 13-year interval, this individual time trial race hosts some of the best runners in the world and many amateurs who want to take up the challenge. Runners start every 30 seconds and follow their own way up to the finish at 2,798m where welcome food and refreshment awaits them.

Val d’Isère’s Vertical Kilometer^® is also open to hikers a couple of hours prior to race departure. No timing for them! Simply the pleasure to climb the legendary Face de Bellevarde, host in winter to “le critérium de la première neige” and the most prestigious World Cup participants.