Casino d'Ax-les-Thermes

The Casino d'Ax-les-Thermes is a historic casino and entertainment building in the spa town of Ax-les-Thermes, in the Ariège department of the Occitanie region of France. The building was completed in 1911, following a long effort to establish a casino in the town: several projects had failed since 1895, and in 1907 the theater hall and gaming rooms opened in the still-unfinished structure. In 1908 the municipality commissioned the Toulouse architect Pierre Mouré to complete the casino, and all works were finished in 1911. Major repairs were already carried out in 1925. The building is notable for its broad layout, with large terraces on the south and north sides. A central hall gives access to the side wings: to the west a café and the gaming rooms, and to the east the theater. Two towers with viewing platforms rise above the building. From 1928 a new concessionaire, the Compagnie Immobilière et Foncière France Indochine (CIFFIC), was contractually required to build a new and larger terrace, which allowed the shops beneath it to be enlarged; the central outdoor staircase was also enlarged. At the same time, an events hall was added at the rear and the internal layout of the existing wings was changed. The upper part of the towers was altered in the 1950s, and extensive renovations of the building took place in the 2000s. Today the casino operates as part of the JOA group, a French casino and leisure operator, and is presented on the JOA website as one of its casino venues. It serves both as a gaming establishment and as a cultural and entertainment landmark in the Pyrenean spa town, whose thermal waters have long made it a tourist destination. The building is documented in the French architectural heritage database Base Mérimée.

The Casino d'Ax-les-Thermes was built in the spa town of Ax-les-Thermes in the Ariège department of the Occitanie region of France. Efforts to establish a casino in the town date back to 1895, when several projects were proposed but failed. In 1907, the theater hall and gaming rooms opened in a building that was not yet completely finished. In 1908, the municipality commissioned the Toulouse architect Pierre Mouré to complete the casino, and all works were finished in 1911. Major repairs were already carried out in 1925. The building has a broad layout with large terraces on the south and north sides. A central hall provides access to the side wings: to the west a café and the gaming rooms, and to the east the theater. Two towers with viewing platforms rise above the building. From 1928, a new concessionaire, the Compagnie Immobilière et Foncière France Indochine (CIFFIC), was contractually required to build a new and larger terrace, which allowed the shops beneath it to be enlarged; the central outdoor staircase was also enlarged. At the same time, an events hall was added at the rear and the internal layout of the existing wings was changed. The upper part of the towers was altered in the 1950s, and extensive renovations of the building took place in the 2000s. The building is documented in the French architectural heritage database Base Mérimée.

• 2000

  Extensive renovations of the building took place.

• 1950

  The upper part of the towers was altered.

• 1928

  New concessionaire CIFFIC was contractually required to build a new and larger terrace, enlarge the central staircase, add a rear events hall, and change the internal layout.

• 1925

  Major repairs were carried out.

• 1911

  All construction works were completed.

• 1908

  The municipality commissioned Toulouse architect Pierre Mouré to complete the casino.

• 1907

  The theater hall and gaming rooms opened in the still-unfinished building.

• 1895

  Several projects to build a casino in Ax-les-Thermes were proposed but failed.

Historic spa-town casino and entertainment venue operated by the JOA group.

• Casino gaming rooms

• Theater hall

• Café

• Events hall

1. 1Wikidata: Casino d'Ax-les-Thermeswikidata.org
2. 2Wikipedia (German): Casino (Ax-les-Thermes)de.wikipedia.org
3. 3JOA: Casino d'Ax-les-Thermesjoa.fr