The French Riviera T100 is the one of the new additions to the age-group race calendar on the 2025 T100 Triathlon World Tour. Taking place in the almost ridiculously picturesque Cote d’Azure region in the south of France at the end of August. This is a triathlon which brings together an idyllic vacation destination with an epic race course in a family-friendly setting. Add in the presence of the world’s best elites – long course and short course with WTCS racing happening on the same weekend. And booking your flight to Nice starts to sound like a no brainer!
I headed out to Saint-Raphaël-Fréjus recently to check out the 100km distance amateur race course. So whether you’ve already got yourself on the start list, or you’re trying to decide whether this race will play into your strengths. Keep reading to find out more about the course and get my tips on what to focus on in your training to help you get race day ready.
Swim course and transition location
The race venue is situated at Base Nature in Fréjus. This is a 135-hectare green space just a stone’s throw from the beach, which has everything from cycling trails, an athletic track and an indoor swimming pool to skate parks and football/rugby stadiums. It’s home to the iconic Roc d’Azure mountain biking festival, so as you can imagine – it makes for a pretty good set up to host a triathlon!
For the age group 100km race (there are also sprint and Olympic distance races on offer) the 2km swim takes place in the sea off the beach right next to Base Nature. The beach is sandy underfoot, so you won’t have any issues getting into the water with the rolling start. The course is one single, anti-clockwise 2km triangular loop, with only 3 turns so it’ll be easy to find some fast feet and get into a rhythm.
Clear, calm water – but it’s still worth doing some sea swimming in training to prepare
The water is crystal clear. And while I was bracing myself for it to feel chilly in May – it was already at a pretty comfortable temperature. By August, I imagine it’ll be toasty! So you might want to prepare yourself for the possibility of a non-wetsuit swim, depending on how warm of a summer the region gets.
There was little in the way of chop and swell the morning I swam, and the coastline is fairly sheltered. But I’d still recommend training in the sea at least a few times in the build up to the race, so that if conditions are a little choppier on race day you’ll be prepared. It’s important to practice sighting, adjusting your stroke length to the conditions. And getting used to breathing to either side in case the waves are coming from your favoured side. No one wants to spend 2km getting a mouthful of sea water every time they take a breath! That all comes down to practice, so the more you can train in the sea, the better. But the good news is, I think as far as sea swims go the course layout and the typical conditions in the area should mean that even if you can’t do a significant amount of sea swimming practice beforehand, the swim still shouldn’t feel that daunting.
If cycling is your favourite triathlon discipline, you NEED to ride this bike course
The bike course is where this race really comes into its own. I’ve been lucky enough to race some pretty nice triathlon courses in my time. My first ever IRONMAN 70.3 a few too many years ago now was at Zell-am-See, because why not add in the complication of riding up a mountain and racing at altitude for your first ever half distance triathlon!? And since then I’ve raced middle and long distances everywhere from Switzerland to Singapore. I think the French Riviera T100 bike course is right up there with some of the coolest bike courses in triathlon. Rolling climbs, fun descents and spectacular scenery – it’s got it all.
Unlike other T100 races with a multi-lap format, the age-groupers and the PROs will be taking on a single-lap 80km route. You’ll head out of Fréjus towards Saint-Raphaël and spend the first 40km or so on a super fun rollercoaster ride of winding climbs and sweeping descents along the Corniche d’Or. Look one way, and you’ve got a near-panoramic view of the Mediterranean sea. And the other, the red cliffs of the Estérel massif.
Once you get up to Theoles-sur-Mer you’ll hang a left and just after the halfway mark you’ll take on the main climb of the day – the Col du Testanier. All in, you’ve got about 10km here that you’ll spend going up. But after that, you’ve got a long winding descent through the French countryside all the way back to Base Nature.
Climbing legs at the ready
There’s no getting away from the fact that this is a challenging bike course – you’ve got around 900m of elevation gain over the 80km distance. But there’s still plenty of opportunity to pick up some speed, thanks to some fast, flat sections along with the descents.
The last minute nature of my trip out to France meant I was taking on the course on a rented road bike. But I’d definitely say this is still a TT-bike friendly course – as long as you’re confident with handling your TT bike. Take your trusty steed for plenty of outdoor rides in the build up to work on your bike handling.
Training-wise, you’re going to need to hit the hills. Choose hilly routes for your long rides, and mix in some under-over threshold sessions too. This will help you to build some leg strength, and also get your body more efficient at clearing lactate and recovering faster from the efforts on the hills. If possible, try to do some hill repeat sessions outdoors too. It’s an ideal way to get stronger at climbing, while also taking the opportunity to build confidence on the descents. Finally, if heading off on a training camp someplace with nice long climbs isn’t feasible, and you haven’t got any suitable climbs on your doorstep. You can use platforms like Zwift or ROUVY and choose a route with a long climb to get used to a sustained uphill effort.
Managing your effort will be vital on race day
Once race day rolls around, this is a course where pacing yourself and being smart with how you execute your race is going to be essential. When you mix together a bike course that’s as fun, and as challenging as this one. And the potential for hot conditions – it is the south of France in August, after all. It’ll be all too easy to get carried away and overcook it on the bike. Which will make for a painful 18km run once you head out of T2.
“My top tip for age groupers racing the French Riviera T100? It’s going to be a combination of two things. They’re very simple, but sometimes people overlook simplicity. One is pacing, making sure they can get round that bike course because it’s a long way, especially with the kick we have towards the end if you’ve seen the course. And then second is nutrition. At the end of August, it’s going to be hot – it’s not going to be too hot, we certainly go to hotter locations on the T100 Triathlon World Tour! But get those two right, and you’ll have a spectacular race.”
– sam renouf, ceo professional triathletes organisation / t100 speaking to tri247
Try to resist the temptation to go tearing out of T1 and blast up the rolling climbs in the first half of the bike course. You’ll regret it when you get to the main climb later on. If possible, I’d recommend using a power metre and a heart rate monitor to manage your effort. Using your FTP, set a max power target that you want to try not to exceed on the climbs. Look at your heart rate in tandem with this power number on race day – this will give you a real time measure of how your body is responding to the conditions. If it’s hot and you notice your heart rate is creeping up higher than usual, you might need to dial back your effort to make sure you can keep racing strong all the way to the finish line.
Run course
You’ll be pleased to know that after that hilly bike ride, you’ve got a fast, flat run course to look forward to. The run takes place back at Base Nature, making the most of the brilliant green space to offer a run course that’s extremely spectator friendly.
The run at the French Riviera T100 is 5 laps – 4 x 3.7km followed by a final 3.2km victory lap to make the most of the atmosphere before you cross the finish line. The compact nature of the course means it’ll be easy to see your support crew multiple times during the run, and you can pretty much guarantee the entire course will be lined with spectators.
Underfoot, you’re mostly running on tarmac paths with a bit of hard compact trail mixed in. So if you’ve got super shoes, you’ll definitely feel the benefit here and there’s no major twists, turns or proper off roading that’ll mean stability is an issue. The trees should provide some shade, and you should also get a nice breeze coming off the nearby beach. Start steady, make the most of the aid stations to stay hydrated and get nutrition on board. Focus on cooling using water/ice/sponges – and you’ll set yourself up for a strong final leg all the way to the finish.
Watch: Course preview
When is the French Riviera T100 triathlon and how do I enter?
The French Riviera T100 age group 100km race takes place on 30 August 2025, with short course racing for amateurs also available on 31 August. So your support crew can get inspired as they cheer you on, and then take on a swim-bike-run for themselves! The top middle and long distance PROs will be competing in the elite races, and you’ll also get the opportunity to see world-class short course athletes battle it out in the World Triathlon Championship Series race taking place in the same location as part of a historic weekend for triathlon in France. Click here to find out more, or tap the button below to secure your spot on the start line.
![Mathis Margirier wins the Challenge Championship in Samorin 2023 [Photo credit: Activimages / Challenge Family]](https://www.tri247.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/Mathis-Margirier-wins-the-Challenge-Championship-in-Samorin-2023.jpg)
![Mathis Margirier wins the Challenge Championship in Samorin 2023 [Photo credit: Activimages / Challenge Family]](https://www.tri247.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/Mathis-Margirier-wins-the-Challenge-Championship-in-Samorin-2023-912x720.jpg)
