Pupils from three middle schools (pictured) became the latest to take part in Haute-Savoie General Council's innovative public policy to make sports and the mountains accessible through its "Savoir Skier" (Learning to Ski) programme, which aims to introduce young people to Alpine and Nordic skiing.

The youngsters visited Semnoz, Annecy 2018's proposed venue for the freestyle skiing and snowboarding events.

"Our commitment to encouraging young people to take part in sports and our dedication to making our mountains more accessible have guided our public policy for many years now," says Christian Monteil, President of the Haute-Savoie General Council and chairman of the Annecy 2018 Supervisory Board

"With such an exceptional natural setting, sports and outdoor activities are second nature for us.

"That's what we're going to show with Annecy's bid for the 2018 Olympic and Paralympic Games."

The project is in line with Annecy 2018's commitment to promoting sports in Savoie Mont Blanc, to training elite athletes and to hosting major sporting events in the region.

It is led with youth in mind and aims to raise their awareness of the fundamental values of sports and their mountain environment.


Related stories
January 2011: Exclusive - Beigbeder vows to take Annecy "from underdog to top dog"
January 2011: Sarkozy claims Annecy bid is "beneficial to the entire country"
January 2011: "We can make things work" claims new Annecy 2018 leader
January 2011: Annecy and Pyeongchang deliver Candidate Files for 2018 Olympic bids to IOC
January 2011: Annecy 2018 appoints new chief executive