Chess in Aix-les-Bains and Savoie at a glance
The local picture: Savoie has five clubs listed by the FFE, four of them with licensed players in October 2026; Haute-Savoie has eleven, Isère sixteen and Hautes-Alpes three. Aix-les-Bains has one affiliated club, the Académie d'Échecs d'Aix-les-Bains (FFE no. J73075, Nationale 4, 99 licensed players).
| Département | Clubs listed by the FFE | Highest-ranked club | Guide page |
|---|---|---|---|
| Savoie (73) | 5 | CEAC Chambéry, Nationale 3 | Clubs in Savoie |
| Haute-Savoie (74) | 11 | CABE Annemasse and Faucigny, Nationale 2 | Clubs in Haute-Savoie |
| Isère (38) | 16 | Échiquier Grenoblois and Eybens, Nationale 2 | Isère and Hautes-Alpes |
| Hautes-Alpes (05) | 3 | Échiquier Haut-Alpin de Gap, Nationale 3 | Isère and Hautes-Alpes |
Playing: clubs and licences
Where to play in Aix-les-Bains
The affiliated club, its venues, its level, and the options for children, spa visitors and online players.
🏔️Clubs in Savoie
Chambéry, Aix-les-Bains, Albertville, Le Bois: venues, licensed players, divisions and advice on choosing.
🌊Clubs in Haute-Savoie
Annecy, Annemasse, Thonon, Évian, the Faucigny and the Mont-Blanc area: the eleven FFE clubs.
🏙️Grenoble, Isère, Hautes-Alpes
The Échiquier Grenoblois, founded in 1962, and the clubs of Isère, Gap and Briançon.
🪪Getting a licence
A or B licence, 2026-2027 prices in the Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes league, how to apply and the Elo rating.
Competitions: tournaments and festivals
Tournament calendar
Savoie championship, Annemasse festival, rapid and blitz events: the 2026-2027 season in tables.
⏱️Blitz and rapid chess
Definitions, FIDE time controls and every event for fast chess in Savoie and Haute-Savoie.
☀️La Plagne festival
The big summer open of the Tarentaise: tournaments, prize funds and the roll of honour from 2022 to 2026.
⛷️Les Menuires Open
The new July 2026 event, FIDE-rated: format, venue and results.
History: the great championships at the foot of the Alps
French Championships in the Alps
From Chamonix 1927 to Alpe d'Huez 2024: the table of Alpine editions and their champions.
🥇Aix-les-Bains 2003 and 2007
Bacrot's fifth title and Vachier-Lagrave's first, champion at sixteen and a half.
🇪🇺Europe 2011 in Aix-les-Bains
393 players, 41 countries, Potkin an unexpected winner and Judit Polgar on the podium.
🚴Alpe d'Huez 2023-2024
Gozzoli, Moussard, Hejazipour, Daulytė-Cornette: two knockout championships.
Holidays and about
Chess on holiday
Aix-les-Bains, championship resorts, summer festivals: how to plan a chess break in the mountains.
ℹ️About this guide
Who writes it, where the data comes from, and why this site is not affiliated with any club.
Chess in Aix-les-Bains: what you need to know
Aix-les-Bains, on the shores of Lac du Bourget, is not just a spa town: it is one of the French towns that hosted the most major chess competitions at the start of the century, with two French championships (2003 and 2007) and an individual European championship (2011). Today the town has one FFE-affiliated club, which plays in Nationale 4, and the 2026-2027 Savoie championship is being played in Aix-les-Bains.
Académie d'Échecs d'Aix-les-Bains: an association affiliated to the FFE under number J73075, the only chess club in Aix-les-Bains recorded by the federation. Registered office at 15 avenue d'Annecy, with playing rooms on avenue d'Annecy and boulevard Wilson. Official website: aixlesbainsechecs.org. This guide is independent of it.
To find a club by town, in Aix as elsewhere in France, you can also consult the chess clubs of Aix-les-Bains in the Palais des Échecs directory, which covers the whole country.
Chess in Savoie: the season in a few dates
- October 2026 to January 2027: Savoie championship in Aix-les-Bains, nine rounds over four weekends.
- 17 to 23 October 2026: 4th Annemasse International Festival.
- 24 October 2026: 10th Chambéry Blitz and 7th Maurice David Open in Annemasse.
- 31 October 2026: 1st Halloween Tournament in Albertville.
- July: La Plagne and Les Menuires festivals (2027 dates to be announced).
Full details are in the tournament calendar.
How this guide is put together
Every club, tournament or result cited is checked at source: club and tournament pages on the French Chess Federation website, FIDE reports, organisers' websites. Practical information is dated, and the club's or organiser's own website always remains the reference. This guide publishes neither club fees nor personal contact details. See the about page.
Frequently asked questions
Is there a chess club in Aix-les-Bains?
Yes: the Académie d'Échecs d'Aix-les-Bains, affiliated to the FFE (no. J73075), which plays in Nationale 4. Its official website is aixlesbainsechecs.org. This independent guide has no connection with the club.
How many chess clubs are there in Savoie?
In October 2026 the FFE lists five clubs in the Savoie committee: Chambéry, Aix-les-Bains, Albertville, Le Bois and Jongieux, the last with no licensed players this season.
Where can I play a chess tournament in Savoie?
The Savoie championship is played in Aix-les-Bains in 2026-2027; blitz and rapid events are held in Chambéry, Albertville and Aix-les-Bains, and in summer the La Plagne and Les Menuires festivals welcome players of every level.
Is this the website of the Aix-les-Bains club?
No. Échecs en Savoie is an independent editorial site, not affiliated with the Académie d'Échecs d'Aix-les-Bains or any club. The club's official website is aixlesbainsechecs.org.