Five years away from the Winter Olympic and Paralympic Games in the French Alps, warning signs are multiplying. Resignations within the organizing committee, institutional disagreements, contentious financial arbitration, and persistent uncertainties regarding the site map have stirred unrest in the preparation for the French Alps 2030.
The French Alps are experiencing a heatwave. This episode not only affects the snow cover on the mountains but also has impacted the direction of the Organizing Committee for the 2030 Winter Olympic and Paralympic Games. The resignation of the operations director, Anne Murac, happened five months after her arrival. The Cojop officially announced on Tuesday, December 9, the departure of its strategic head. Difficulties have been accumulating since the site visit by the International Olympic Committee delegation in early December.
In a statement, the committee specified: “The operations director of the Cojop French Alps 2030, Anne Murac, announced this Tuesday, December 9, her decision to leave the organizing committee (…), after informing President Edgar Grospiron.” The reasons for this departure have not been communicated. The Cojop states it “respects” this decision and “commends the work accomplished.” Anne Murac “actively contributed to setting up the initial key milestones for planning, field coordination, and preparation of future sites.” The committee indicates that “a recruitment process will be launched as soon as possible.”
Anne Murac was already part of the organizational chart for the Paris 2024 Games. She was responsible for the Île-de-France “cluster.” Her appointment as operations director for Cojop 2030 was announced in July. Her missions included supervising the site map among the four competition hubs. The areas concerned remain Savoie, Haute-Savoie, Nice, and Briançonnais. The map was still being finalized.
Le Parisien mentioned “serious disagreements within the governance.” Several unknowns remain for the future site map, which had been presented as a “preferential scheme.” The definitive reintegration of Val d’Isère is still in discussion. The location of the speed skating oval is undecided, with Italy and the Netherlands mentioned. The choice of additional sports remains open, with trail running, ice climbing, or gravel among the hypotheses. The location of the Paralympic events is also a concern, with two sites being considered instead of four.
A disrupted governance and withdrawing communities
A few days later, the organizing committee announced that Tony Estanguet and Martin Fourcade are no longer part of the board of directors. The decision was made to avoid any risk of conflict of interest. The statement specifies: “ahead of a board meeting, two directors, Tony Estanguet and Martin Fourcade, expressed their desire to end their mandate, which aligns with the objective of taking all necessary precautions to ensure the highest level of compliance within their future professional activities.” The text adds that both figures “will continue, each in their own way, to play an important role in the coming four years to contribute to the success of French Alps 2030.”
At the same time, another incident marked the preparation for the Games. The Olympic committee’s visit to the Northern Alps was supposed to be a step forward. However, a surprise change altered the schedule. The department of Savoie decided to suspend its participation in the organizational meetings. The department’s president, Hervé Gaymard, decided on the “suspension” of the community’s participation “in meetings related to the delivery of Olympic venues or the general organization of the JOP 2030.” The decision was revealed by le Dauphiné Libéré. The letter was sent to the presidents of the organizing regions, Sports Minister Marina Ferrari, the Savoie prefecture, the Olympic venues delivery company, and the involved municipalities. This stance contrasts with earlier statements in favor of the project.
When will the announcement of the Olympic sites be made?
Creating the map of Olympic sites remains a delicate task. The French Alps are scheduled to host the Games in five years. The competition for hosting the events and distributing the financial burden has begun. Edgar Grospiron leads the organizing committee. The former skier faces new challenges. Deputies are examining the special law adopted by senators in June. The text deals with urban planning, security, and housing. Without this framework, “the infrastructure will not be ready in time,” summarized centrist deputy Romain Daubié in committee.
The central issue remains the sites. The map was supposed to be unveiled by the end of the year. Discussions around Val d’Isère continue. During a hearing, Edgar Grospiron mentioned “the end of the year to integrate Val-d’Isère into the site map” and “the first half of 2026 for other topics.” The speed oval, additional sports, and Paralympic events are still of concern. To date, the IOC has postponed presenting its initial program.
What role for Nice?
In November, several elements were mentioned. Nice was to host the ice events. Speed skating events were contemplated in Italy or the Netherlands. La Plagne was to host bobsleigh, luge, and skeleton. Courchevel was to host ski jumping, Nordic combined, and alpine skiing events alongside Val d’Isère. The name Val d’Isère became prominent. Méribel was initially suggested.
The Nice part is also at the center of criticism. The city is to host figure skating, short track, and the closing ceremony. The cost of the future ice site has sparked debates. The construction of a new ice rink is estimated at 138 million euros. Two temporary rinks at Allianz Riviera would cost an additional 80 million. On November 3, Deputy Frédéric Maillot challenged the Sports Minister. “It’s a budgetary folly, a rich person’s whim that we cannot afford,” he declared. Juliette Chesnel-Le Roux, an opposition municipal councilor in Nice, criticized a project disconnected from local realities. “Taxes have increased in Nice. We are not going to ask the people of Nice to pay, for 15 days of events, for a new facility,” she noted.
A report delivered in March 2025 by the general inspectorates proposed five scenarios. The “Plan E” scenario suggests just one rink at Allianz Riviera and relocation to Décines-Charpieu. The announced savings exceed 180 million euros. With five years left, the 2030 Winter Games move forward in a climate of uncertainties.
