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

The host city will be unveiled in March next year, Serandour said.

The cities of Grenoble, Annecy and Nice have already stated their intention to bid to host the Games.

France has previously hosted three Winter Games, in 1992 in Albertville, in 1968 in Grenoble, and in Chamonix in 1924, but recently missed out on its bid to host the 2012 Summer Olympics, a process won by London.

"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, who steps down from his post in May 2009.

"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, adding however that "to be a candidate in 2018 offers a good chance to get the Summer Olympics at a future date".

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