Join our volunteers!

From Thursday to Saturday, the Place du Mont-Blanc is the venue for the information point, race number distribution and the Marathon Trail Camp. Located at the information stand at the entrance to the Trail Camp, you will provide runners, their companions and the general public with information on the event program and other logistical information. You will always be supported by a member of the Mont Blanc Marathon organization. This job requires a good knowledge of the event and the Chamonix valley, and the ability to converse in French and English (any other foreign language is a plus!).

As the focal point of the organization, the Club des Sports de Chamonix becomes the Race HQ for the Mont-Blanc Marathon throughout the event. Located at the Club's reception desk, you will welcome and inform visitors (volunteers, photographers, partners, medical teams, ....). You will also be responsible for providing them with their kit (t-shirts and caps), their packed lunches, and the equipment they need to carry out their mission (radios, first-aid kits, chasubles, etc.). A Mont Blanc Marathon official is always on hand at Race HQ to support you. For this mission, you need to know the event and the Chamonix valley well, be able to converse in French and English, and be at ease with simple computer tools.

A few days before the event, you'll help prepare and classify the bibs that will then be distributed to the runners during the week of competition. This mission takes place at the Chamonix cross-country ski center (Maison Nordique).

During the event, you'll take part in the distribution of race numbers to runners: you'll welcome them, check their identity and their compulsory equipment, fit the timing chip on their bag if they have one, and give them the runner's T-shirt or weight-loss bag if applicable. To do this, you use the "Njuko on site" application, which you'll need to download onto your smartphone and which we'll train you on beforehand. A manager is always on hand to support you. This mission takes place in the EMC2 room in Chamonix and requires you to be comfortable using a smartphone. Fluency in English or any other foreign language is a plus, but not essential!

Located on the Place du Mont-Blanc, at the heart of the Trail Camp, the test refreshment stand allows runners to taste the drinks and products that will be distributed at the race refreshment stands. You'll provide information to runners and help set up, stock and tidy the stand. This job requires you to be able to stand outdoors for several hours at a time, and to have a simple conversation in French and English.

Several refreshment points are available on the course, at various points along the route and at the finish of each race. Some refreshment points are open during the day, while others are open during the evening and night, or even all weekend long! Depending on your time slot, you'll help set up the refreshment area, distribute drinks and food, and clean up and tidy up after the runners. This mission can take place at the bottom of a valley or at altitude, and requires you to be able to stand outdoors for several hours at a time.

Working in pairs with another volunteer, you will mark out a portion or all of the route that the runners will have to follow, using various marking tools. You will be provided with the marking equipment and all information relating to the route by the station manager before the mission. For this mission, you need to know the Chamonix valley trails well, and be in good physical condition (able to hike for several kilometers, with positive/negative gradients, carrying the marking equipment).

Working in pairs with another volunteer, you'll be responsible for clearing a portion or all of the route followed by the runners. For this mission, you need to know the Chamonix valley trails well, and be in good physical condition (able to hike for several kilometers, with positive/negative gradients, carrying the marker material recovered).

Working in pairs with another volunteer, your role is to open up a portion or all of a trail: a few hours before the runners are due to pass through, you'll retrace the route on foot to check that the markings are correct (e.g., to reinforce markings deemed insufficient or to compensate for unauthorized markings) and that the trails are still passable (e.g., no fallen trees or closed trails). For this job, you need to be familiar with Chamonix valley trails, and be in good physical condition (able to hike for several kilometers, with positive/negative gradients, carrying marker equipment). Depending on the position, this mission may take place very early in the morning and involve sleeping in a high-altitude refuge.

As a mountain bike opener, your role is to guide the riders at the start of the race, over the first few kilometers of the course, to make sure they get out of the urban areas safely and onto the right trails. To do this, you'll need to be a regular mountain biker, and very familiar with the race courses and trails in the Chamonix valley. You ride a few metres ahead of the first runners, so as to remain visible without getting in their way. We can lend you an electric mountain bike and safety equipment if you don't have your own.

Working in pairs with another volunteer, you wait for the time barrier to be applied at one of the checkpoints along the route (usually a refreshment station), to act as a queue-builder behind the last runners and ensure that they arrive safely at the next checkpoint. You report to the start and finish of your section, and inform Race HQ or Emergency HQ of any difficulties. In fact, the role of closer is a strategic one: as long as the closers haven't passed through, it means that there are still runners in the race, so all the refuelling and safety systems remain active. This mission requires you to be in good physical condition, to know the valley's trails well and to be able to walk for several hours in the mountains with positive/negative gradients. What's more, some climbs may take place at night or in the early hours of the morning, requiring you to sleep in a high-altitude refuge.

At points on the course where runners are likely to get lost despite the signposting, you act as a signposter to point them in the right direction. In addition, you are in contact with Race HQ to provide them with strategic information (time of passage of the 1st man and woman, time of passage of the closers, etc.). For this mission, you need to know the Chamonix valley trails well, and be able to stand outdoors for a few hours. Some posts are only accessible via a short hike.

You'll be stationed on the outskirts of a road to guide runners in the right direction, ensure their safe passage (crossing the road or on the sidewalk) and help manage traffic. You may also be called upon to back up the police or gendarmes. This involves standing outside for several hours at a time. You can work alone or in pairs, depending on the location of the post.

Quelques semaines avant l'événement, un ou plusieurs ateliers sont organisés pour reconfectionner les balises qui ont été perdues lors de l'édition précédente et qui seront nécessaires à la prochaine édition (balises végétales, piquets...). Juste après l'événement, un atelier est également organisé pour trier et reconditionner les balises qui ont été ramenées par les débaliseurs après les courses.

Placed at strategic points along the race route, you are equipped with timing equipment to monitor the passage of runners. The purpose of these control points is to monitor runners' times (track their progress through the race and predict their estimated times), but also to ensure their safety (know the location of all runners in the race and be able to react in time if any runners are missing). That's why you're in close contact with Race HQ and the timing organization (LiveTrail). As some of the timing points are at altitude, you need to be familiar with the Chamonix valley trails and be in good physical condition (able to walk in the mountains, with positive/negative gradients, standing outdoors for several hours).

As a race steward, you may be positioned at the start, finish or on the race course, depending on the requirements of our organization. You'll be in charge of enforcing the rules for runners and those accompanying them: checking compulsory equipment, reporting any problematic behavior to Race HQ, applying penalties or disqualifications for breaches of the rules, etc.

In France, doping controls during athletics competitions are carried out independently and randomly by the Agence Française de Lutte contre le Dopage (French Anti-Doping Agency), which chooses whether or not to inform the event organizer in advance. In this context, our organization provides for a team of volunteer "race marshals", some of whom will become "chaperones" in the event of a doping control taking place.

Should a doping control take place, the volunteers leave their "race steward" role and go as soon as possible to the meeting place given by the AFLD representatives. Volunteers are briefed by the AFLD and then chaperone an athlete throughout the doping control (from the moment he/she crosses the finish line until the end of the test). For this mission, it is necessary to be able to hold a simple conversation in French and English, and to feel comfortable in the role of chaperone. Please note that only male adults can chaperone male athletes, and only female adults can chaperone female athletes.

If there is no doping control, the volunteers remain "race commissaires" as planned, according to the schedule drawn up in advance with the station chiefs and the organization.

Point central de l'organisation, le Club des Sports de Chamonix devient le PC Course du Marathon du Mont-Blanc durant tout l'événement. En tant que bénévole, vous assistez les responsables du PC Course dans sa bonne gestion : collecter les informations remontées par les équipes sur le terrain (par exemple noter les horaires de passages du 1er homme et de la 1ère femme), transmettre les informations pertinentes aux bons interlocuteurs (signaler un coureur blessé au PC Secours) , consigner certaines informations dans le logiciel de suivi de course (coureurs qui abandonnent ou qui sont hors-délai), assurer le suivi des coureurs et leur sécurité (surveiller les alertes émises par le logiciel si un coureur n'a pas passé un point de contrôle dans les temps estimés), etc. Vous êtes également là pour accueillir les bénévoles (secouristes, fermeurs...) afin de leur distribuer le matériel nécessaire à leur mission et leur passer quelques consignes. Vous êtes également amené(e) à donner des renseignements, distribuer quelques dotations ou paniers repas, etc. lorsque le/la bénévole de l'accueil est occupé(e). 

As a member of the logistics team, you will help to set up and dismantle the infrastructure and equipment located in Chamonix town center, at race crossing points or at race start and finish points (Planpraz, Place du Triangle de l'Amitié, Aire des Parapentes, Place du Mont-Blanc, etc.). To do this, you need to be in very good physical condition, able to carry heavy loads and stand outdoors for several hours.

As a member of the logistics team, you will contribute to the smooth running of race starts and finishes. At the start of races, you direct runners to their assigned start SAS, and ensure that accompanying persons have left the area by the time the start is given. At the finish line, you ensure smooth access to the finish line, filtering out accompanying persons and ensuring the safety of runners and spectators as they pass.

In liaison with the station managers and the volunteer manager, the "Swiss Army knife" volunteers are on call during the event, to deal with unforeseen circumstances and emergencies (replacement of an absent volunteer, logistical reinforcement, unforeseen needs, etc.). To do this, you need to live in the Chamonix valley, be easy to get around, know the valley well and be able to cover one or more on-call shifts. This mission requires flexibility and autonomy, but it also gives you the chance to discover several aspects of the event, in a variety of positions (managing a water point, helping with handling, replacing a signaller, assisting with doping control, etc.).

Located on the Place du Triangle de l'Amitié in Chamonix, you will help with the logistical set-up for the start of the Kilomètre Vertical, then assist the station manager in timing the starts (welcoming runners, checking their compulsory equipment, placing them in the right starting order, giving the starting signal, etc.) and finally you will help dismantle the infrastructure once all the runners have left.

To limit the number of cars circulating and parking in the valley, we make buses and trains available to accompanying persons, so that they can get to the fanzones and refreshment points to cheer on their runners. As a transport ambassador, you'll be located at the bus/train stops, where you'll inform accompanying persons about the timetables and transport drop-off points.

You'll be part of the Mont Blanc Marathon transport team. Depending on your experience, you'll drive a minibus or 4x4 to pick up runners who drop out during the race, transport certain members of the organization (photographers, cameramen, first-aiders, volunteers, etc.) and certain groups of accompanying persons. You'll need a driver's license for this job, as well as a thorough knowledge of the roads and trails of the Chamonix valley. Some missions can take place early in the morning or late at night.

You'll work as a volunteer in one of the parking lots set up to accommodate runners' companions (Vallorcine, Le Tour, Le Buet, Emosson...). You regulate traffic, direct drivers and ensure that cars are properly parked to maximize the number of spaces available. You are also responsible for respecting neighbors and the surrounding environment.

As a doctor, nurse, first-aider or ambulance driver, you will join the Mont-Blanc Marathon's safety and rescue team, providing assistance to injured runners. You will be required to travel in the valley and at altitude, depending on the needs of each race.

As a physiotherapist, chiropodist or masseur, you'll join the Mont-Blanc Marathon paramedical team and provide care for runners who have injured themselves or are suffering from pain. You can provide your services at the Chamonix Sports Center, or you may be required to travel up the valley or to higher altitudes, depending on the needs of each race.

As a volunteer, you will be offered a Mont-Blanc Marathon cap and T-shirt. These must be worn during your mission.

Depending on the time of day, location and type of post, several meal options are available:
- Volunteers working outdoors at lunch or dinner can collect a packed lunch from Race HQ to take with them (vegetarian or non-vegetarian sandwiches, fruit, cake).
- Volunteers handing out bib numbers at lunch or dinner can eat on site (vegetarian or non-vegetarian sandwiches, fruit, cakes).
- For certain volunteer posts located at altitude near a refuge, lunch or dinner can be taken at the refuge in question.
Please contact your post manager for more information.

For all volunteers: in line with our environmental policy, we no longer buy or supply plastic bottles: volunteers are therefore asked tobring their own water bottle, thermos flask or reusable cup.

Even if the event takes place at the end of June, don't forget that we're in the mountains! Weather conditions can change rapidly, depending on altitude and time of day. So remember to bring the right equipment for your position.

• For all volunteers: comfortable, weather-appropriate clothing; hiking boots; a backpack; an ecocup, water bottle and/or thermos flask (no more plastic cups or bottles provided by our organization); sunglasses; a charged cell phone and possibly an external battery. And, of course, the Mont Blanc Marathon T-shirt and cap, which will be given to you by the organization and must be worn during your mission!
• For positions on the race course: good walking/hiking shoes and a backpack big enough to carry your marking equipment.
• For night posts: bring warm, waterproof clothing and a headlamp.
• For huts : sleeping bag, headlamp and toiletries.
  

Specific equipment may be provided by the organization depending on your position (beaconing equipment, radio, chasuble, first-aid kit, etc.).

Unfortunately, the Mont-Blanc Marathon organization is unable to provide accommodation for volunteers.

You can ask your questions to Chambot, the little chamois at the bottom right of the website, who will be able to give you lots of answers! And if that's not enough, you can contact us via the contact form at the very bottom of the page.