Bike racing fan or not, once July hits, there’s a different energy in the air. It’s time for the Tour. But whilst the Tour de France may be the oldest Grand Tour, there’s another French event that predates it, and some might say it’s even tougher.
Paris-Brest-Paris is a 1200-kilometre ride that ping-pongs riders between the two locations in under 90 hours. And that time includes everything: riding, sleeping, eating. Once the clock starts, it doesn’t stop until the rider returns or the time is up. Whichever comes first.
The first Paris-Brest-Paris (PBP) was a competitive event, held in 1891 and imagined by Pierre Giffard, an editor at Le Petit Journal. He wanted to create an event that celebrated the resilience of cyclists and showcased what a bicycle could do. The winner, Charles Terront, completed the route in 71 hours 22 minutes, riding without sleep.
Riders line up at the start of the 2023 Paris-Brest-Paris
(Image credit: Lisa Charlebois)
The event continued as a competitive race until 1951. Nowadays, PBP is an amateur event that takes place every four years, but riding it is certainly not as simple as just strolling up to the start line. I would know, having completed my first PBP in 2023.
Since then I’ve taken on multiple long-distance routes of this nature, including the 1200km Midnight Sun Randonnée (riding through the Arctic Circle), the Humboldt Coast 1200km (along the shores of Oregon and California) and the Gamblers 1000k (Reno to Las Vegas, through Death Valley) to name a few. Next up for me is the UK’s infamous LEJOG (Land’s End to John O’Groats), in August. Needless to say, I’ve fallen in love with this sport.
WELCOME TO RANDONNEURING
Randonneuring — or Audax in the UK, India and Brazil — is the sport of endurance cycling, not ultra racing. It’s a subtle but distinct difference. Think of courses with time limits, not winners. The spirit of randonneuring is really in the name: from the French word “randonnée”; the sport is about exploring, adventure and seeing what you’re capable of, not fighting for the podium.
Like most sports, randonneuring also has its own language. Here’s a quick start guide to get you up to speed:
- Brevet: The name of each event. There are standard distances and each brevet has a maximum allowable time limit: 200km (13.5 hrs), 300km (20 hrs), 400km (27 hrs), 600km (40 hrs), and 1000km+ (75 hrs).
- Randonneur/Randonneuse: A rider who participates in randonneuring. Randonneur is masculine, randonneuse is feminine, though “randonneur” is often used as the general term.
- Control (or Contrôle): A checkpoint along the route where riders must get proof of passage. Sometimes a stamp on a brevet card, a receipt from a local shop, answering a question about the location’s landscape or simply passing through with your bike computer.
- Brevet Card: A paper card (sometimes digital) stamped at each control to show proof of passage.
- ACP (Audax Club Parisien): The most notable randonneuring club in the world as this is the “local” club that hosts Paris-Brest-Paris. Plus, they oversee randonneuring internationally, including setting the rules for brevets worldwide.
- Super Randonneur (SR): Completing a full series of brevets, 200km, 300km, 400km, and 600km, all within a single season (a calendar year). This is the qualification required for PBP.
THE ROAD TO PARIS-BREST-PARIS
Lisa (right) completed Paris-Brest-Paris in 2023
(Image credit: Lisa Charlebois)
The next edition of Paris-Brest-Paris is coming up in August, 2027. If you’d like to be one of the thousands of riders toeing the line in the official start town of Rambouillet, there’s some real work you need to accomplish in 2026.
Step one: ride your first brevet in 2026. It can be any length, from 200km up to 1000km or longer — but there’s a strategy to consider. PBP pre-registration opens first to those who’ve completed a 1000km brevet (or longer), then 600km, then 400km, 300km, and 200km.
According to the ACP website, the number of participants will be capped at 8,000, but keep in mind 2,500 of those spots are reserved for French riders until March 31, 2027 (it is the Parisienne club after all). After this date, any remaining spots will be open for anyone to pre-register.
If you miss your 2026 brevet, there’s still a way to pre-register without a brevet — it just depends if there are any spots left.
For context, in the 2023 edition, there were over 6,400 riders from 66 different countries. So if you’re worried about securing your spot, the smart move is to complete the longest brevet you can manage this year.
COMPLETE YOUR SUPER RANDONNEUR SERIES IN 2027
Your 2026 brevet only earns you a place in the registration queue — it doesn’t qualify you to actually start. Step two happens the following year: before the deadline of June 30, 2027, you’ll need to complete a full Super Randonneur Series of 200km, 300km, 400km, and 600km, to confirm your place on the start line on Sunday, August 27, 2027.
Each of these brevets must be completed with a randonneur club (you can’t simply ride your own route and submit it). Plus, routes must be ACP approved, which means the brevet has been verified by the club in Paris and will act as a qualifier towards your Super Randonneur Series.
FINDING A RANDONNEUR CLUB
Randonneurs, or Audax in the UK, clubs are a friendly affair
(Image credit: Lisa Charlebois)
To find a club visit RandonneursMondiaux.org, or if you’re in the US, you can visit RUSA.org. UK cyclists can go straight to audax.uk.
Costs are very reasonable, sometimes less than the price of lunch, for a year’s worth of riding. But this is not a glitzy Gran Fondo. Riders take part self-supported; there are no SAG (support) wagons or follow cars, and no elaborate feed zones. You’re in charge of your ride, and to be honest, this is really part of the appeal. Just you, your fellow randonneurs, and the road.
Keep in mind, you’re not just joining a club. You’re joining a community. Brevets and all of the club activities are possible thanks to the dedicated volunteers. Giving back to the organization is how these rides happen. Which means, even if you’re not riding, you can still participate by volunteering. Oftentimes, that’s just as fun.
IS IT WORTH ALL THE HASSLE?
Having completed a series of long distance challenges, Lisa has fallen in love with the sport
(Image credit: Rob Hawks)
That’s really a question for you to decide. But I’d give a resounding ‘yes’.
When was the last time you rode a piece of history? Being able to pedal through picturesque villages, and participate in a ride with thousands of people, from cities and towns all around the world, not to mention the fact that this ride is unlike anything else.
With such deep roots, there are generations of people who have been coming to the roadside to support: grandmas cheering at 2am, townsfolk handing out food and encouragement. It’s a special experience with a unique spirit of camaraderie and connection.
WANT TO RANDO?
You still have time to do your pre-qualification ride. Find a club near you and sign up for your first brevet. And even if PBP isn’t in the cards for this upcoming edition, it’s still worth giving randonneuring a try. It’s a challenge without the anxiety of pinning on a race number.
After all, racing doesn’t have to be the only love letter to cycling. Sometimes the longest letters are the ones that say the most.
