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 skiing competitions began in January. However, the Club des Sports de Val d’Isère, under the impetus of Louis Erny (first president of the Club des Sports) and Charles Diebold (founder of the first ski school in France), decided to revolutionize the calendar by organizing a competition as early as December. The aim was twofold: to attract training skiers during this period, 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 mainly attracted French skiers. However, from the 1960s onwards, something exceptional happened: the French alpine ski team began to shine on the international stage, winning Olympic medals and world titles. French training methods captured the world’s attention, and many foreign skiers incorporated the Critérium de la Première Neige into their competition schedules.
The historic turning point
1981 marked a decisive turning point in the history of the Critérium de la Première Neige. During the December edition, two emblematic figures put forward a bold idea: Jean-Claude Killy, former three-time Olympic alpine skiing champion, and Michel Barnier, Member of Parliament for Savoie and President of the Conseil Général, suggested staging the Winter Olympics in Savoie.
One year later, on December 11 1982, during the Critérium de la Première Neige, a historic press conference was held. Jean-Claude Killy, Michel Barnier and Henri Dujol, mayor of Albertville, officially announced the city and the Savoie department’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, thus fulfilling the dream that had been conjured up by 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 has become a true tradition, symbolizing Val d’Isère’s passion and commitment to downhill skiing. Many skiing legends have left their mark on the history of this event, which continues to attract the world’s best skiers.
