Paris-Brest-Paris Randonneur

Paris-Brest-Paris Randonneur is a 1,220 km randonnée from the Château de Rambouillet to Brest and back, and the 2027 edition runs from Sunday 22 to Thursday 26 August 2027. Riders start and finish in the castle park at Rambouillet, about 50 km south-west of Paris, and must complete the ride within 90 hours (80 or 84 hours for certain start waves). It is organised by the Audax Club Parisien with the Fédération Française de Cyclotourisme (FFVélo) and the town of Rambouillet as partners.

It is a non-competitive, self-supported ride rather than a race: results are published without a ranking, and the goal is simply to arrive back in Rambouillet within your time limit. The organiser says it takes place every four years.

Routes and distances

There is a single route for all riders, 1,220 km long with about 11,000 m of climbing in total, per the organiser. It has 16 stages and as many controls, not counting secret controls.

The route heads west from Rambouillet through Fougères, where it enters Brittany, then Tinténiac, Pontivy and Pleyben to Brest at 590 km. The return goes through Callac and Loudéac to Tinténiac, then Roz-sur-Couesnon / Pleine-Fougères near Mont-Saint-Michel, and back through Fougères, Villaines-la-Juhel, Mortagne-au-Perche and Chartres to Rambouillet.

The organiser says the route has been largely renewed for 2027. The first leg, Rambouillet to Mortagne-au-Perche, is 119 km with 1,150 m of climbing, the only stage elevation figure published so far. Five controls are new for 2027, though the route page does not name them, and named climbs and the detailed route have not yet been published. The route will be marked by arrows of different colours, one for each direction.

Waves start in staggered 15-minute slots from the afternoon of Sunday 22 August to the morning of Monday 23 August. The earliest Sunday solo waves have an 80-hour limit, the other Sunday waves (including tandems, special machines and the optional women-only wave) have 90 hours, and the Monday waves have 84 hours. Most controls offer meals and accommodation for a fee, though not all. Riders must be in Rambouillet the day before departure to register and collect their equipment, and must be present at least one hour before their start. Assistance by vehicle is allowed only in the control cities and must be declared at registration. The organiser says GPX tracks will be provided; the links are marked “coming soon”.

Registration

Capacity is 8,000, with 2,500 places reserved for French riders until 31 March 2027. Riders must validate the qualifying brevets in 2027: BRM 200, 300, 400 and 600 km (longer distances can replace shorter ones), with time limits of 13h30, 20h, 27h and 40h respectively. At least three of the four must be validated on the day you register, and the fourth before 4 July.

Optional pre-registration costs €50 (non-refundable, deducted from the entry fee) and lets riders choose their start wave. Its opening date depends on your longest 2026 BRM, from 16 January 2027 (1,000 km or longer) to 27 March 2027 (no BRM in 2026). Final registration runs from 29 May to 4 July 2027. The organiser says the entry fee will be set in 2026; it includes the €50 pre-registration and excludes catering, accommodation at controls and repatriation costs.

Full details are on the official website.

Why ride it

The organiser calls it the world’s oldest and most popular long-distance cycling event, with a first edition in 1891. It is a ride rather than a race: it has been non-competitive since 1931, and results are published without a ranking. The 2027 route has been largely renewed, with a control at Roz-sur-Couesnon / Pleine-Fougères near Mont-Saint-Michel.

Where to stay

None of our certified hotels is currently within reach of the start, so we cannot recommend one for this ride. Riders must be in Rambouillet the day before departure to check in and collect their equipment, so plan to arrive the day before at the latest. Most controls offer meals and accommodation for a fee, but not all. You can browse more cycling-friendly accommodation on Cycling Friendly.