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The 10th Winter Olympic Games began in Grenoble on 6th February 1968, broadcast worldwide on colour television for the first time. Alain Calmât lit the Olympic flame after climbing an enormous metal staircase. General De Gaulle declared the Games open, and Jean Claude Killy pulled off the biggest sporting achievement of the Winter Games.
25 kilometres away, the Richard-Pontvert factories were making shoes to ensure some of our French athletes stood out from the crowd: figure skating, speed skating, ice hockey, downhill skiing, cross-country skiing, biathlon, bobsleigh and more. The Galibier, Alviera and Paraboot brand shoes were certainly put to the test.
Sponsorship was already important at that time, and our brand featured all around the stadia alongside other prestigious brands. Even during the pre-event exhibitions, our shoes were showcased by the parachute jumpers who landed on the ski jumping landing slope in Saint-Nizier-du-Moucherotte.
One of the most high-profile names was the figure skater Patrick Pera, who skated in boots made by Alviera. He finished third and won the singles bronze medal.
