A chapter closes for the world of biathlon and Nordic skiing: after five successful editions, the Martin Fourcade Nordic Festival (MFNF) will not return to Annecy in 2025. The news became official this Tuesday through a statement from the organizing team, led by six-time Olympic champion Martin Fourcade.
At the heart of this interruption lies the decision by the municipality of Annecy, made last November, to no longer host the event on the Pâquier esplanade. Mayor François Astorg invoked a new event policy aiming to “calm the Pâquier” and preserve natural areas considered “fragile by nature,” following a public consultation conducted among residents. Despite the organizers’ efforts to minimize the festival’s ecological impact (waste reduction, elimination of plastic bottles), several criteria of this new direction could not be met.
In light of this withdrawal, the MFNF team explored several alternatives. Sites in Haute-Savoie, such as Évian and Avoriaz, as well as the city of Nice — within a broader context linked to the 2030 Olympic Games — were considered.
“Over the past few months, we had the opportunity to visit several places that reached out to us spontaneously. We sincerely thank them for their warm welcome and enthusiasm,” said Martin Fourcade.
But despite these options, no site could meet all the requirements needed to host an event true to the spirit of the MFNF. The 2025 edition is therefore officially cancelled. A difficult but deliberate choice, made to preserve the unique identity of a festival that blends high-level competition, celebration of French skiing, and popular conviviality.
In 2024, the festival still drew nearly 40,000 people around Lake Annecy — a true testament to the public’s attachment to this summer celebration of Nordic skiing.
Nonetheless, Martin Fourcade and his team are not giving up.
“Our thirst for connection and celebration remains intact!” they affirmed, while explaining that they are actively working to find the ideal venue to relaunch the event in summer 2026.
A public appeal has even been launched:
“Do you have any ideas?”
The date is set: while 2025 will be a transitional year, 2026 may well mark a fresh beginning for the Martin Fourcade Nordic Festival, in a location still to be determined, but with the same ambition: to celebrate the passion for Nordic skiing on a grand scale.
🌐 Sources:
🔗 https://www.ski-roue.com/ski-roue/lionel-messi-et-gaetan-roussel-sur-le-martin-fourcade-nordic-festival/
🔗 https://radiomontblanc.fr/article/ski-nordique-pas-de-martin-fourcade-nordic-festival-cette-annee-54313
🔗 https://biathlonlive.com/intersaison/mfnf-2023-vetle-sjaastad-christiansen-facile-vainqueur/
🔗 https://www.ledauphine.com/sport/2022/09/03/fillon-maillet-fait-le-show
