The nine competition venues
Four French valleys, one city and a Dutch oval. Here is what each hosts, how to reach it, and where you can sensibly stay.
Aravis
Two neighbouring villages, one obvious fallback base. The nordic hub of these Games. Suggested base : Annecy.
Le Grand-Bornand
Haute-Savoie, France · Aravis
The Sylvie-Becaert stadium hosts a Biathlon World Cup round every year. The venue is well drilled, and biathlon remains the most-watched winter discipline in France.
AravisLa Clusaz
Haute-Savoie, France · Aravis
Next door to Le Grand-Bornand, La Clusaz hosts cross-country skiing and all the paralympic nordic events. The two villages will function as a single hub during the Games.
Tarentaise
The alpine heart of these Games: speed, technical, jumping, sliding. The densest valley for events. Suggested base : Moûtiers / Bourg-Saint-Maurice.
Courchevel
Savoie, France · Tarentaise · Les 3 Vallées
The only venue combining alpine speed events, ski jumping and nordic combined. It is also the gateway to the largest linked ski area on earth.
TarentaiseVal d'Isère
Savoie, France · Tarentaise · Espace Killy
The Face de Bellevarde, which staged the 1992 downhill, hosts the technical events this time. Few French resorts carry a racing culture this deeply rooted.
TarentaiseLa Plagne
Savoie, France · Tarentaise · Paradiski
The bobsleigh track built for 1992 is the only one in France. It is being reused, making La Plagne one of the most history-laden venues of these Games.
Briançonnais
Close to a third of all medals. The freestyle hub, still little known to the wider public. Suggested base : Briançon.
Serre Chevalier
Hautes-Alpes, France · Briançonnais
The Briançonnais area hosts close to a third of the medals at these Games. Serre Chevalier takes freestyle skiing, moguls and big air.
BriançonnaisMontgenèvre
Hautes-Alpes, France · Briançonnais · Milky Way
Montgenèvre hosts snowboard, freestyle skiing and ski mountaineering — the last of these a recent addition to the olympic programme.
Lyon
Every ice event, in a city, reachable by high-speed train. Suggested base : Lyon.
Friesland
Speed skating, at Thialf. Suggested base : Heerenveen.