News · September 18, 2026
Ice Climbing World Championships in Champagny, Jan 2027
From 28 to 30 January 2027, the Champagny-le-Haut ice tower hosts the Ice Climbing World Championships: speed, difficulty, and free entry for spectators.
Champagny is no stranger to the Ice Climbing World Cup. This winter, the village steps up a level: it will host the World Championships, held every two years, on its ice tower in Champagny-le-Haut.
What has been announced
On 14 July 2026, the UIAA — the international federation that runs the sport — published its 2026–2027 calendar: the World Championships will take place in Champagny-en-Vanoise, organised by the French Federation of Alpine and Mountain Clubs (FFCAM). On 15 September, the UIAA slightly adjusted the dates: the competition will now run from Thursday 28 to Saturday 30 January 2027, instead of 29 to 31 January as first planned.
Good to know: at the time of writing, the tourist office’s page still shows the original dates. Before booking, check the final programme, which has not yet been published.
A free show, right by the valley
The competition takes place on the ice tower set up near the Le Canada campsite in Champagny-le-Haut. The UIAA describes it as “one of the most impressive in the world”. According to the tourist office, entry is free and climbers from 20 to 25 nations are expected, in crampons and with ice axes, across two events:
- speed, a vertical sprint up the ice;
- difficulty, a mixed route alternating ice and dry tooling — dry holds climbed with ice axes.
The calendar adds to the excitement: the week before, from 21 to 23 January, a World Cup round is held in Saas-Fee, Switzerland, and the athletes will stay in the Alps to carry on. The UIAA had also scheduled a training camp in Champagny on 27 and 28 August.
How to make the most of it
Bring very warm clothes: you stand still for a long time at the foot of the tower, and at the 2025 World Cup the finals took place late in the day. The rest of the time, the valley offers cross-country skiing, snowshoeing and winter walks — you’ll find our ideas on the winter activities page.
Our three chalets are in La Chiserette, a few minutes from the tower: watch the finals, then head home to warm up by the fire. Tell us your dates for late January.
Sources: UIAA 2026–2027 calendar · UIAA update, 15 September 2026 · event page, la-plagne.com