History of Super Randonnées


Birth (2008)

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.

The year 2008 is marked by a succession of personal challenges and all kinds of event participations, always in the mountains. In May 2008, she completes without any assistance the Bicinglette (six times Mont Ventoux in 24 hours), a permanent offered by Christian Pic, President of Club des Cinglés du Ventoux, and she takes part in the Luchon – Bayonne randonnée (one of the so-called Brevets Cyclo-montagnards, alpine brevets organized by the French Federation of Cyclotourism) of 327 kilometers and 5,257 meters of climbing.

At the end of June 2008, she participates in the Fausto Coppi Super Randonnèe, organized by Ivano Vinai and the association Fausto Coppi on the road. The randonnée starts from Cuneo in the Italian Piedmont. It is 510 km long, with more than 11,300 meters of elevation gain. The time limit is 44 hours. Sophie feels comforted by the required minimum average of around 12 km/h, like on the French alpine brevets. There are five intermediate controls (riders have their card stamped), one refueling stop, and two dormitories with catering. Some riders are self-supported, others rely on a support vehicle which is permitted at 13 points along the route, including the top of the passes. Sophie is enthusiastic about this experience. The Italian Super Randonnée reminds her of the French alpine brevets, but with a longer distance. At that time, no such long alpine brevets were offered on a fixed date in France.

On the other hand, ultra-cycling is developing in France with the Raid Provence Extrême (RPE) and the Raid Extrême Vosgien (REV). Organized by Jean-Claude Arens, the REV 2008 covers 530 km with 12,500 m of elevation gain. It’s a race with a podium finish. Drafting is forbidden and with a required minimum average of 17.5 km/h, the athletic level is very high. The logic of ultra-cycling is to optimize performance (the rider is constantly followed by a car). However, on the REV, unassisted cyclists are allowed to participate in their own category and the organization provides food and drink along the route. Sophie entered out of curiosity, out of dare and out of love for the Vosges, but she would have preferred an event better suited to her way of practicing long distance: no competition, more generous deadlines and with an emphasis on self-reliance. Not to mention the financial aspect: participation in ultra-cycling events, in France or abroad, is very expensive (with the REV being the most affordable) and incomparable with the fees common among bicycle tourists.

In July 2008, Sophie makes one of her dreams come true. Welcomed by her new American friends, she takes part in the Rocky Mountain 1200 in Canada. At the finish in Kamloops, Sophie meets Bob and Suzanne Lepertel. They are visiting their friends from the British Columbia Randonneurs. She only knows them by reputation. Bob and Suzanne were the organizers of seven Paris-Brest-Paris (1971, 1975, 1979, 1983, 1987, 1995 and 1999). Robert “Bob” Lepertel chaired the Audax Club Parisien from 1972 to 1983. He is at the origin of the association Les Randonneurs Mondiaux, created in 1983. Bob and Suzanne travel a lot and keep friendships with their international correspondents. Delighted to see a French woman taking part in a RM 1200 event, they invite her to the next Audax Club Parisien General Meeting which is held at the end of the year.

Back in Provence, enriched by those varied experiences, and with strong legs, Sophie tackles a new challenge: the Super Randonnée Jean Giono. It’s a personal challenge which she imagined on her own. The sources of inspiration are diverse. Distance and time limit are those of a regular brevet: 600 km in 40 hours. The route is inspired by the route of the ultracycling event Raid Provence Extrême (complete tour of the Gorges du Verdon, Montagne de Lure and Mont Ventoux), to which she adds a few passes to obtain the symbolic figure of 10,000 meters of elevation gain (measured on OpenRunner, the online route planner that she used at the time). Sophie named her challenge Super Randonnée, in homage to the Super Randonnèe Fausto Coppi, the longest alpine brevet she ever took part in, and Jean Giono, the poet of Haute Provence.

After several unsuccessful attempts, Sophie completes her Super Randonnée in 38h30, on October 1, 2008. Enthusiastic, she writes about it on her blog, providing her readers with the road map, the cue sheet, the profile and other information. But problems arise.

First, the writer’s heiress, Sylvie Durbet-Giono, through the Association des Amis de Jean Giono, accepts the use of the name of Jean Giono, but not in connection with the name Randonnée on the grounds that literary events are already organized under this name. For Sophie, there is no question of abandoning the name of randonnée which unites in her eyes bicycle tourism, long distance, pushing the limits, self-reliance, freedom and camaraderie; a name which is linked to the tradition of Paris-Brest-Paris Randonneur and which is used throughout the world by the federations which organize qualifying brevets. The Super Randonnée Jean Giono becomes Super Randonnée de Haute Provence.

Then, having encouraged other riders to give her Super Randonnée a try, Sophie plans to use her blog to post a list of entries, rules, and future results. But she isn’t well versed in organizing and doesn’t dare to take this step on her own. Christian Pic gives her technical explanations and advises to approach a sports association or to create one. The club of Carcès where Sophie is licensed is not interested in long distance.

However, in December 2008, at the invitation of Bob and Suzanne Lepertel Sophie attends the General Meeting of the Audax Club Parisien. Since she discovered the Randonneurs Mondiaux, her admiration for this hundred-year-old club just kept growing. She presents her Super Randonnée project. The idea is favorably received, and Jean-Gualbert Faburel, Vice-President and responsible for Brevets de Randonneurs Mondiaux in the world, ensures her of his support. Sophie becomes a member of the Audax Club Parisien. The Audax Club Parisien decides to take charge of the organisation of the Super Randonnée and entrusts responsibility to Sophie.

The birth of the Super Randonnée de Haute Provence is announced during the traditional Audax Club Parisien awards ceremony in early January 2009.