Background
Nicolas was born in Lampaul-Guimiliau, Finistère, and started her professional career in USM Gagny.
handball player association football player
Nicolas was born in Lampaul-Guimiliau, Finistère, and started her professional career in USM Gagny.
She was voted into the All-Star Team in the 2007 World Championship. From 1995 to 2003 she played for top club Exact Sciences Besançon. After this successful season, she moved to Denmark to play for Viborg Hong Kong. She stayed at Viborg from 2003 to 2007, winning two s (in 2004 and 2006), two s, the in 2006 and the in 2004.
She then played for Ikast/Bording EH one season, 2007/08, before returning to France to play for N2 (French fourth division) club ASPTT Nice.
Nicolas made her debut on the French national team in 1995. Until her retirement from the national team in 2008 (after the Summer Olympics), Valérie Nicolas played 234 international matches.
In 1997 she finishted 10th at the World Championship. In 2000 she finished 6th at the Olympics in Sydney, and 5th at the European Championship.
At the 2004 Summer Olympics in Athens she finished fourth with the national team
She competed at the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing, where the French team finished fifth, and she ranked shared second on the Top Goalkeepers list with a 40% save rate.
At the 2007 World Championship in France, where the French team placed fifth, her performance was recognized again, and she was selected a member of the All-Star Team together with her Ikast teammates Gro Hammerseng and Katja Nyberg. Most Valuable Player and member of the All Star Team of the 2003 World Championship
Member of the All Star Team of the 2007 World Championship.