Winter Olympics 2018

Here at Ascendant Property we're supporting Annecy's bid to host the 2018 Winter Olympics. France has already confirmed that it will be putting forward a candidate city for the 23rd edition of the games and on March 18th this year, the French Olympic Committee (CNOSF) will announce the name of that candidate. Annecy faces competing bids from the cities of Nice and Grenoble, plus a rather ambitious entry by the little village of Pelvoux in the Southern Alps, home to just 400 people!

The Annecy bid has a long and growing list of supporters from the sporting, political and commercial communities, all keen to see the Winter Olympics return to its birthplace in Haute-Savoie (Chamonix having hosted the inaugural event in 1924). Even its Swiss neighbour, Geneva, has firmly come out in support of the 2018 Games taking place in Annecy and Haute Savoie. Competition events would be spread out between Annecy and the nearby winter resorts of this area, the largest, most popular ski destination in the world. Many of the resorts are famous names in their own rights. Chamonix, of course, would play an integral part, hosting skiing and ice hockey events in the shadow of Mont Blanc. Morzine-Avoriaz in the Portes du Soleil would host many of the downhill skiing competitions; curling would take place in Saint-Gervais-les-Bains; Flaine would be home to snowboarding and the ski jumping and cross-country events would take place in La Clusaz. Annecy itself would host the ice skating and speed skating, plus the Olympic village.

The support for the Annecy Haute-Savoie bid is understandable. The area is exceptionally beautiful and has unrivalled infrastructure (good road and rail links and easy access from Geneva International Airport; modern, extensive winter sports facilities; quality accommodation, restaurants etc.). These are the very same reasons that people from around the world choose to buy property here. Good luck Annecy on the 18th March!