- Eight rounds from 3 April to 22 August 2027, one more than in 2026
- Merléac moves from season finale to season opener, Marlhes closes the year
- Sancey joins the national series for the first time, and Rogliano on Corsica is set to return after more than ten years
The series is officially called the Championnat de France de la Montagne and is run under the umbrella of the French motorcycle sport federation FFM. Road Racing News has published the provisional calendar for 2027. The season moves forward significantly: it starts almost two months earlier than in 2026 and is already over in August. Racing continues to take place on public roads that are closed for the events.
When do the hill climbs of the 2027 French Hill Climb Championship take place?
The eight rounds are spread over the period from 3 April to 22 August 2027. All dates are provisional for now.
The season opens in two regions that are far apart:
- 3 and 4 April: Merléac in the Côtes-d’Armor department in Brittany
- 24 and 25 April: Rogliano in the Haute-Corse department on Corsica
After a break of around seven weeks, two rounds follow in the Doubs:
- 12 and 13 June: Marchaux
- 26 and 27 June: Sancey
Four more races are scheduled in high summer:
- 10 and 11 July: Panissières (Loire)
- 24 and 25 July: Le Petit-Abergement (Ain)
- 7 and 8 August: Frangy (Haute-Savoie)
- 21 and 22 August: Marlhes (Loire)
From June onwards, there are exactly two weeks between each race.
What changes in the calendar compared to 2026?
The 2026 season ran from late May to late September and had seven rounds. In 2027 there are eight, and the final race takes place a month earlier.
The most striking change concerns Merléac. The Breton town hosted a final of the national championship for the first time in September 2026, when the event was held there for the seventh time. In 2027, Merléac opens the season. Chanaz in Savoie, which hosted the first round in 2026, does not appear in the provisional calendar. At the end of the season, Frangy and Marlhes have swapped places, so Marlhes now has the final say.
Sancey: The hill climb is back after 30 years
The last race in Sancey in the Doubs had been held in 1996. In the 1990s, a motorcycle club from Colombier-Villars organised the event, which at the time also attracted many riders from other European countries. Around ten years before the comeback, a first attempt to revive it failed shortly before the finish line. At the end of 2025, the Sancey Racing Team was founded, which finally brought the race back in June 2026.
The course on the D31 towards Laviron is 2.2 kilometres long, as it was in the past. The finish is beyond the Virage des Roches above the village, and the club protects the tight bends with airbags. At its 2026 comeback, the race still counted towards the Bourgogne-Franche-Comté regional championship and the Swiss championship. In 2027, Sancey is part of the French series for the first time.
Rogliano: A return to Corsica is planned
Rogliano lies at the very tip of Cap Corse. A return of the race there is planned but not yet certain. The first and so far only edition on the calendar took place in September 2014 on the road between Macinaggio and Rogliano. Back then, 90 riders took part, and the race was organised by the Moto Club Ile de Beauté and the Motostrada association.
How does a motorcycle hill climb work?
In a hill climb, each participant rides alone against the clock up a closed road. The FFM regulations require a gap of at least 20 seconds between two starts.
The runs are short. In Sancey the course is 2.2 kilometres, and at the 2026 final in Merléac the fastest rider needed less than 58 seconds to reach the finish. On longer courses, superbikes can be on the road for up to two minutes. Before the timed runs, the riders slowly cover the course in a convoy and complete a few practice runs. A crash or an off ends the respective timed run, and there is no second attempt. Whether the best time, the total or the average of several runs counts in the end is decided by the organiser.
In addition to Superbike and Supersport, the series also awards titles in smaller classes such as 300 cc and 25 Power, in the Open class and for sidecars and quads.
Who won the 2026 French Hill Climb Championship?
Joffray Lelièvre won both major classes in 2026, Superbike and Supersport. According to the final standings from Road Racing News, he finished with 537 and 534 points.
The gaps show how clearly he was ahead: in the Superbike class his lead over Hugo Grange-Martin was 99 points, and in the Supersport class he finished 167 points ahead of Vincent Pfister. Lelièvre therefore goes into the new season as defending champion in both classes. As with the IRRC, the international road racing series, the schedule for 2027 for the French hill climbs is already fixed in autumn.
Do well-known racers also compete in French hill climbs?
Yes, the entry list also includes names familiar from the race track. Lucas Mahias, 2017 Supersport world champion, rode his first hill climb in France at Marlhes in 2026.
Other riders from the series regularly compete in road races abroad. Steven Bellavoine, for example, who previously raced in the Superbike class of the IRRC, finished the 2026 hill climb championship in fifth place in both the Superbike and Supersport classes.
Frequently Asked Questions
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When does the 2027 French Hill Climb Championship start?
The first round takes place on 3 and 4 April 2027 in Merléac in Brittany. Rogliano on Corsica follows three weeks later.
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How many races does the 2027 French Hill Climb Championship have?
The provisional calendar includes eight rounds, one more than in 2026. The final race is scheduled for 21 and 22 August in Marlhes.
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Is Chanaz part of the 2027 French Hill Climb Championship?
No, Chanaz is not on the provisional 2027 calendar. In 2026, Chanaz in Savoie was still the venue of the first round.
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Who is the 2026 French hill climb champion?
Joffray Lelièvre won the titles in both the Superbike and Supersport classes in 2026. In both classes he finished well ahead of his pursuers.
