France hosted the first Winter Olympic cross-country skiing events in 1924.
The inaugural Winter Olympics were held in Chamonix, France, from 25 January to 5 February 1924. Cross-country skiing was part of the Nordic skiing programme, alongside ski jumping and the Nordic combined.
The men’s cross-country events included an 18-kilometre race and a 50-kilometre race. These competitions were contested on demanding courses around the Chamonix valley and helped establish cross-country skiing as a central Winter Olympic discipline.
The 1924 event was originally called International Winter Sports Week and was held under the patronage of the International Olympic Committee. It was later recognized as the first Winter Olympics. Norway dominated the Nordic events, but Norway was the successful competitor, not the host country. Switzerland hosted the 1928 Winter Olympics at St. Moritz.