France will bid to host the 2018 Winter Olympics, Henri Serandour, president of the French National Olympic and Sporting Committee, announced on Wednesday.

The cities of Grenoble, Annecy and Nice have already stated their intention to bid to host the Games, and one will be picked in March next year to represent France, Serandour said.

France has previously hosted three Winter Games, in 1992 in Albertville, in 1968 in Grenoble, and in Chamonix in 1924, but lost out to London to host the 2012 Summer Olympics.

"After the failure in July 2005 in getting the 2012 Games, we had to rebound and stay in this dynamic by defining new goals," said Serandour.

"Olympic ambition has been very marked since then with great desire for candidacy for the Summer Games.

"We have long thought that a bid to host the Winter Olympics would be a good break from the Summer Games," he said.

The International Olympic Committee will choose the host city for the 2018 Games in July 2011.

(Xinhua News Agency September 25, 2008)