A bid that respects the environment and the legacy
The French bid, which is supported by the government and the national Olympic committee, aims to use 95% of existing or temporary venues, minimizing the environmental impact and the cost of hosting the Games. The bid also claims to have a strong legacy plan, with a focus on youth, education, social inclusion, and sport development.
The bid is led by Laurent Wauquiez, the president of the Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes region, and Renaud Muselier, the president of the Provence-Alpes-Côte d’Azur region. They said that hosting the Games would be a “great opportunity” for France and the Alps, and that they would showcase the “beauty, diversity, and dynamism” of the territory.
The bid also has the backing of several Olympic champions, such as Martin Fourcade, Marie-José Pérec, and Jean-Claude Killy, who said that the Games would be a “source of pride and inspiration” for the French people and the world.
A competitive race for the 2030 Games
The International Olympic Committee (IOC) is expected to decide the host city for the 2030 Winter Games by next summer, on the eve of the 2024 Summer Games in Paris. The IOC has recently reformed its bidding process, allowing more flexibility and dialogue with potential hosts.
France is not the only country interested in hosting the 2030 Winter Games. Sweden has also entered into a dialogue phase with the IOC, proposing a bid based on Stockholm and Åre. Switzerland has also announced a possible bid, pending a sports parliament approval later this month. The bid would involve the cantons of Valais, Vaud, and Fribourg.
Another contender is Salt Lake City, which hosted the last Winter Games in the US in 2002. The city has expressed its preference for hosting the 2034 Games, as the US is already hosting the 2028 Summer Games in Los Angeles. However, the IOC may decide to award both the 2030 and 2034 Games at the same time, as it did for the 2024 and 2028 Summer Games.
The next Winter Games will be held in Beijing in 2022, followed by Milan and Cortina d’Ampezzo in 2026.
