IRONMAN Tours Métropole - Loire Valley
Course breakdown and historical weather.
Château country racing — the Loire Valley at full distance
Tours, France · June 14, 2026
IRONMAN Tours takes athletes through the heart of France's Loire Valley — UNESCO World Heritage château country. A river swim in the Loire, a bike through rolling vineyard roads, and a marathon past historic châteaux. This is French elegance meets IRONMAN endurance.
- Swim
- 3.8 km
- River
- Bike
- 181.0 km
- ↑838m · Flat
- Run
- 42.4 km
- ↑155m · Flat
- Air Temp
- 10–27°C
- Water Temp
- 19°C
- Wind
- 11 km/h
- E
Swim Course
River swim in the Loire
The swim takes place in the Loire River in Tours. River conditions offer calm freshwater swimming, potentially with a slight downstream current. Water temperatures in mid-June are typically 19–23°C. The historic city of Tours provides a dramatic urban backdrop to the swim start.
- Loire River swim — calm freshwater conditions
- Potential downstream current assist
- Historic Tours as the backdrop
- Wetsuit-legal at 19–23°C
Bike Course
Rolling through the Loire Valley vineyards and châteaux
The 180 km bike course winds through the rolling Loire Valley countryside — past châteaux, through vineyards, and along the river. The terrain is rolling with moderate climbing, and the scenery is quintessentially French. The smooth French roads and pastoral landscape make this one of the more enjoyable full-distance bike legs in Europe.
- UNESCO World Heritage Loire Valley setting
- Rolling vineyard roads with moderate climbing
- Smooth French road surfaces
- Châteaux and historic landmarks on the route
Run Course
Marathon through Tours and the Loire Valley
The marathon takes athletes through Tours and along the Loire River. The terrain is predominantly flat along the river valley with some undulation through the city. French spectators provide lively support, and the historic setting adds gravitas to the marathon effort. The finish in central Tours is a celebration of endurance and elegance.
- Flat river valley running
- Historic city of Tours as the backdrop
- Lively French spectator support
- Loire Valley atmosphere throughout
Race Day Conditions
Loire Valley summer — warm and pleasant
Mid-June in the Loire Valley offers warm, pleasant racing conditions. Air temperatures range from 14–26°C with moderate humidity. The river valley climate is mild, and extreme heat is uncommon at this time of year. This is one of the more weather-friendly full-distance events on the European calendar.
Related reading
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Read postWhy Most Triathletes Blow Up on the Run (And It Has Nothing to Do with Running)
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Read postPlan IRONMAN Tours Métropole - Loire Valley with Keiro
Get a complete pacing strategy for every discipline — built from this course, forecast weather, and your fitness.
Independent analysis. KeiroLabs is not the event organizer and is not affiliated with the race organizer.