Parc Olympique de Chamonix
During the 1924 Olympic Games, the multi-functional Stade Olympique de Chamonix was the main Games venue, hosting the cross-country skiing, curling, ice hockey, military patrol, figure skating and speed skating competitions and the Opening and Closing Ceremonies at Chamonix 1924.
Built especially for the Games around an existing speed-skating rink (La patinoire du Bouchet), at the time of its construction, its artificial ice sheet was the largest in the world at 36 000 m². After the Games it was opened up to the public for recreational ice sports and to clubs for training. It hosted the European Men’s All-Around Figure Skating Championships in 1926, the cross-country events at the inaugural FIS Nordic World Ski Championships in 1937, and the French All-Around Figure Skating Championships in 1961. Maintenance of the ice sheet was discontinued that year, however, and it was no longer in use by the time the stadium was repurposed in 1970.
Little remains of the original ice rink and Pavillon, but the area is still the town's sporting core. The reconversion in 1970 made way for a new multi-purpose sports complex, the Centre Sportif Richard Bozon. This complex remains in use today, sitting on the historic grounds of the 1924 ice rink. As a result of this, more recently, it has become known as the “Parc Olympique”, a name change that seeks to recognise that the historic site is now home to multiple facilities. In 2024, the celebration of the centenary of the Games culminated with the unveiling of the Olympic rings at the entrance of the Parc Olympique.
The Parc Olympique continues to garner popularity among local residents. The facilities include two speed skating rinks, a swimming pool, squash court, climbing wall, gym, ice rink, and an athletics track. The complex was formerly the home of Chamonix Hockey Club, the most successful ice hockey team in France prior to its merger in 2016 with another local club.