——— Masterclass N°07 — Côte d'Azur • 15 – 17 May 2026
It's Time
To explore.
Discipline
Trail Running — Masterclass
Location
Menton & Castellar — France
Led by
Alberto Ghisellini — Semi-pro trail runner
01 — The Experience
A sensational
retreat
on the Côte d'Azur.
The Premise
Three days between sea and summit. A semi‑private masterclass built around technical trail running, deliberate recovery, and the quiet hospitality of Maison Carei.
From the limestone ridgelines above Castellar to the citrus terraces of Menton, you’ll cover two signature routes with Alberto Ghisellini — reading the line, pacing the climb, landing the descent. Between sessions: stretching, elite sport brunches, and unhurried dinners. Whether you are new to trail or chasing a personal record, this retreat is calibrated to meet you where you are, and move you somewhere new.
What's Included
- Two guided trail runs (13 & 20 km)
- Stretching & mobility sessions
- Technical briefings
- Garmin mastering workshop
- Elite sport brunches
- Welcoming & tasteful dinners
- Stay at Maison Carei
- Orientation & assessment
01 — The Experience
Three days,
deliberately paced.
The Premise
15 May
Friday
(03 Sessions)
Friday
(03 Sessions)
16 May
Saturday
(06 Sessions)
Saturday
(06 Sessions)
17 May
Sunday
(04 Sessions)
Sunday
(04 Sessions)
15 May
Friday
(03 Sessions)
Friday
(03 Sessions)
Arrival & orientation.
16:00 — 18:00
Arrivals & check-in
Maison Carei welcomes you with a glass of something cold.
Soft start
18:30 — 19:30
Orientation & assessment
Alberto meets the group. Pace, goals, line-reading primer.
Briefing
20:00 — late
Welcoming dinner
A long table, local produce, and the weekend ahead.
Table
16 May
Saturday
(06 Sessions)
Saturday
(06 Sessions)
Into the mountain.
08:00
Breakfast
Fuel. Coffee. Slow conversation.
Table
09:00 — 12:30
Trail running — 20 km
Castellar ridge loop. Technical ascent, runnable descent.
Session
13:00 — 13:45
Stretching session
Guided mobility and recovery.
Recovery
14:00 — 15:30
Elite sport brunch
A proper brunch, built for the afternoon that follows.
Table
16:30 — 18:00
Mastering with Garmin
Metrics that matter. Heart rate, vertical, cadence, pacing.
Workshop
20:00 — late
Tasteful dinner
Riviera cuisine, shared over the day’s notes.
Table
17 May
Sunday
(04 Sessions)
Sunday
(04 Sessions)
The send-off run.
08:00
Breakfast
Light, early, purposeful.
Table
09:00 — 11:30
Trail running — 13 km
Coastal descent from Castellar into Menton.
Session
11:30 — 12:00
Stretching & debrief
Personal feedback, plan for the next six weeks.
Recovery
12:30 — 14:00
Closing brunch
Goodbyes, contacts, and the quiet promise of next time.
Table
03 — Reserve
Three ways
to join.
Light
Day pass
Saturday only.
In by morning, out by night.
€
180
For those already local to the Riviera — join the full Saturday programme without the overnight stay.
- 20 km guided trail run
- Stretching session
- Elite sport brunch
- Garmin mastering workshop
Standard
Most Chosen
One night stay.
A quick mountain reset.
€
300
Arrive Saturday, leave Sunday after brunch. The core of the masterclass, compressed into a single night.
- Both trail sessions — 20 km & 13 km
- One night at Maison Carei
- Tasteful dinner & closing brunch
- Garmin workshop & debrief
Light
Complete
Saturday only.
In by morning, out by night.
€
450
Arrive Friday, leave Sunday. The full retreat — orientation, both runs, all meals, every session.
- Everything in Standard
- Two nights at Maison Carei
- Welcoming dinner & orientation
- Priority on 1:1 time with Alberto
04 — The Coach
Led by Alberto
Ghisellini.
Alberto Ghisellini
Semi-professional trail runner • Coach • 14× podium finisher
Fourteen seasons on the European skyrunning circuit. Alberto races mostly between 18 and 50 km, where the sport lives — technical, sustained, unforgiving. His coaching is quiet and precise: read the line, land the foot, hold the rhythm.
Palmarès — Selected wins
14 podiums · 2012 – 2021
-
2021 - Trail delle Streghe 30 km
-
2018 - Garbagna Trail 42 km
-
2017 - Il Golfo dei Poeti 43 km
-
2015 - Trail del Gorrei 46 km
-
2014 - Trail Aschero 33 km
-
2013 - Avatrail 48 km
-
2013 - Valmaremola Trail 21 km
-
2021 - Trail Quattro Chiese 20 km
-
2018 - Trail del Marchesato 38 km
-
2015 - Avatrail 50 km
-
2014 - Neander Trail 50 km
-
2014 - Mare Montana 23 km
-
2013 - Trail Aschero 31 km
-
2012 - Trail Aschero 18 km
05 — Home Base
Maison Carei.
Semi-professional trail runner • Coach • 14× podium finisher
Alberto Ghisellini
A small guest house tucked into the Carei valley, ten minutes from the sea and ten minutes from the trailhead. Rooms are quiet and unfussy; the table is generous; the terrace looks straight at the mountain you’ll be running tomorrow.
Guests, max
0
min
To trailhead
0
°
N · Menton
06 — Good to Know
Before you arrive.
No. The group is intentionally small so Alberto can calibrate pace and line choice to each runner. We ask that you’re comfortable running continuously for 60 minutes on varied terrain. Beginners and experienced trail runners routinely join the same retreat.
Trail shoes (we recommend a 4–6 mm drop, aggressive lugs), a hydration vest, two technical tops, running shorts or tights, a light wind shell, and sunglasses. A Garmin or similar watch is welcome but not required — we can lend devices for the mastering workshop. A full kit list is sent on confirmation.
Nice Côte d’Azur airport (NCE) is 40 minutes by car or 80 minutes by train. From Monaco, it’s a 25-minute drive. We can arrange a shared shuttle from Nice for Standard and Full guests — details on confirmation.
Full refund up to 30 days before the retreat. 50% refund between 30 and 14 days. Non-refundable within 14 days, though we will always try to transfer your place to a future retreat.
Yes — twelve runners maximum, per retreat. It’s the number that lets us stay nimble on the trail and intimate around the table.
