Seeing a few pics from Gerardmer it looks like this popular French Half ought to be added to bucket lists too.
http://www.slowtwitch.com/News/The_Weekend_Box_Sep_8_2013_3879.html
Herbert
It is widley known in Europe that Gerardmer Triathlon (Course XL) is one of the most beautifull and challenging 70.3 distance races, so defenitly should be on the list. There’s 3 lops of 31,5km with each aprox 630m (1900ft) of climbing (total of 1900hm - approx. 5600ft). The run is easier, but still has a few challenging climbs/descends in them (short and steep), they are hardly visible on the course-layout but they surely are there !!! It actually is a full weekend of Triathlon events (kid events, shorter disctances etc).
http://triathlonvalleedeslacs.com/wordpress2/ang/parcours-triathlon-xl/
The XTERRA oriented athletes need not to dispair, the France XTERRA championship is held at the same location, and that one is on my to-do list 
GReetz,
S.
Probably the best 70.3 I’ve done. Awesome organization, great course, crazy atmosphere. And yes, it’s not flat:
I have 7400ft of climbing for the bike leg:
http://www.strava.com/activities/20626633
And 1100ft on the run:
http://www.strava.com/activities/20626635