End of an Era: Chamonix's Casino Le Royal Closes After 18 Years

A major piece of Chamonix’s downtown history is entering a transitional chapter. The City of Chamonix-Mont-Blanc has officially announced that the Casino Le Royal ceased all operations on June 4, 2026, marking the expiration of an 18-year public service delegation (DSP) contract.

The closure leaves residents with questions, largely due to a decision by the previous municipal majority not to issue a call for the renewal of the casino's operating delegation. As the contract expires, the municipality is stepping in to assume full financial control of the historic property.

A Multimillion-Euro Buyback

As the owner of the building since 2010, the City of Chamonix-Mont-Blanc is financially absorbing the conclusion of the DSP contract. The city will take back the assets provided under the original agreement for €260,000 and acquire the remaining return assets—primarily the restaurant portion of the former casino—for a sum of €1.8 million.

Local officials are already hard at work structuring the financial assembly of the buyback while simultaneously brainstorming the future purpose of the prominent architectural heritage site.

Walking Through Century-Old History

The building housing the casino carries immense historical weight for the region. Originally constructed in 1848 as the Hôtel Le Royal—acting as an extension to the Hôtel de l'Union situated across the Arve river—the venue famously hosted Emperor Napoleon III during his grand tour of the region in 1860. His visit came just two months after the signing of the Treaty of Turin, which celebrated the annexation of Savoy and Nice into France.

Property Profile

A Quiet Blueprint for the Future City Center

While losing a long-standing entertainment venue is a notable shift, city leadership views the vacancy as a rare, highly strategic opportunity to reshape Chamonix’s urban core.

"This is a very strategic site for the future of the city centre," said François-Xavier Laffin, Mayor of Chamonix-Mont-Blanc and President of the Community of Communes of the Vallée de Chamonix-Mont-Blanc. "We have the opportunity to develop this neighborhood to make it a quieter, more peaceful space, different from the shopping hypercentre."

To prevent the massive building from sitting completely dormant during the planning phases, the city intends to launch a call for expressions of interest to maintain the restaurant operations located in the annex.

"This will allow the City of Chamonix-Mont-Blanc to benefit from a rent and to give us time to think about the new life of this hotel," Mayor Laffin added. As the roulette wheels stop spinning, the focus shifts entirely to how this historic imperial landmark will serve the next generation of Chamonix locals and visitors.