IRONMAN Vichy

Vichy (Bellerive-sur-Allier), France · August · IRONMAN

IRONMAN Vichy: bike course in vichy (2024 european triathlon championships, not ironman)Photo is not from race dayTabl-trai, CC BY-SA 4.0
bike course in Vichy (2024 European Triathlon Championships, not Ironman). Photo via Wikimedia Commons.

Why people love it

  • Compact, walkable spa town with a flat, shaded four-loop run (about 10.5 km (6.5 mi) / 6.5 mi each)
  • Praised organisation, closed roads and strong marshalling
  • Rolling start by expected finish time; buoys every 500 m (550 yd)
  • IRONMAN World Championship slots

Watch out for

  • Late-August heat of 25-35 °C (77-95 °F), up to 38 °C (100 °F) in 2023
  • Wetsuits often banned (water 26-27 °C (79–81 °F) / 79-81 °F)
  • Bike climbing figures disagree across sources; about 2,300 m (7,550 ft) in recent reports
  • Swim cancelled in 2022 after storms
  • Central hotels sell out; the race had a hiatus in 2024-25

Race

3.9Very good

How racers feel about it, how well it is run, and how it treats a first timer. Counts for 27% of the overall score.

  • Racer satisfactionLoved3.9

    RaceCheck gives 4.5/5 (mostly 2015-2017) and praises the organisation and town, but the 2023 heatwave left several athletes calling it their hardest race. · Medium confidence

  • OrganizationWell run4.2

    Closed roads, strict marshalling and well-staffed aid drew praise. Negatives: a confusing 2016 briefing and wetsuit rules, and a swim cancelled in 2022 after storms. · Medium confidence

  • First timer friendlyDoable3.2

    A calm river swim, closed roads and flat run suit first-timers, but 35 °C (95 °F)+ heat and 2,300 m (7,550 ft) of hills bite. · Medium confidence

Course traits, not part of the score

  • PR potentialAverage2.9

    A flat run and decent roads, but 2,300 m (7,550 ft) of bike climbing, a non-wetsuit swim and August heat slow times. · Medium confidence

  • Course easeVery tough2.4

    About 2,300 m (7,550 ft) of climbing plus 35-38 °C (95-100 °F) heat, with about 18% DNF in 2023. The run is flat and shaded. · Medium confidence

Swim

2.2Below par

Wetsuit odds, water temperature, calm, and the experience of the start. Counts for 15% of the overall score.

  • Wetsuit legalSeldom1.9

    Wetsuits were banned at 26-27 °C (79-81 °F) in 2016 and 2023, against the 24.5 °C (76.1 °F) limit. · Medium confidence

  • Water temperatureUncomfortable2.4

    Reported at 26-27 °C (79-81 °F), warm compared with the comfortable 19-23 °C (66-73 °F) range. · Medium confidence

  • Calm waterMostly calm4.1

    A dammed river with no meaningful current in normal years. The return was choppier per a 2023 report, and 2022 storms raised current. · Medium confidence

  • Swim easeEasy3.6

    A well-buoyed out-and-back (buoys every 500 m (1,640 ft) / 550 yd) with a rolling start, but narrow, murky and reported long, with no wetsuit. · Low confidence

  • Swim experienceFine2.9

    A murky, narrow river (200-300 m (656–984 ft) / 220-330 yd wide), reportedly over 4 km (2.5 mi). A rolling start and buoys every 500 m (1,640 ft) help. · Medium confidence

Bike

4.3Very good

Road surface, closures, scenery and wind. Counts for 19% of the overall score.

  • Road surfaceGood3.6

    Mostly good tarmac on closed roads, with rough patches and narrow, slippery lanes in rain. · Low confidence

  • Road closuresMostly closed4.4

    Roads are essentially closed, with strict anti-drafting marshalling. · Medium confidence

  • Bike sceneryBeautiful3.9

    Auvergne and Montagne Bourbonnaise villages and a volcano-range backdrop drew praise, though one 2016 reviewer called it a bit dull. · Medium confidence

  • WindSome wind3.2

    Exposed farmland brings headwinds per the guide, and 2016 lap two had wind and rain. · Low confidence

Course traits, not part of the score

  • Bike speedAverage3.0

    Reviewers in 2016 called it fast, but 2021-2023 reports cite about 2,300 m (7,550 ft) of climbing, including a 15 km (9 mi) climb. · Low confidence

  • Bike flatnessHilly1.9

    About 2,300-2,400 m (7,550-7,870 ft) per 2021-2023 reports and RaceRaves. Earlier flat claims and Prommer's 500-800 m (1,640-2,620 ft) look wrong. · Medium confidence

  • Bike simplicitySome technical parts2.9

    Narrow, twisty and slippery in rain, with fast descents and strict stop-go penalties on a walkway section. · Low confidence

Run

4.1Very good

Crowds, aid stations, conditions underfoot and scenery. Counts for 13% of the overall score.

  • Crowd supportStrong4.0

    Four run loops of about 10.5 km (6.5 mi) through park and town give frequent sightings, and Cusset has a lively bike crowd. · Medium confidence

  • Aid stationsGood4.3

    Aid every 2 km (1.2 mi), water-spraying stations and Saint-Yorre water. On-course nutrition lacked electrolytes. · Medium confidence

  • Run sceneryBeautiful4.0

    Riverside and the Belle Epoque Parc des Sources, shaded. · Medium confidence

  • Run conditionsModerate3.1

    Flat and shaded with water sprays and aid every 2 km (1.2 mi), but heat made it brutal in 2023 (35 °C (95 °F) / 95 °F+). · Medium confidence

Course traits, not part of the score

  • Run flatnessFlat4.7

    Four flat loops. Elevation gain is not quantified but is uniformly described as flat. · Medium confidence

Conditions

2.5Below par

Air temperature, how predictable the weather is, setting, and spectating. Counts for 15% of the overall score.

  • Air temperatureExtreme1.4

    Typically 25-35 °C (77-95 °F), up to 38 °C (100 °F) in 2023. · Medium confidence

  • Weather reliabilityVariable3.0

    Heat is near-certain (25-35 °C (77–95 °F) / 77-95 °F), plus a storm-cancelled swim in 2022 and rain on the 2016 bike. · Low confidence

  • Venue beautyLovely3.9

    An elegant spa town and Auvergne countryside, though the lake and river venue is plain. · Medium confidence

  • Spectator friendlyEasy4.0

    A compact town, four run loops and a raised finish viewing platform, though heat is tough on spectators. · Medium confidence

Course traits, not part of the score

  • Low altitudeLow4.4

    Vichy sits at about 250 m (820 ft). · High confidence

Stay and travel

3.9Very good

Hotels, walkability, getting there, and the town around the race. Counts for 11% of the overall score.

  • Hotel availabilityBook early3.0

    Central Vichy fills up (book 3-6 months ahead), with cheaper Bellerive options about 3 km (1.9 mi) away. · Low confidence

  • Hotel valueGood3.5

    Budget Bellerive hotels are cheap, race-partner and central options are pricier, and one 2017 reviewer found it pricey. · Low confidence

  • WalkabilityWalkable4.0

    Hotels are 1-2.7 km (0.6-1.7 mi) from the start and finish. · Medium confidence

  • Travel easeOne connection2.8

    Clermont-Ferrand is about 50 minutes and Lyon about 2 hours by road. TGV plus TER from Paris takes about 3 hours. · Medium confidence

  • LogisticsSimple3.8

    A compact town-centre and river layout with simple registration. The single-site claim is not firmly verified. · Low confidence

  • Town and foodGood4.2

    A charming spa town with good food per 2023 reports, though small. · Medium confidence

Key facts

Location
Vichy (Bellerive-sur-Allier), Auvergne-Rhone-Alpes (Allier), France
Typical month
August
Latest or next date
22 August 2027
Organiser
IRONMAN
Field size
About 1,800 athletes
First held
2015
Distances
3.8 km (2.4 mi) swim, 180 km (112 mi) bike, 42.2 km (26.2 mi) run
Cutoffs
Swim 2:20 (Prommer; unverified by organiser), Finish 17:00
Swim venue
Lac d'Allier (dammed river section, rowing-course buoys) (river)
Water temperature
24–27 °C (75–81 °F)
Wetsuit
Banned in most reported years (2016, 2023 at 26-27 C); legal if cooler
Swim start
rolling
Swim laps
1
Bike climbing
2,300 m (7,550 ft)
Bike laps
2
Key climbs
~15-16 km climb (Chatel-Montagne to Saint-Nicolas-des-Biefs); Cusset
Run laps
4
Run shade
Good tree cover in Parc des Sources and riverside
Air temperature
25–35 °C (77–95 °F)
Humidity
Hot and dry-to-humid; heatwave 2023 saw 35-38 C
Altitude
250 m (820 ft)
Nearest airport
Clermont-Ferrand Auvergne (CFE) ~50 min; Lyon St-Exupery (LYS) ~2 h
Where to stay
Parc des Sources / Thermal district, Vieux Vichy, Bellerive-sur-Allier (cheaper)
Booking
Central Vichy sells out; book 3-6 months ahead. Nirvana is official travel partner with race transfers.

Official race website (ironman.com)

What racers and reviewers say

  • RaceCheck (Finn F.)Raced 2021 · aggregator · Positive

    Rated it 4.7. Well run, with closed roads and plenty of aid stations, and scenic in all three sports. The bike was tougher than expected but well marshalled; the run was a bit twisty, with a raised finish-area viewing platform. Locals and the town felt welcoming.

  • RaceCheck (Tom P.)Raced 2017 · aggregator · Positive

    Found it pricey but smoothly organised. River swim was a little smelly but easy; bike was two laps of flat countryside with good village support; run through parks and along the river had a great atmosphere.

  • RaceCheck (Tim S.)Raced 2016 · aggregator · Positive

    First-hand travel and race notes: about 7 hours by road from Calais (about 700 km (435 mi) / 435 mi), accommodation from hotels to camping but book early. Slick organisation, non-wetsuit warm-water swim that was easy to navigate, good roads and aid, four flat run loops with aid every ~2 km (1.2 mi).

  • RaceCheck (Roman L.)Raced 2016 · aggregator · Mixed

    Less enthusiastic (3.7). Briefing was confusing, swim felt long and lumpy without a wetsuit, bike was fast but a bit dull with rough tarmac in places; the four-lap run was flat, fast and atmospheric.

  • RaceCheck (Ron E.)Raced 2016 · aggregator · Mixed

    Rated 8/10. Hot late-August spa town; briefing poor and wetsuit rules unclear; rolling start by self-seeding; swim measured 4+ km (2.5+ mi) on GPS. Bike was narrow, twisty and slippery in rain; aid stations well staffed.

Show 8 more
  • RaceCheck (Matt T.)Raced 2016 · aggregator · Positive

    First Ironman, 4.6 stars. Great expo and atmosphere; swim non-wetsuit and felt over distance but well marshalled; bike on essentially closed roads with good surface and strict anti-drafting; run was four ~10 km (6.2 mi) loops with frequent chances to see supporters.

  • Sumie Kawakami blog (Artemis Communications)Raced 2023 · blog · Mixed

    Age-group winner (60-64) who took 16:22. Swim ~27 °C (81 °F) so wetsuits banned, calm but murky river, choppier on the return. Two hilly bike loops (~2,300 m (7,550 ft) / 7,550 ft), a strict stop-go penalty for aero bars on a walkway, a very hot day, and a DNF rate she put near 18 percent. Praised volunteers, Saint-Yorre water at aid stations, charming town and food.

  • Sporty TravellersRaced 2023 · blog · Mixed

    Spectator-and-athlete write-up of the 2023 race. Water 26 °C (79 °F) so no wetsuits; bike has a smaller loop plus a ~70 km (43 mi) loop ridden twice with a ~15 km (9 mi) climb and about 2,400 m (7,870 ft) gain; temperatures reached 35-37 °C (95-99 °F). Liked the scenery and athlete-village buzz; heat was the main drawback.

  • Iron Heart forum (Nik)Raced 2023 · forum · Mixed

    First-Ironman report from the August 2023 heatwave edition. Lake swim with buoys every 500 m (550 yd) and fairly uncrowded; scenic bike loops with climbs, fast descents and a lively crowd in Cusset, though on-course nutrition lacked electrolytes; four shaded run laps with water-spraying aid stations. Heat made it his hardest event.

  • Team Oxygenaddict blog (Alan Gar)Raced 2016 · blog · Mixed

    First Ironman, finished 11:33. Warm water meant no wetsuit; bike slowed in wind and rain on lap two; marathon was a heat-and-cramp struggle. Family enjoyed the Ironkids and Iron Lady side events. Mostly a personal pacing story, but confirms hot conditions and a non-wetsuit swim.

  • Sportmag.frRaced 2022 · article · Mixed

    Report on the 7th edition (~4,000 athletes across both races). Storms degraded water quality and the current was judged too strong, so the swim was cancelled and the race started on the bike. Describes an energetic event and strong local triathlon community.

  • Prommer.net 2026 race guideRaced 2026 · article · Positive

    Preview guide pitching Vichy as an elegant, PB-friendly French Ironman with a realistic Kona path. Recommends staying in the Parc des Sources area, advises booking 3-6 months ahead, and warns of August heat above 35 °C (95 °F). Its elevation (500-800 m (1,640–2,620 ft) / 1,640-2,620 ft) and swim-temperature figures contradict athlete reports, so treat those as unreliable.

  • Tripadvisor via Accor (ibis budget Vichy guest)hotel-review · Mixed

    A guest staying over the August Ironman weekend said they picked the budget hotel in Bellerive because central Vichy had little availability; basic but clean with friendly staff and cheap breakfast. Listing shows ~3.5/5 over 333 reviews. Confirms race-weekend squeeze and that Bellerive is a cheaper fallback ~3 km (1.9 mi) out.

Sources

Pages we used for facts and ratings. See how we rate.

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