The next 2030 Winter Olympics will be the only Games where you can watch skiing in the morning and sip local Provencal rosé by the Mediterranean in the afternoon. Inspired by the images coming from the Winter Games, and wondering why you aren’t in Europe in the stands? It’s not too early to plan ahead for the next Games – especially with the charm and the contrast of peak winter sports and the French Riviera lifestyle.
The French Alps, including the Côte d'Azur, centered around Nice, will host the 2030 Winter Olympics from February 1–17, 2030. Paralympics follow from March 1–10, 2030.
Wait – How Can This Work?
Hosting the Winter Olympics in the Côte d’Azur / French Riviera is possible because the event is actually a joint endeavor between the coast and nearby regions of the Alps: the "French Alps 2030".
Believe it or not, even with a Mediterranean backdrop, the Games are actually able to take advantage of a lot of existing winter sports infrastructure. So it’s not going to be one of the infamous international sports events that require massive funding of facilities that have little purpose in the future.
The iconic coastal city of Nice is the central hub of the Games, but it will host just indoor "ice" events, including figure skating, speed skating, hockey and curling. Nice’s Allianz Riviera soccer stadium will be temporarily transformed into a massive ice rink, as the French are calling it, a “palace of hockey” seating over 30,000 for one of the most-viewed and hotly-contested team sports. The Palais Nikaia will see curling teams compete, and a 5000-seat new arena is being built for figure skating and short-track.
In the meantime, the "snow" events will be held in the nearby Southern and Northern Alps in four zones that take advantage of their existing alpine sports infrastructure:
The Briançonnais zone is located in the Southern Alps and will host freestyle skiing and snowboarding.
The Savoie zone is already home to world-class resorts like Courchevel (pictured) and Méribel, and will be the site of the alpine skiing, ski jumping, and bobsleigh/luge competitions.
And finally, the Haute-Savoie zone to the north is where biathlon and cross-country skiing events will take place.
Meanwhile, in Nice, a new Nice Airport TGV (High Speed Train) station is under construction to make it easy for visitors to arrive from all corners of the world and get around easily during the Games. Afterwards, of course, it will remain a legacy benefitting all visitors to the South of France.
Historic First:
The closing ceremony for the 2030 Games is planned for Nice’s picturesque Promenade des Anglais (pictured, top), offering a historic first: a Winter Olympic finale with the Mediterranean Sea as the backdrop instead of a traditional stadium.
Winter on the Côte d’Azur
Not to mention the incredible charms of the French Riviera lifestyle – even in the winter! The 2030 Winter Games will also shine a spotlight on a beloved travel destination that’s not often considered a four-season option – but it should be!
Cool temperatures encourage you to get cozy while walking along the scenic coastline promenades, where pine trees meet palm trees year-round.
Winter is when the mimosa blooms – the iconic, cheerful, sunshine-yellow and unmistakably-scented symbol of the season in the South of France.
It’s also a culinary peak time of the year. Winter is the season for the French citrus harvest and even the ‘black diamonds’ of southern French cuisine: truffles! Markets and restaurants celebrate the seasonal ingredients, and you’ll attend the next competition of the Winter Games, replete with some of the best French cuisine of your life.
The first-ever opportunity to experience the highest levels of winter sport and storied French Riviera lifestyle, all in the same unforgettable trip, is a travel opportunity of a lifetime.
START YOUR TRIP!
By: Lynn Elmhirst, cruise/ travel journalist and expert
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