Holiday Letting Rules in Chamonix

What Chamonix property owners need to know about registration, change-of-use rules and holiday letting in the Chamonix Valley.

Can I Still Rent My Property on Airbnb in Chamonix?

Yes, you can still rent your property on Airbnb in Chamonix, but the rules have changed.

Since 1 May 2025, furnished holiday rentals across the Chamonix Valley have been subject to tighter local regulation. Simply owning an apartment or chalet and creating an Airbnb listing is no longer enough. Properties need to meet the relevant registration requirements and, depending on ownership and circumstances, may also require authorisation for a change of use.

For existing owners, new buyers and anyone considering turning a Chamonix property into a holiday rental, understanding these rules before you start is increasingly important.

The good news is that holiday letting remains very much part of life in the Chamonix Valley. You simply need to make sure your property is set up correctly.

Do I Need to Register My Holiday Let with the Mairie?

Yes.  Holiday rentals in the Chamonix Valley must be registered with the relevant commune.

Since 1 May 2025, all meublés de tourisme across Chamonix-Mont-Blanc, Les Houches, Servoz and Vallorcine have been required to register through the valley's dedicated online system.

This applies whether you're preparing a property for its first season or have been successfully holiday letting it for years. Existing holiday rentals were also required to bring themselves into compliance with the new system.

Registration matters because it formally identifies your property as furnished tourist accommodation and generates the registration number required for your advertising.

It is worth remembering that rules can differ elsewhere in France. If you own properties in both Chamonix and Saint-Gervais, for example, don't assume that the process for one commune will automatically be identical to the other. French government guidance specifically advises owners to check the procedure required by the mairie where their property is located.

If you'd prefer not to navigate the registration process yourself, our in-resort property management partner, Chamserve, can help with the paperwork and local administration required to get your holiday rental set up correctly.

Do I Need Change-of-Use Authorisation?

For many owners in the Chamonix Valley, registration is only part of the process. Change-of-use authorisation may also be required.

The Chamonix Valley introduced its autorisation préalable de changement d'usage alongside the new registration rules from 1 May 2025.

Current Chamonix guidance states that properties owned by natural persons (personnes physiques) require change-of-use authorisation. The published guidance distinguishes properties held by legal entities (personnes morales), noting that they are subject to a separate regulatory position.

This is important because registration and change of use are not the same thing. Receiving a registration number doesn't necessarily mean you've completed every regulatory step relevant to your property.

Change-of-use authorisation is also where the Chamonix Valley's limits on the number of holiday rentals become particularly significant. The official rules introduced limits on authorisations, including one property per natural person in Chamonix-Mont-Blanc and Les Houches, with different arrangements elsewhere in the valley.

What Is DECLALOC and Do I Need It?

DECLALOC is the online platform used by the Chamonix Valley to manage holiday-rental registration and, where applicable, change-of-use applications.

This is an area where terminology can quickly become confusing.

DECLALOC isn't another type of licence that sits alongside your Mairie registration. In the Chamonix Valley, it is the online system through which the local registration process is carried out.

The official Chamonix guidance directs owners of furnished tourist accommodation to the valley's dedicated DECLALOC platform. Through it, owners can register their meublé de tourisme and, where required, submit an application for change-of-use authorisation.

So rather than thinking:

Mairie registration + DECLALOC registration + registration number

it is more helpful to think of DECLALOC as the online route through which these local administrative steps are managed.

That distinction is useful, particularly for overseas owners who may encounter several different French terms while setting up their property.

Before You Start Taking Bookings

The main thing to take from all of this is that holiday letting in Chamonix is still possible, but setting up a property correctly now requires more thought than simply putting it online.

Before accepting bookings, make sure you understand which registration and authorisation requirements apply to your particular property and ownership structure. If you're purchasing specifically with holiday letting in mind, we'd recommend investigating this before completing the purchase, rather than discovering afterwards that the property cannot be operated in the way you'd planned.

There are other considerations too, including your SIRET registration, DPE, copropriété rules, insurance, tax position and tourist classification.

At Chamonix Holidays, we've spent more than 20 years helping owners make the most of their properties in the Chamonix Valley. We handle the commercial side of holiday letting, including marketing, bookings, pricing and guest communication, working alongside our local Chamserve team for property care and in-resort support.

If you're considering holiday letting, buying a property or reviewing how an existing rental is being managed, tell us a little about your property using the form below.