Royat Theatre and Casino

The casinos and theatres were essential structures in a bath town where people came for treatments but also for entertainment. The spa town has had three casinos.

The casinos and theatres were essential structures in a thermal town where people came for treatments but also for entertainment. In Royat, as in other spa towns, they were located close to the baths. The spa town had three casinos.

In 1873, a first gambling institution was built by architect Jacques Cournol. This neo-Norman-style building made from red brick and wood was dubbed “Le Chalet”. It featured several gambling rooms and various reception rooms on the first floor, a restaurant on the ground floor and a performance hall created in 1875, known as “Le Cercle”.

In 1882 another casino was built by the architect Lecat, the Samie casino. Today all that remains of this is the Villa des Champs-Elysées (12 avenue Pierre-et-Marie-Curie, Chamalières), belonging to Dr. Bassett (public health inspector between 1864 and 1880) which housed the reading lounges and the casino administration.

A fire destroyed Le Chalet in 1919. It was immediately decided to build a new casino and this project was entrusted to the architect Guillaume Tronchet (1857-1969), who also worked on the Petit Palais in Paris. The Art Deco-style casino was adjoined to the theatre, designed by Théodore Charpentier (1891- 1892). This theatre was built from brick, stone and iron. An outside gallery overlooks the garden. Wide bay windows offer a view of the garden and directly light the observation room. People came to see and be seen! The theatre hosted the biggest names in music hall and comedy. Sarah Bernard, Aristide Bruant, Édith Piaf...