The Verdon pulses to the rhythm of its competitions: open-water swimming on Lake
Sainte-Croix, swimrun along its shores, triathlon in its uplands
and a mystery multisport raid starting from Moustiers-Sainte-Marie. Four verified
events — dates, distances, locations and registration — to complement our
dedicated guide to the Verdon’s two trail races.
4 eventsexcluding trailswimrun, multisport raid, open-water swimming and triathlon — see also our trail guide
60.1 kmthe SwimRunMan Ultraswimming and running combined, a qualifier for the ÖTILLÖ World Series
72 hthe Raid des Étoilesa mystery raid, 100% women-only, in teams of 2 or 3, in support of the Petits Princes association
92 kmthe Natureman L bike leg1,450 m D+ in the heights of the Verdon, after 2 km of swimming in Lake Sainte-Croix
Beyond trail running
The Verdon is not just hiking country: every year it is also the stage for several major
sporting competitions — open-water swimming in the turquoise waters of Lake Sainte-Croix,
swimrun along its shores, triathlon in its uplands, a mystery multisport raid starting from
Moustiers-Sainte-Marie. Four events which, together with the two trail races already covered
in our dedicated guide, make the Verdon one of the most complete playgrounds in Provence for
endurance sports.
The 4 events
SwimRunMan Gorges du Verdon
Les Salles-sur-Verdon · early May
The spring swimrun event in the Verdon: swimming and running in succession, in a wetsuit, on a course crossing five communes (Les Salles-sur-Verdon, Moustiers-Sainte-Marie, La Palud-sur-Verdon, Aiguines and Bauduen). Four adult formats, from the Sprint Verdon, open to solo entrants, pairs or relay teams (13.8 km), to the Ultra (60.1 km), a qualifier for the ÖTILLÖ World Series, by way of the Classic (25.4 km, which ventures into the gorges themselves for the first time) and the Half (42.8 km) — plus three children’s races. The 2026 edition was held on 9 and 10 May; the organiser already announces the next one for May 2027.
Moustiers-Sainte-Marie · 100% women-only · late June
A 72-hour non-stop mystery raid, open only to teams of 2 or 3 women: the programme is never revealed in advance, and the tests — swimming, run & bike, trail running, mountain biking, canoeing, paddleboarding, obstacle course, treasure hunt… — can start by day or by night, at the sound of a foghorn. Five days in total including the arrival and the closing, in Moustiers-Sainte-Marie. Part of the registration fee goes to the Petits Princes association. The 2026 edition (the 6th) ran from 21 to 25 June.
Moustiers-Sainte-Marie · Lake Sainte-Croix · late June
Three days of open-water swimming beneath the cliffs of Lake Sainte-Croix, at Moustiers-Sainte-Marie: eight races from 500 m to 6 km, including sunset sessions, plus a Cross Swim Experience format combining 5 km of trail running with 1 km of swimming. Open to ages 18 to 80, from beginners to experienced swimmers. The 2026 edition (the 6th) took place on 26, 27 and 28 June — an inter-prefectural order temporarily restricts navigation on the Verdon upstream of the Pont du Galetas during the races.
Les Salles-sur-Verdon · Lake Sainte-Croix · late September
The Verdon’s big triathlon, on the shores of Lake Sainte-Croix: the L format (2 km of swimming, 92 km of cycling with 1,450 m D+ in the heights of the Verdon, 19.5 km of running) on Saturday, a shorter M format (1.2 km / 52 km / 10 km) on Sunday, plus a children’s event (Natur’Kids). Listed on the calendar of the French Triathlon Federation. The 2026 edition took place on 26 and 27 September.
Dates and formats change from one edition to the next: always confirm them on each event’s
official website before registering or booking accommodation (registrations often open several
months in advance).
And also: the Verdon’s two trail races
The Verdon is not only a place for swimming, cycling and raiding: it is also trail country,
with two benchmark races — the Var Verdon Trail Canyon (Aiguines, June) and the Roc’n Trail
Verdon (Castellane, September). Distances, elevation gain, ITRA/UTMB Index status: it is all
in our dedicated guide.
Which sporting competitions take place in the Verdon, apart from trail running?
Four major events punctuate the good season: the SwimRunMan Gorges du Verdon (swimming and running combined, early May, Les Salles-sur-Verdon), the Raid des Étoiles du Verdon (a 100% women-only mystery raid, late June, Moustiers-Sainte-Marie), the Verdon Swim Experience (open-water swimming, late June, Lake Sainte-Croix) and the Triathlon Natureman Var (late September, Les Salles-sur-Verdon). The Verdon also hosts two trail races — see our dedicated guide.
What are the formats and distances of the SwimRunMan Gorges du Verdon?
Four adult formats in 2026: Sprint Verdon (13.8 km, solo/pairs/relay), Classic (25.4 km, a new feature that enters the gorges themselves), Half (42.8 km) and Ultra (60.1 km, a qualifier for the ÖTILLÖ World Series), plus three children’s races. The 2026 edition was held on 9 and 10 May at Les Salles-sur-Verdon, on a course crossing five communes of the Verdon; the next edition is already announced for May 2027.
What is the Raid des Étoiles du Verdon, and who can take part?
It is a 100% women-only multisport raid, open only to teams of 2 or 3 women, run on the mystery-raid principle: the programme is never communicated in advance, and the tests can start at any hour, day or night. The 2026 edition (the 6th) took place from 21 to 25 June at Moustiers-Sainte-Marie, with a core of 72 non-stop hours of events. Part of the registrations goes to the Petits Princes association.
What is the Verdon Swim Experience?
An open-water swimming competition on Lake Sainte-Croix, at Moustiers-Sainte-Marie, beneath cliffs more than 700 m high. The 2026 edition (the 6th) was held from 26 to 28 June, with eight races from 500 m to 6 km — including sunset sessions — and a Cross Swim Experience format (5 km of trail running, 1 km of swimming). Open to ages 18 to 80.
When is the Triathlon Natureman Var, and what distances does it offer?
The 2026 edition was held on 26 and 27 September at Les Salles-sur-Verdon, on the shores of Lake Sainte-Croix. The L format (Saturday) combines 2 km of swimming, 92 km of cycling (1,450 m D+) and 19.5 km of running; the shorter M format (Sunday) offers 1.2 km / 52 km / 10 km. The event is listed on the calendar of the French Triathlon Federation.
Do these events cause traffic or navigation restrictions?
Yes, occasionally. For the 2026 Verdon Swim Experience, for example, an inter-prefectural order banned navigation and swimming on the Verdon upstream of the Pont du Galetas at certain specific times during the three days of racing. If you visit the area during one of these events, also expect crowded car parks and slower traffic in the start villages — it is better to check the official programme before you travel.
Check for yourself
The external sources this page relies on, one click away.We would rather you be able to contradict us than ask you to take our word for it.
Official event site: course across five Verdon communes (Les Salles-sur-Verdon, Moustiers-Sainte-Marie, La Palud-sur-Verdon, Aiguines and Bauduen), four adult formats (Sprint Verdon 13.8 km, Classic 25.4 km, Half 42.8 km, Ultra 60.1 km — ÖTILLÖ World Series qualifying race) and three children’s races, dates of the current edition.
Official calendar of the Fédération française de triathlon: “Sunday 10 May 2026 LES SALLES-SUR-VERDON (83630)” for the 2026 edition of the SwimRun des Gorges du Verdon (L format).
Official raid site: format (teams of 2 or 3 women, a mystery raid with a 72-hour core within a 5-day stay), disciplines and dates of the current edition, in Moustiers-Sainte-Marie.
Official event site: programme of the eight open-water swimming races (500 m to 6 km) and of the Cross Swim Experience format (5 km of trail running + 1 km of swimming), on Lake Sainte-Croix at Moustiers-Sainte-Marie, dates of the current edition.
Official portal of the Fédération française de natation (Open Water): registration page for the 2026 edition of the Verdon Swim Experience at Moustiers-Sainte-Marie, with race dates and formats.
Inter-prefectural order of 5 June 2026, published by Moustiers-Sainte-Marie town hall: navigation and swimming restrictions on the Verdon upstream of the Pont du Galetas during the Verdon Swim Experience 2026 races (26-28 June).
Official calendar of the Fédération française de triathlon for the Long format of the NatureMan Var: date “Saturday 26 September 2026” and venue “LES SALLES-SUR-VERDON (83630)”.
Quotations from French-language sources are translated by us; the original wording is on the page behind each link.
8 of these 8 links responded during our last automated check, on 2026-09-05. A broken link is removed, never left in place.