French Casinos: Casino Enghien-les-Baines

Enghien-les-Bains is a municipality of about 12 000 inhabitants, located in the district of Val-d'Oise, at the entrance to the valley of Montmorency, about 11 kilometers from Paris. It is a particularly charming residential town and is a place in its own right despite being a suburb of the French capital.

The main reason for this is that the city is the only resort of the Ile-de-France. Indeed the town boasts a unique setting, surrounded by greenery with its villas of the bourgeoisie and famous lake. It also holds many events and performances throughout the year.

On top of this, it also features a superb spa designed by Louis Soors and the designer Pascal Desprez, which occupies a total area of 13 000m ² and hosts thousands of visitors each year. All that said, the main attraction of this town is undoubtedly its casino.

(photo (c) Casino Barrière d'Enghien-les-Bains)

The luxury of Enghien-les-Bains

Located along the lake, the Enghien-les-Bains is the closest casino to Paris, situated less than ten kilometers from the capital (unlike the casino at Deauville, which is 173km away).

Originally built in 1901, it was rebuilt and equipped with a theater 10 years later before being converted into a hospital during the first war. In 1988, the Lucien Barrière Group acquired the casino and then renovated it completely in 2001 once approval had been granted to open a room for slot machines. The casino finally opened in April 2002 before being extended the following year.

Today, it is open all year round, 7 days a week, from 10am to 4am, and offers over 450 slot machines, ranging from 1 cent to €10. There are also plenty of table games available in various luxurious rooms:

• English Roulette

•  French Roulette

• Blackjack

• Stud Poker

• Punto Banco

The casino also houses a fine restaurant and 3 bars.

An All-year-round Destination

Unlike the casinos of seaside resorts, which would tend to attract a seasonal clientele, the Enghien-les-Bains attracts esteemed gamblers all year round. There are plenty of high rollers and the stakes waged here are far higher than the national average.

It is therefore no surprise that the Enghien-les-Bains is now the leading French casino in terms of turnover. Its steady increase in visitor numbers may even see if become Europe's most popular casino at some stage in the future. In 2006, gross gaming turnover totaled approximately 135 million euros and was distributed 70% on slot machines and 30% on table games.

Enghien-les-Bains is a resort comprising much more than just the casino; luxury hotels, restaurants and sports and recreation activities are in plentiful supply. It's clear to see why it's a popular place for rich Frenchmen to entertain guests.