FFA survey confirms trail running’s explosive growth in France

This is more than growth: it is an explosion. Data collected for the latest Finishers barometer, conducted by the FFA and Union Sport et Cycle, and for the Compétiteurs Running survey commissioned by the FFA and carried out with Sport Intelligence, leaves little room for doubt. Trail running continues its unstoppable rise in France, driven by growing enthusiasm and clear demographic shifts in a discipline overseen by the FFA since 2008.

A few figures from the survey speak for themselves:

In 2025, 5,900 trail races were held across France, up 20% on the previous year and twice as many as in 2015.
A total of 1.44 million results were recorded, representing 300% growth over the past decade.
Among licensed athletes, 42,000 now list trail running as their main club discipline, an increase of 90% in three years.

What does today’s trail runner look like?

The FFA was also able to draw up a profile of today’s trail runners, identifying some particularly revealing differences between them and athletes who choose other running disciplines, such as road running and cross country.

The first takeaway is clear: trail runners are especially consistent and committed, with an involvement that spans the long term. Among those surveyed, 62% have at least four years of experience compared with 55% of other runners, while 72% train three or more times a week compared with 65%. In addition, 64% can run 10K in 55 minutes or less, compared with 56% of the others.

They also line up for slightly more races each year than average, with 3.7 race starts compared with 3.3 for other runners.

35% of finishers are under 35. Contrary to the common perception that trail running is mainly for older athletes, the sport is getting younger. The average age of finishers fell from 42 to 40 in just two seasons. That trend is also reflected in the share of under-35s in the field: they now account for 35% of finishers, 10% more than in 2015.

Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes and Brittany lead the way

Geographically, runners from Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes are naturally the most numerous, accounting for 15% of the total. It is a mountainous region with abundant, popular trail terrain. By contrast, Île-de-France, where running is hugely popular among city dwellers, ranks only third for trail running.

Although 43% of trail runners live in rural areas, it is worth noting that the sport is also thriving in less rugged terrain, such as Brittany. The region, second in terms of competitor numbers at 12%, will host the next French championships in the discipline as part of the Trail de Guerlédan on May 15 and 16, 2027.

The FFA has played a major role in trail running’s popular success

The French Athletics Federation is one of the key players behind this success and the sport’s development, working alongside race organizers across the country. Beyond its support for elite athletes, reflected in the exceptional results of the French team, including at the most recent European Championships in Ljubljana-Kamnik in early June, the FFA has continued to support the growth of trail running through its clubs and structures since 2008.

Sylvain Cachard at the 2023 World Championships in Innsbruck

That year, the FFA was granted authority by the Ministry of Sport to oversee the discipline and its competitions. This included launching the first Trail Tour National, a sort of stage-based French championship that has since become the Challenge National Trail, before organizing the first one-day French championships in 2013.