Searching for a bucket-list-worthy overseas race to enter next year and stuck on what to choose?
That’s totally understandable, as there are some amazing races all over Europe and the world.
But if you’re looking for something with fine weather, great holiday potential and a brilliant course, you may want to consider either the full or middle-distance race at IRONMAN France Nice. Here’s why…
1. The scenery will blow you away
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The city of Nice is a beautiful place as it is. The architecture is so impressive your neck will soon start to ache from looking up all the time, while the long pebbly beach that lines the Promenade des Anglais affords uninterrupted views out to sea.
You’ll get to enjoy all of that on the swim and run, but it’s on the bike where the scenery will really hit you hard.
The course takes you inland along balcony roads as you hug towering walls of rock, with tree-covered hills and mountains stretching all around.
If you can afford to look away from the road for long enough, it’s a view that’ll live long in the memory.
2. It’s a challenge that you’ll be proud to overcome
No IRONMAN course is a walk in the park, but IRONMAN France Nice throws up some extra challenges – mostly on the bike.
It’s a two-loop sea swim to start (it’s one-loop for the 70.3), but conditions aren’t normally too bad. Where things start to get tricky is on the bike.
The single-loop course takes you from the beautiful Mediterranean coast on the French Riviera and into the nearby hills and beautiful mountains of the Alps.
The total elevation gain for the full IRONMAN is over 2,400m, while it’s 1367m for the 70.3. But it’s the technical downhill that can be just as much of a challenge, with concentration and control needed to get you down quickly but safely.
Once back in Nice, you’ll get to enjoy/survive (delete as appropriate) the run, which follows an out-and-back loop along the flat Promenade des Anglais. It’s two loops alongside the beach for the half-IRONMAN, or four loops for the full distance.
3. It has pedigree
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IRONMAN France Nice has been a fixture in the long-distance calendar for over 15 years. In fact, the triathlon here has been running since 1982 and for a time was the most important race behind Kona.
For many of those years the men’s race was dominated by Spaniard Marcel Zamora, who’s won it five times, and Belgium’s Frederik Van Lierde, who’s also won it five times, including in 2013, when he also won the IRONMAN World Championship.
On the woman’s side, Germany’s Tine Deckers has won it five times while Australia’s Carrie Lester has won it twice.
Meanwhile, the 70.3 race here has also seen its fair share of action. In 2021 it was won by Norwegian Casper Stornes and Switzerland’s Olympic gold medallist Nicola Spirig.
Two years earlier it played host to the IRONMAN 70.3 World Championship, which saw Gustav Iden (NOR) pip Alistair Brownlee to the title in the men’s race.
That year also saw Daniela Ryf (SUI) beat Brits Holly Lawrence and Lucy Charles-Barclay to the win thanks to a masterclass in riding a bike downhill (Charles-Barclay also had to serve a five-minute penalty).
So to put it simply, race here and you’ll be following in the footsteps of some of the sport’s best athletes.
4. You can easily turn it into a holiday
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Nice is a popular city break as it is, where quaint plazas battle with iconic architecture, markets and cafes for space. It’s easy to while away a few days here, particularly for food connoisseurs and those interested in art.
But within easy striking distance you’ve got some of the highlights of France’s southern coast. Monaco and Cannes are both an easy day trip away, while the glitz and glamour of Saint-Tropez are just a couple of hours drive away.
Alternatively, head inland and you can quickly arrive at the emerald blue waters of the beautiful Verdon Gorge. It’s understandable how this has become such a popular tourist spot, and its surroundings are impressive, too.
Head further north and in a few hours you can be entering the natural paradise that is the Écrins National Park, or in return for an extra couple of hours in the car you’ll arrive at the iconic Alpe d’Huez.
5. The weather is almost guaranteed
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Given its location, Nice enjoys a Mediterranean climate. The Met Office suggests that the daily maximum temperature in June averages at 24.8°C.
Average rainfall, meanwhile, sits at around 29mm, but drops to 12mm as we approach July. Average daily sunshine is 10 hours, while average wind speed – normally provided by a sea breeze – comes in at 7.6mph.
The result of all of these figures is generally welcoming conditions on race day and for the rest of your holiday, with the sea breeze being a welcome aid in trying to stay cool.
6. There’s a middle-distance option
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Not ready or don’t want to race a full IRONMAN? That’s not a problem, because on the same day as the full-distance event Nice will also play host to a 70.3 race.
You’ll race side-by-side with your full-distance brethren for much of the day, doing a one-loop swim, a shortened bike and a two-loop run along the seafront.
But don’t worry, even though the bike is shorter, you’ll still get the chance to enjoy the Alpine scenery and incredible roads.
7. It’s easy get to
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One of the most stressful things about racing overseas is the logistics of getting there, but the great thing about IRONMAN France Nice is that it’s easy to get there from the UK.
At the time of writing, not all airlines have announced their route lists for June 2023, but there are typically direct flights to Nice airport from a range of UK airports.
These include London Heathrow, London Stansted, Manchester, Southampton, Liverpool, Bristol and Edinburgh. Flight times are around two hours and return tickets are often available for less than £100 per person.
The good news is that Nice airport is centrally located and is within 30 minutes of the city via public transport or car.
Alternatively, return ferries between the UK and France can be had for less than £200 (two people, one car), but then you’ll be faced with a long drive (roughly 11 hours from the north coast) in France.
How to enter
IRONMAN France Nice takes place on 25 June 2023 and registration is open now. Find out more and enter here.