He grew up in a family where the mountains were not just a backdrop, but a way of life. His grandfather was one of the builders of Les Ménuires, his mother was a ski instructor, and he was the “test-tube baby of the mountains”, as he likes to describe himself. Vincent Jay first made a name for himself through his sporting achievements, becoming Olympic biathlon champion in Vancouver, before embarking on a completely different path: that of community, sharing and promoting high-altitude regions.
Now Director of France Montagnes, he embodies a generation of clear-minded and passionate mountaineers who are aware of the challenges ahead but driven by an unshakeable conviction: the French mountains still have a bright future if they remain united.
In this sincere and insightful interview, Vincent Jay opens up about his career, his values, his inspirations and his vision for the future of the mountains. A powerful testimony at the crossroads of sport, knowledge transfer and collective commitment.
Vincent Jay, could you tell us a bit about yourself and your career path?
My name is Vincent Jay, I am 40 years old, and I readily describe myself as a “test-tube baby of the mountains”. My family has deep roots in this world: my grandfather was mayor of Les Ménuires and was behind the creation of the resort; my father worked on the ski lifts for the Compagnie des Alpes; and my mother is a ski instructor, wearing a red jumper. So I was born in Albertville, in the heart of Savoie, in this mountain environment that has shaped my whole life.
I started competing at a high level very early on: I spent fourteen years on the French biathlon team, a period marked by high standards, rigour and passion. This athletic career led me to win two Olympic medals in Vancouver in 2010 – gold and bronze – which were the culmination of a lifetime dedicated to sport.
At the end of my sporting career, I wanted to understand the inner workings of the mountains in a different way, so I joined Val d’Isère, where I was able to discover from the inside how a ski resort operates – its services, its teams, the complexity of its organisation. Working alongside ski patrollers, snow groomers and avalanche services, I learned first-hand what it takes to develop and manage a ski area. This hands-on experience reinforced my love for the mountains and for those who bring them to life every day.
I then joined Banque Populaire, where I worked in the sponsorship department. This position opened up new horizons for me: it allowed me to travel throughout the fourteen departments covered by the bank, discover other mountain regions, and learn about different approaches to tourism and resort management. It was a very enriching experience, at the crossroads of the economic and sporting worlds.
More recently, I had the opportunity to collaborate on Olympic projects, first alongside Laurent Wauquiez, then President Fabrice Pannekoucke, before being appointed Director of France Montagnes on 5 May. For me, taking up this position represents a natural progression: a career path that combines sport, mountains, people and knowledge sharing. Today, I am committed to uniting and bringing together stakeholders from all mountain ranges around a common vision, convinced that the unity of the French mountains is their greatest strength in meeting the challenges ahead.
Vincent JAY, what are your passions?
My passions are obviously closely linked to the mountains, nature and sport. Skiing remains central to my life, even though I do it a little less now than when I was an athlete. I have two young children – a girl and a boy – whom I try to take to the mountains, the forest and the countryside as often as possible. The mountains have a calming effect; they connect them to something essential, and it gives me great satisfaction to pass on this passion for the outdoors to them.
I still practise cross-country skiing, of course, but also ski touring and downhill skiing. For me, these disciplines remain spaces of freedom and balance. Sport has shaped me, and even though I am no longer competing at a high level, it remains an important part of my daily life.
Beyond sport, I have a real passion for gastronomy. It may be my “bad habit”, but I deeply love local produce and French cuisine. I am fortunate to have Michelin-starred chef friends who introduce me to wonderful culinary experiences. It’s a world I find fascinating because it is based on the same values as sport and mountaineering: passion, precision and passing on knowledge.
What motivates you? Why do you get up in the morning?
What motivates me above all else is human relationships. It may sound simple, but it’s profoundly true. I am a naturally cheerful, sociable person who enjoys contact, exchanges and human warmth. This connection with others nourishes me on a daily basis. I enjoy working in a team, meeting people, understanding their backgrounds, their realities, their passions. I’m not the type to stay in my corner: I like to integrate, create connections, and circulate energy and ideas.
At France Montagnes, this human dimension is essential. I attach great importance to cohesion among employees, kindness and collective dynamics. I strongly believe in the power of the collective, whether it be a sports team or an organisation like ours, whose mission is to bring together those involved in mountain activities.
Every morning, I wake up with the desire to make things happen, to serve the mountains and to contribute, in my own small way, to promoting our living heritage. It is the people I meet, the projects we share and the conviction that we are working for something greater than ourselves that give me the drive to keep going.
What gives you the greatest satisfaction?
My greatest satisfaction is first and foremost that of having fulfilled a childhood dream by becoming an Olympic champion. In 2010, at the Vancouver Games, I won a gold medal and a bronze medal in biathlon. It was the culmination of a lifetime of hard work, sacrifice and passion. These medals symbolise much more than sporting success: they represent a lifelong commitment, but also the pride of a family that has always supported me. My parents, who also come from the world of mountaineering and skiing, gave a lot so that I could achieve my ambitions.
But beyond this Olympic adventure, I also feel a great sense of satisfaction in my professional career. After my career as an athlete, I had to reinvent myself, learn new skills and confront new worlds. When you come from a background in Nordic skiing and find yourself at the head of the organisation of the Critérium de la Première Neige in Val d’Isère, you have to learn everything: how to prepare the slopes, manage teams, safety rules, coordinate services. I was recruited on 1 July, and in December, I had to deliver a major international event. It was a huge challenge, but also a tremendous lesson in humility and adaptation.
Successfully transitioning from high-level sport to managing complex events, understanding the inner workings of a resort, and collaborating with passionate professionals has enriched me greatly. I take great pride in this, as it demonstrates that the qualities acquired in sport — rigour, perseverance, the ability to learn quickly — can be applied to other fields.
Vincent JAY, do you have any regrets?
I can honestly say that I have no regrets. I try to live life to the fullest, without looking back too much or asking myself unnecessary questions. I have always moved forward with the desire to make the most of every stage of life, to learn and to draw on my experiences, whether good or bad.
That said, if I had to name one, it would be a very personal and sporting regret: a few years ago, some friends and I set out to climb Mont Blanc, and we stopped at the Vallot refuge, very close to the summit. It has remained with me as a small frustration. I like to see things through to the end, not leave a goal unfinished, and that day, we had to give up. It’s not a big deal in the grand scheme of things, but for someone as persistent as me, that kind of forced break inevitably leaves a mark.
So yes, perhaps it will be a challenge to take on again, a way of coming full circle. But deep down, I prefer to see this “near summit” as an invitation to keep moving forward, to maintain this thirst to go further.
If you had a list of three wishes for the mountains, what would they be?
If I had to make three wishes for the mountains, the first would undoubtedly be unity. I would like the French mountains to be united, supportive and cohesive. Today, they are often attacked, sometimes misunderstood, and yet those who live there and bring them to life all share the same love, the same visceral attachment to these territories. The mountains deserve to be defended collectively, with a common voice, beyond differences in mountain ranges or status. I deeply believe that our strength lies in our rope team, in our ability to move forward together, to help each other, to lift each other up.
My second wish would be for the mountains to remain alive and inhabited. I come from these valleys; my family was here before skiing and will still be here afterwards. I want my children to be able to live and grow up in these areas too, to find a dignified living environment, prospects for the future and pride in belonging here. Above all, I want the mountains to remain white, so that future generations can experience the joy of skiing, the cold, the snow and all the sensations that have shaped our identities. Seeing resorts close down is something that saddens me deeply. We need all types of mountains: large, small, medium-altitude, modest… each has a role to play in the diversity of what is on offer and the vitality of the regions.
Finally, my third wish ties in with the first two: I would like the mountains to show solidarity. I would like them to rediscover that spirit of teamwork that is so dear to them, where the biggest help the smallest, where the best-equipped resorts support those with fewer resources, where mountain ranges support each other instead of competing. This internal solidarity is essential in order to face common challenges: climate change, attractiveness, customer renewal, and the maintenance of public services at high altitudes.
Vincent JAY, how do you see the future unfolding?
I am not a climate sceptic, quite the contrary. I live in the mountains all year round, and I can clearly see that the seasons are changing and that the snowy periods are becoming shorter. The seasons are shorter and weather cycles are more unstable. However, I remain deeply optimistic: skiing and the mountains still have many wonderful years ahead of them.
I believe in the future of the mountains because they are not just an economic or tourist activity; they are a living environment, a culture, a human and natural ecosystem of incredible richness. Behind every ski area and every mountain village, there are families, jobs, expertise and a local economy. If this balance were to collapse, it would not only be the resorts that would disappear, but a whole part of our collective identity.
This is also what guides my work at the helm of France Montagnes: preserving, uniting and promoting. We must support the transition, not with fear, but with clarity and cooperation. The mountains must continue to reinvent themselves, diversify and open up to new audiences, while remaining true to what they are: a place of freedom, sharing and emotion.
So yes, I see the future as full of challenges, but also full of opportunities. Provided that we remain united, supportive and proud of what the French mountains represent. It is this conviction that drives me to get up every morning and gives meaning to my commitment.
