Super Randonnées are 600 km (373 mi) mountainous Permanents with an elevation gain of over 10,000 m (32,800 ft). The origin of the Super Randonnées is tied to the personal story of Sophie Matter. In 2008, she lives in Provence as an independent rider with a bicycle touring license from the local club of Carcès (Var). Since her third Paris-Brest-Paris Randonneur in 2007, she is ready to take up new and ever harder challenges. Having sympathized with a group of Americans from Seattle on the same PBP, she understands how widely randonneuring has spread abroad and now dreams of riding 1200s around the world. She is so passionate about long distance cycling that she is working on a world repertoire of long distance cycling while also posting her reviews on her blog Rando Spirit. Riders can choose to ride a Super Randonnée as a Tourist or as a Randonneur. There is a 60-hour time limit for Randoneros.
It is necessary for tourists to finish the route at a minimum average daily speed of 75 km. Super Randonnées require a lot of physical fitness. You must be fit for climbing, experienced with the frequently unpredictable conditions found in the mountains, and able to support yourself over extended distances.Traveler or Randonneur, you need to enjoy climbing and be willing to put in some effort. If you want to ride at night and take in the scenery without having to rush, go with the Tourist option. If you are looking for a time-limited challenge, go for the Randonneur option.
Super Randonnées will take you over well-known and lesser-known passes and summits, offering breathtaking views as they pass. You will be able to appreciate the splendor of the mountains at odd times of day, such as dawn or dusk. Every tourist or randonneur will have priceless memories of their ride.
Provence Randonneurs organizes, oversees, and authenticates Super Randonnées. The Audax Club Parisien created Super Randonnées in 2009. In 2022, the Audax Club Parisien relinquishes its leadership position in the Super Randonnées to Provence Randonneurs.
👉 The History of Super Randonnées
👉 List of Super Randonnées worldwide
👉 www.www.superrandonnees.org
How to ride a Super Randonnée
The spirit of the Super Randonnée is based on the freedom and maturity of the randonneur. It is a permanent event, based on the participant’s own initiative. Each participant chooses the day and time of their departure, their approach, their schedule, whether they spend the night in a hotel, in a sleeping bag or not at all. There are no rules regarding the organization of the Super Randonnée, except to respect the time frame corresponding to his category (Tourist or Randonneur) and to do without the support of a vehicle. He himself is responsible for carrying out the controls. In short, he has to take care of everything himself.
General
Super Randonnées are permanent events organized, controlled and homologated by the Audax Club Parisien. They cover a distance of around 600 kilometers with a total ascent of at least 10,000 meters through the magnificent landscapes of various mountain regions.
Super Randonnées can be completed in two categories:
👉 the touring option: an average of at least 80 kilometers per day.
👉 the randonneur option: the super randonnée must be completed within 60 hours.
A Super Randonnée can be completed at any time during the year. Notwithstanding this, given the mountainous nature of the route, the participant must ensure that the roads are passable at the time of his attempt.
The Participants
Identification of the participant
When registering, each participant will receive a route map with their name on it and a frame sign. The route map serves as proof of control on the route and is carried by the randonneur during the entire tour.
Origin of the participants
The Super Randonnées are open to all cyclists, regardless of whether they are licensed by a sports federation or not. This also applies to nationals of other nations. Each participant must be covered by liability insurance, either through their federation or through private liability insurance. The randonnée can be ridden alone or in a group, on vehicles powered solely by muscle power.
Participation of minors
The randonneur category is restricted to cyclists who are at least 18 years old. Minors are required to enclose an authorization from their parents releasing the Audax Club Parisien from any liability.
Obligations of the Participants
The Super Randonnée is of a purely touristic nature, the participants are on a personal ride. Liability claims cannot be made against the organizers under any circumstances. All participants are strongly advised to take out insurance and to comply with police regulations and road traffic regulations.
Participants are obliged to follow the route specified by the Audax Club Parisien. This course is 600 kilometers. It is detailed on the route map given to the participant, including the various checkpoints (maximum 18) indicated on the route map.
For participants in the Randonneur category, the official starting point is binding. Participants in the Touring category are free to choose their starting point.
Each randonneur must take care of everything necessary to complete the Super Randonnée. Support vehicles are prohibited on the route, even at certain points – this also applies to the checkpoints.
For night driving, vehicles must be equipped with a permanently functioning, permanently attached front and rear light of sufficient luminosity. Reflective clothing must be worn, even when driving during the day in poor visibility conditions. Any infringement of these measures will result in non-homologation of the Super Randonnée.
You are also strongly advised to carry additional lighting at the front and rear.
It is also advisable to carry a rescue blanket and a cell phone, and to wear a helmet and light-colored clothing.
Registration
The participant must send an application to the responsible persons at least 30 days before the planned start date, together with the entry fee and the amount for the medal, if one is desired. The participant can also apply for a medal at a later date. The route maps remain valid for three years from the year of registration. A registration can be canceled by returning the route card. Only the amount for the medal will be refunded.In the randonneur category, the participant must inform the organizer of the planned start time when registering. If the participant wishes to change this at a later date, the organizer must be informed at least one week before the start.
In the tourism category, participants are not obliged to specify the start time. However, if they choose a starting point other than the one specified in the Randonneur category, they must inform the organizer at the time of registration.
Controls and Homoglations
Each participant, whether in the Touristic or Randonneur category, must enter the date and exact time of departure and arrival on their route map, as well as at each checkpoint (day, hour, minute) and complete the required information (surname, first name, address, etc.).
Each participant must also prove that they have reached a checkpoint by taking a photograph of their bike in front of a sign relating to the checkpoint. For each Super Randonnée, the organizer will provide precise information on the type and location of such signs. This information can also be requested by post. In certain cases, the photograph may optionally be replaced by a stamp indicating the name of the control point.A missing photo (or one that has not been replaced by a stamp), a failure to indicate the time of arrival at a checkpoint or the loss of the route map (regardless of the distance already covered) will result in non-homologation of the randonnée. Each participant must provide their own proof. One photo per participant is required. Secret checks may be carried out at the start or on the route.
If a participant who has entered in the Randonneur category has completed the entire route and complied with all controls, but exceeds the time limit, they can be homologated in the Touring category.
Upon successful completion of the homologation, each participant must return the route map, duly completed, and the photo files to the organizer. His route card will be returned to him and his name will be published on the chronology of finishers in his category. This list is available on the Audax Club Parisien website. The Super Randonnée is not a competition, so there are no ranking lists.
Once the randonnée has been successfully completed, homologation and the medal will be sent out the following month.
Additional information
As with all other forms of organization of the Audax Club Parisien, the Super Randonnée cannot be combined with other forms of organization. A Super Randonnée cannot be held at the same time on the same route as a BRM 600 km. As permanent events, the Super Randonnées must be offered by the organizer throughout the year (provided the routes are open to traffic). If the organizer wishes to offer a special date for the Super Randonnée, he is free to do so as long as the regulations are observed. In particular, they may not offer motorized support, even selectively. He is not permitted to relieve the participants of the controls. He must offer both options, Touring and Randonneur, and may not give the participants any time slots.
By participating in the Super Randonnée, randonneurs agree to the publication of their names in the results lists published by the organizers. Under no circumstances will their identity be used for commercial purposes or passed on to third parties for this purpose.
Registration and participation in a Super Randonnée implies unconditional acceptance of these regulations. Any fraud or attempted fraud will result in the exclusion of the participant from all forms of organization of the Audax Club Parisien.
Complaints or objections, for whatever reason, must be submitted in writing to the management of the ACP. The latter shall settle the case submitted to it without admitting any appeal, as well as cases of doubt that may arise from matters not mentioned in these regulations.
List of Super Randonnées
