The next Winter Olympics in 2030 will be held in the French Alps.
The French Alps are touting the use of 93% of existing facilities and sustainability. Yet behind the scenes, they face a dire situation: physical limits imposed by climate change, environmental battles over water resources, and political chaos.
As of February 2026, during the Milan-Cortina Games, we delve into the “hidden reality” of the French Alps, where events threatening the very hosting of the Games are unfolding one after another.
Physical Limits—Snow Disappears, Ski Resorts Disappear
In the mid-to-low altitude regions of the French Alps, a domino effect of ski resort closures due to lack of snow has become a reality.
The La Sambuy ski resort near Mont Blanc, which had operated for 60 years, decided to close in September 2023 and dismantled its lifts. This followed a 2022-2023 season where it operated for only four weeks, resulting in a deficit of approximately 500,000 euros. The mayor publicly acknowledged defeat against climate change, stating, “The climate has changed dramatically between the 1960s and today.”
Climate projections are even more bleak.
According to Nature Climate Change, if the Earth’s average temperature rises by 2°C, 53% of European ski resorts face a very high risk of snow shortage. A 4°C rise would put 98% at risk of survival.
Reliance on natural snow has completely collapsed.
The Water Grab: Artificial Snow and Eco-Terrorism
Once natural snow disappears, competitions will depend on artificial snow. However, snowmaking machines consume enormous amounts of energy and water. This demand for water resources is creating serious divisions.
At the La Crusa ski resort, plans emerged to build a massive reservoir for artificial snow production, but environmental activists occupied the forested site. Despite droughts severe enough to warrant water use restrictions, radical eco-terrorism—including the destruction of snowmaking machines—has occurred in response to efforts to enclose water resources.
The court ultimately ordered the reservoir plan to be canceled. Meanwhile, it was discovered that La Clusaz had been secretly and illegally pumping 135,108 cubic meters (more than 54 Olympic swimming pools) of water for artificial snow production for over 20 years, resulting in a €130,000 fine.
Criticism that the French Alps’ claim of a “sustainable Games” is nothing more than “greenwashing” at the expense of scarce water resources and ecosystems is becoming a common view among the local community.
The collapse of politics and governance: the “Olympic Law” and the UN complaint
Politics has also descended into extreme chaos.
In July 2024, amid political instability in France, the IOC made an unprecedented “conditional” decision to host the Games. Subsequently, the Barnier cabinet, which submitted financial guarantees at the eleventh hour, resigned en masse in December over the forced passage of an austerity budget bill.
Furthermore, to meet infrastructure deadlines, the “Olympic Law” was rammed through parliament. This law exempts projects from urban planning and environmental regulations and extends the use of AI surveillance cameras. Opposition lawmakers have challenged this law before the Constitutional Court, arguing it constitutes a serious violation of environmental rights.
Additionally, civic groups filed a complaint with the UN Aarhus Convention Compliance Committee, citing the lack of public participation in the Olympic bid process. This complaint was formally accepted in November 2025. This marks the first time globally that an Olympic bid process is being reviewed by a UN body for violating an international treaty.
Unprecedented chaos is unfolding both within France and internationally.
The Organizing Committee’s Self-Destruction
The organizing committee is already imploding due to governance failures.
By early 2026, key directors and the head of the compensation committee had resigned one after another, with the president’s management style facing scathing criticism. Then, on February 11, 2026, the organizing committee acknowledged irreconcilable differences between President Edgar Grospyron and CEO Cyril Lennet, effectively dismissing CEO Lennet.
Faced with this unprecedented crisis, the Senate summoned President Grospirol and others for a public hearing on February 25, 2026, immediately after the Olympic flag was handed over to France.
The 2030 French Alps Games, proceeding while causing environmental destruction and organizational collapse, strongly warn that the very nature of hosting the Olympics must be fundamentally reevaluated.
References
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