As Milano 2026 headed into its final stretch, attention began turning to 2030 in the French Alps. 

France is pitching its Winter Olympics as a sharper, more streamlined Games, with fewer new venues, tighter spending controls, and a sustainability plan, tailored for a world watching more closely than ever.

And with the opening ceremony set for February 2030, the countdown is well and truly on, with planners being forced to confront a hard truth: warmer winters are changing what it takes to deliver a successful Winter Games.

Climate researchers say the Alps can still host elite competition through 2030, but only with increasing reliance on artificial snow, an adaption that could become financially tough for resorts and organizers.

Economic risk

Researcher Hugues Francois, from the public research institute INRAE Grenoble, told CGTN that while technology for this is available, the economics are getting harder to ignore. 

"While current technologies may allow competitive events to be held through 2030, increasing snow production needs poses an economic risk for ski area operations as a whole," he explained.

That warning comes as the International Olympic Committee is pushing France to pick up the pace. It was awarded the Games later than usual, leaving less time to finalize key plans and deliverables.

Pierre-Olivier Beckers-Vieujant, who chairs the IOC Coordination Commission, says France remains behind schedule on several key deliverables, adding that there will need to be significant acceleration in 2026. 

"The decisions taken this year will shape the project's trajectory for the next four years. Time is short," said the IOC executive.

Avoiding waste and costs

Organizers insist the model they are building is the answer. Events will be split between Alpine venues and the coastal city of Nice, where much of the ice program is expected to take place.

France says a whopping 93 percent of the infrastructure for 2030 already exists. It's a central selling point for a Games looking to avoid waste and cost blowouts that have haunted previous hosts. 

Detailed environmental targets are due to be published in April, with officials promising clearer benchmarks on emissions, transport and venue operations.

For athletes, the focus remains less on numbers, and more on staying at the top of their sport.

Australian snowboarder Scotty James has already got France in his line of sight. 

"I've got a good plan and a strategy with my team, and as long as I'm feeling good mentally and physically, which I am, then I don't see why trying again in four years is not a big ask," said the athlete.

And as preparations ramp up, France faces a dual challenge: delivering the Games on time and on budget, while proving the Alps can still offer a real winter stage for elite sport in a warming climate.