The mayor of Chamonix, the pretty ski resort at the junction of France, Switzerland and Italy, wants to prohibit the construction of second homes to privilege its inhabitants, while limiting the construction and expansion of hotels.
Thanks to the law Le Meur of November 2024 which strengthens the power of mayors to regulate the multiplication of furnished tourist rentals, the mayor of Chamonix, Eric Fournier, intends to prohibit the construction of second homes. The goal? Reserve 87.5% of residential space for permanent residents by 2035.
Benefit residents and newcomers
“To meet the ambition of creating and converting 1,000 housing units over the next ten years, the municipality will no longer allow any new construction of second homes by introducing permanent housing easements allowed by the new Le Meur law in all urbanized areas,” said Chamonix in a recent statement. At present, the city in the French Alps has 70% of second homes (about 10,000 out of 14,000), which is the maximum threshold according to Mayor Eric Fournier.
This rate of secondary housing significantly increases the price of housing per m2, sometimes reaching up to 20,000 euros per m2 as in central Paris. Small dwellings of about twenty m2 are now offered at more than 1000 euros, which prevents a large part of the premises and potential inhabitants from housing.
However, the mayor of Chamonix does not want his city to become a tourist municipality with exorbitant prices per m2 reserved for wealthy customers. Eric Fournier wants to benefit the 9,000 inhabitants spread over 12 hectares and allow new residents and seasonal workers to build their lives in the resort. All new second-home construction, “cold beds” as the housing market calls them, will now be frozen to prioritize permanent housing. A first in France.
By 2035, Chamonix wants to reserve 87.5% of new properties for permanent housing. The city will also impose 50% of social mix and 25% for any construction above 200m2.
The hotel industry also questioned
The hotel sector is also affected by these new measures. While there are already few virgin lands in Chamonix, the construction of large establishments will be prohibited.
Regarding hotels already installed in the city, the boxes of about forty rooms will be able to carry out works of expansion of 30% maximum. Large hotels will only be able to expand their building by 20% and only if these works are intended to accommodate workers and/ or seasonal workers.
All these decisions aim to protect and benefit the inhabitants who really make the commune live while giving it a soul, but also to fight against overtourism. Between taxes at the entrance of cities, surveillance of airbnb rentals, limited reservations to access certain sites and the prohibition of large cruise ships in small ports, Tourist sites are increasingly putting in place measures to provide some comfort for residents. And thus preserve their heritage from damage caused by the massive influx of travellers.
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Featured photo : © Jonathan Fors – Unsplash
