Our
History
The beginning of a story
The history of the Critérium de la Première Neige goes back to the 1950s, a time when alpine ski racing began in January. However, the Club des Sports de Val d’Isère, and more specifically Louis Erny (President of the Club des Sports) and Charles Diebold, decided to revolutionize the calendar by organizing a competition as early as December. The aim was twofold: to attract skiers training during the month and to establish Val d’Isère as an internationally renowned ski destination.
The Affirmation of French Skiing
In its early years, the Critérium de la Première Neige attracted mainly French skiers. However, from the 1960s onwards, something exceptional happened. The French Alpine Ski Team began to shine on the international scene, winning Olympic medals and world titles. French training methods have attracted worldwide attention, and many foreign skiers have made the Critérium de la Première Neige part of their racing program.
The historic turning point
1981 marked a decisive turning point in the history of the Critérium de la Première Neige. At that year’s December edition, two leading figures came up with a daring idea. Jean-Claude Killy, the former three-time Olympic alpine skiing champion, and Michel Barnier, Member of Parliament for Savoie and President of the Savoie General Council, launched the idea of staging the Winter Olympics in Savoie.
One year later, on December 11 1982, during the Critérium de la Première Neige, a historic press conference took place. Jean-Claude Killy, Michel Barnier and Henri Dujol, the mayor of Albertville, officially announced the city’s and the Savoy region’s bid to host the 1992 Winter Olympics. The announcement marked the start of an exceptional Olympic adventure for the region.
Olympic consecration
In 1992, Albertville had the honor of hosting the Winter Olympics, fulfilling a dream launched at the Critérium de la Première Neige in 1981. The Games were a huge success, and since then the history of the Critérium de la Première Neige has been closely linked to that of the Olympic Games.
Heritage and Tradition
Today, the Critérium de la Première Neige is much more than just a ski competition. It’s a tradition that embodies Val d’Isère’s passion and devotion to downhill skiing. Skiing legends have written their names in the annals of this competition, and it continues to attract the world’s best skiers.
