70, 90, 100 years: one year, three anniversaries
The Critérium, founded in 1955 by Charles Diebold and Louis Erny, was born as a rehearsal for the best skiers before the start of international competitions in January. It quickly established itself as a key event in the alpine skiing calendar of the Fédération Internationale de Ski (FIS).
Organized in Val d’Isère, the Critérium benefits from close collaboration with the Club des Sports and local players. The Face de Bellevarde, renowned for its technicality and steepness, has also hosted major competitions such as the 1992 Winter Olympics and the 2009 Alpine World Ski Championships. For the women’s weekend, competitors take to the Oreiller-Killy track, an iconic layout that pays tribute to the two great French champions. In 2025, the Critérium will celebrate its 70th edition, in an exceptional year marked by three major anniversaries:
70 years of the Critérium de la Première Neige in a few images
Henri Oreiller's 100th birthday in pictures
70 years of the Critiérium, a history of champions
This 70th edition of the Critérium is an opportunity to shine the spotlight on four faces who have marked the history of alpine skiing, and even more so that of Val d’Isère: Christine and Marielle Goitschel, Jean-Claude Killy and Clément Noël. All of them grew up in the unique atmosphere of Val d’Isère, and all of them have flown the resort’s colors to become Olympic champions. This year, it’s impossible to miss them: Val d’Isère’s main street is adorned with their portraits. Like a red thread between past and present, they welcome local residents, enthusiasts and spectators to celebrate this historic anniversary.
Val d'Isère Sports Club's Olympic Champions in the spotlight
CHRISTINE GOITSCHEL: Olympic Games Innsbruck 1964
Christine Goitschel was one of the key figures in the “Bonnet gang”, the most fantastic team in the history of French skiing, that of Killy, Perillat, Lacroix, Mir, Famose and Steurer. Olympic slalom champion in Innsbrück in 1964 ahead of Marielle, silver medallist in slalom, beaten by her sister, she remains a benchmark in technical disciplines.
MARIELLE GOITSCHEL: Olympic Games Innsbruck 1964, Grenoble 1968
Marielle and Christine Goitschel grew up in Val d’Isère, where their family settled in 1945. A ski prodigy, Marielle became World Combined Champion at the age of 16 and a half in 1962. At the 1964 Innsbrück Games, Marielle and Christine achieved an incredible double double in slalom and giant slalom. She won a second gold medal at Grenbole in 1968 in the slalom. His talent and wit have left their mark on French sport.
JEAN-CLAUDE KILLY: Olympic Games Grenoble 1968
Jean-Claude Killy’s trajectory is not simply that of an exceptional skier, three-time Olympic champion in Grenoble, six-time world champion, winner of 71.4% of the races in the 1967 season and still record-holder of the Critérium de la Première Neige with Marcel Hirscher (7 wins). It’s the extraordinary life of a child from Val d’Isère whose aura went beyond the realm of sport.
CLÉMENT NOËL: Beijing 2022 Olympic Games
Clément Noël won the slalom gold medal at the 2022 Beijing Olympics, becoming the third French Olympic slalom champion after Jean-Claude Killy in 1968 and Jean-Pierre Vidal in 2002. Born in Remiremont, he grew up in the Vosges before moving to Val d’Isère, where he was welcomed by the Chevallot family and integrated into the Club des Sports. He also made his mark by winning the Critérium slalom in 2021, a victory on the mythical Face de Bellevarde.
