Biathlon is the rising star of Nordic sports, combining shooting accuracy and cross-country skiing technique. Biathlon has boomed since the Olympic Games of Turin and Vancouver... So come to the Jura Mountains and give it a try!

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An extraordinary sport that deserves more attention

This sport, whose name comes from the Latin "bi" (two) and "athlon" (competition), combines the disciplines of cross-country skiing and rifle shooting.

It is an all-round sport that dates as far back as the Vikings, the  Middle Ages, and the beginnings of Pentathlon. But it was in 1767 that the very first competition ressembling the modern biathlon took place.

Biathlon is a sport that demands the best qualities of two completely different disciplines. On the one hand it involves extreme and sustained physical effort for the cross-country skate-skiing and, on the other, it requires the athlete to have a good mental command and a very stable body.

A great all-round sport that is easier to start and to perfect than you might think! 

Les différents formats d'épreuves 

The sprint
The pursuit
The mass start
The individual heat
The team heat
The single mixed relay
The mixed relay
The men's and women's relay

The Jura Mountains sponsor the Biathlon World Cup

For 4 years now, the Mountains of Jura have teamed up with L'Equipe 21 for the Biathlon World Cup!

The Jura Mountains are the ultimate Nordic destination

Maud Humbert / Montagnes du Jura

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Seb - Plateau d'Hauteville

Where to try biathlon? 

Discover the ski schools 

Land of champions 

The Jura Mountains have produced a number of biathlon champions, some of whom still compete in major international events! These include Quentin Fillon-Mailley, Anaïs Bescond, Vincent Desfrasne, Corinne Niogret, Sandrine Bailly and even Martin Fourcade who came to live here in 2004 after falling in love with Jura!

Marika Godin
Quentin Fillon-Mailley

Born in Champagnole, Quentin Fillon-Maillet began his career at Saint-Laurent-en-Grandvaux ski club.

He joined the French biathlon team in 2013 and won medals in the junior European and World championships.

Support them during the biathlon world cup!!

Anais Bescond

Since her first attempt at skate-skiing in Morbier, Anaïs Bescond has made it to the winners' podium every season.

Forged from watching the Olympics on television, a childhood dream came true in 2014 when Anaïs Bescond competed in the Sotchi Games.

Support them during the biathlon world cup!!

Simon Desthieux

 

Simon Desthieux comes from the small town of Belley, in Ain, so he knows the Jura Mountains like the back of his hand.

Since 2011 when he became junior world champion in Nove Mesto, this inexhaustible biathlete has improved his performance year after year.

Support them during the biathlon world cup!!

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Vincent Defrasne is creating his own brand of eco-friendly sportswear

Vincent Defrasne, a former biathlon champion and gold medal winner at the 2006 Olympic Games in Turin, is embarking on a new adventure by creating Ayaq, his own eco-friendly sportswear brand whose name means "snow on clothes" in Inuit. His aim is to make clothing more ecological for mountain sports enthusiasts, in order to allow them to enjoy their mountain pursuits dressed in technical clothing of eco-friendly design that is more respectful of the environment! 

Discover his brand

Roller skiing

Summer training

Winter is over but the biathlon season can extend into summer.

Summer biathlon is a combination of cross-country skiing and shooting, but on roller skis.

There are several places in the Jura Mountains that have summer training facilities, such as the Florence Baverel stadium in Arçon, the newly-renovated Plans d'Hotonnes stadium and Les Tuffes stadium which features a new trail of nearly 4km.

Maud Humbert / Montagnes du Jura

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En résumé