Meije Bidault

Meije Bidault will carry the Olympic Torch. This is her story:

Meije embodies how the energy of sport can serve as a means of inclusion. She was born in Chamonix-Mont-Blanc and is a mountaineering and skiing enthusiast. This talented jack-of-all-trades has been multi-tasking in sport from an early age, enjoying climbing, hiking, mountaineering and skiing with the Argentière sports club, which she represented for a number of years.

However, in 2004, her life was rocked by a car accident that left her paraplegic. Despite this blow, Meije has shown incredible strength and clings to her maxim: “Never give up!” After her rehabilitation, she decided to pursue her passion for snow sports at the highest level in para-sport skiing. First on the French circuit, then the European one, she built up a substantial list of honours, becoming French champion several times in all disciplines and earning several victories in the French and European Cups.

Meije is heavily invested in sport and is also treasurer of the para-sports section of Chamonix's sports club, a committee member of Argentière's sports club and the founding chairwoman the Sit'N Ride association, which aims to make mountain sports more accessible to people with disabilities. Now a member of the French para-sports skiing team, she combines family life, a seasonal job in tourism as well as life as an athlete and is looking ahead to the World Cup, with her sights set on the 2026 Winter Olympic Games.