The candidacy of an exceptional territory

For his part, François de Canson, vice-president of the Région Sud, also welcomed the news: 'The votes of the CIO members in favor of the Alpes françaises crown teamwork and constitute a collective success as well as a mark of trust that honors France. Sober, sustainable, responsible, inclusive, these 2030 Winter Olympic and Paralympic Games will contribute to shaping the model of tomorrow's Winter Games.'

For the president of the Comité Régional de Tourisme: 'There are days that count in the history of a region. (...) After the Coupe du Monde de Rugby, the Tour de France, the Summer Olympic Games, it is together that we learn this wonderful news: securing the 2030 Winter Games.

As vice-president of the region in charge of the economy and tourism, I welcome this collective victory for the Alpes françaises. Back to work to make these games a total success for our massifs.'

GREAT OPPORTUNITY The regional official continued: 'This is not an insignificant day, and for us, lovers of the mountains and winter sports, this July 24 augurs a special future for our massifs (...) It carries within it the fruit of the mountain of tomorrow, as we see it and live it, in the world's leading ski area, that of the Alpes françaises. It is the candidacy of an exceptional territory, to be experienced year-round, made of complementary nature activities, where skiing has its full place and our economy thanks it for that, but not the only place.

It is absurd to carry the moralizing and generalist discourse of a mountain without skiing because there is no snow (...) The candidacy of the Alpes françaises for the 2030 Olympic and Paralympic Games is a wonderful opportunity to demonstrate to the entire world our ability to organize sober, sustainable, and cost-effective Winter Games.

Our goal is to establish a new benchmark in terms of reconciling the requirements of very high-level sport, the organization of one of the largest international events, and the preservation of our natural spaces. We want to reconcile those who might need to be, with the integration of these iconic events into a preserved natural environment. Never oppose economy and ecology.

In other words, organizing games in territories that live off snow and know it, and that know how to host international events. In short, 'Neige et Chalets' games.'

SOBRIETY AND RESPONSIBILITY 'Our project was founded on strong and non-negotiable principles: Relying on existing regional infrastructure, taking advantage of the legacy of the Jeux d'Albertville of which 95% of the sites will be reused, of the UNOC in Nice in 2025, committing to a compactness of sites by major competition families: Nouvelles glisses in the Briançonnais, Glace in Nice, classic skiing and sliding events in Savoie. Cross-country skiing in Haute Savoie.

The 2030 Winter Games will now have to speak of sobriety and economic responsibility. Sober Games, without extravagant spending, without the need for crazy investments in infrastructure. But Games that change people's lives, those that remain once the events are over (...)'

As you have understood, the history remains to be built. The decision of the CIO demonstrates that we are capable of delivering games on a human scale with international reach,' concluded François de Canson.

This candidacy is a response to the anti-everything grumblers; it is crucial for the decades to come. Philippe URBAIN. Photos Pierre-Emmanuel TRIGO and Claude ALMODOVAR.