While everyone hopes to achieve the ultimate goal of making the Olympic team in 2026, the winter sports athletes at theUniversité Grenoble Alpes combine their studies with high-level athletic training year-round through the Inter’Val program. This support program—unique in France—enables them to pursue a dual “sports and academics” path at the highest level!
In 2022, 33 UGA students and recent graduates competed in the Winter Olympic and Paralympic Games in Beijing, where they made up a quarter of the French delegation. On the slopes of the Chinese capital, the UGA champions distinguished themselves by winning no fewer than
9 medals, which is one-third of France's medals!
Four years after these achievements, and as they await the announcement of all the Olympic and Paralympic teams, UGA’s high-level student-athletes and recent graduates are training and hoping to shine once again at the
Milan-Cortina Winter Olympics in February and March 2026.
TheUniversité Grenoble Alpes attracts the best winter sports specialists seeking to pursue both their athletic and academic goals, thanks in large part to the innovative support programs it has offered for many years.
Inter’Val: A Program for the Elite of Winter Sports
Of the 770 high-level student-athletes that UGA is supporting this year, 115 are receiving the
Inter’Val system. Available to students in all fields of study, this specialized support program was established in 2004 to address the significant challenges faced by winter sports specialists.
Exclusively for athletes competing in the world’s top international competitions, Inter’Val is based on a partnership—unique in France—between the UGA and the National Sports Agency (
ANS) and 5 federations: the French Ski Federation (
FFS), the French Mountaineering and Climbing Federation (
FFME), the French Ice Sports Federation (
FFSG), the French Ice Hockey Federation (
FFHG) and the French Federation of Sports for People with Disabilities (
FFH).
Anaïs Chevalier-Bouchet, who holds a bachelor’s degree in Sports Science (STAPS) with a concentration in sports training, won two silver medals in biathlon at the 2022 Beijing Olympics © Michel Cottin - Agence Zoom
Since its founding, Inter’Val has produced several world champions, Olympic champions, and Olympic medalists: Marie Dorin-Habert, Pierre Vaultier, Maurice Manificat, Anaïs Chevalier-Bouchet, Anaïs Bescond, Arthur Bauchet, Marie Bochet, Coline Mattel…
Tailored support for dual-track programs
Designed to accommodate athletes’ training schedules, Inter’Val offers students a flexible academic program (with the academic year beginning in July and an in-person semester from April to June) that is personalized and partly delivered remotely through podcasts, online courses, discussion forums, and video conferences.
Supervised by a coordinating instructor, they also have access to specific accommodations (extended course schedules, special exam sessions) and support from an academic advisor who specializes in assisting SHN students.
Éric Perrot in May 2022 on the UGA campus for a series of one-on-one classes following his winter season on the international circuit and his selection for the Beijing Olympics
In addition to this educational support, athletes in the Inter’Val program receive specialized medical and paramedical care, including consultations with orthopedic specialists and physical therapists, as well as exclusive access to recovery treatments (sauna, massage, cold therapy).
Optimizing training conditions, marginal gains… Because it boasts recognized experts in sports performance across numerous scientific fields, UGA also shares its knowledge and research programs with the sports community. This applied research is dedicated to enhancing the performance of French athletes and… UGA champions—whom we hope to see in large numbers on the slopes at the Milan-Cortina Olympics!
The CUFE Ski Mountaineering Program
At the forefront of supporting high-level student athletes, and always in close collaboration with the sports community, the UGA offers another innovative program: the University Training and Coaching Centers (
CUFE). With ski mountaineering set to be included in the Winter Olympics program for the first time in its history in 2026, the French Mountain and Climbing Federation (
FFME) and the UGA joined forces in 2021 to create a
seventh CUFE: the
Ski Mountaineering CUFE. Established specifically with the 2026 Winter Olympics in mind, the Ski Mountaineering CUFE is supporting 14 SHN students this year, 9 of whom are members of the French senior or junior national teams.
Watch the video
“The Path to the Summits” about the Ski Mountaineering CUFE.
