Jean Vuarnet was born on January 18, 1933 in Tunis, French Protectorate of Tunisia [now Tunisia]. He was married to Édith Bonlieu. He died on January 2, 2017 in Sallanches, Haute-Savoie, France.
Gold medalist in 1960 for downhill skying, he invented the egg skying position. He was later one of the creators of Avoriaz ski station. He had a sportswear company.
He lost his wife Édith and Patrick his youngest son in the Order of the Solar Temple (OTS) mass murder and suicide pact of December 1995.