Chamonix bans new hotels to address housing shortage

Chamonix, a ski resort in the French Alps, has banned new hotels and holiday flats to address a housing shortage for its 9,000 residents. This makes it the first town in France to implement such a restriction. The ban is part of a new urban plan aimed at increasing permanent housing. Mayor Éric Fournier noted that 70% of the housing stock consists of second homes, many of which remain empty for most of the year. This decision follows a trend in France, where towns are raising taxes on second-home owners. Other European locations are also facing protests over tourism's impact on local housing and living costs.