Killy, a descendant of an Irish mercenary soldier named Kelly who fought for Napoleon I, was reared at Val-d’Isère, a ski resort in the French Alps. In 1964 he became the leading French male skier, winning national championships in all three divisions of Alpine skiing: downhill, slalom, and giant slalom.

Early life Killy was born in Saint-Cloud, a suburb of Paris, during the German occupation of World War II, but was brought up in Val-d'Isère in the Alps, where his family had relocated in 1945 following the war.

Jean-Claude Killy was born on Aug. 30, 1943, in St-Cloud, a suburb of Paris. He was raised at Val-d’Isère, a ski resort in the French Alps, where he first put on skis at the age of 5. When he was 18 he was chosen to participate in the world championships, but a broken ankle kept him out of the event.

Jean-Claude Killy was reared in the high ski country of Val d'Isere in the French Alps. As with many eventual sports heroes, Killy as a child often gazed through his classroom windows, hearkening to the distant call of his obsession. Truancy became a problem and his father eventually permitted him to drop out of school at 15 to pursue his dream.