Patinoire des Mélèzes

The Patinoire des Mélèzes sits in La Chaux-de-Fonds as a place where ice sports have been played for over seventy years. It has kept its place in the city since the winter of 1953.

The rink began as an outdoor sheet of ice, with a provisional inauguration that December and full completion for the 1954–1955 season. It stayed open to the sky until 1969, when a roof finally covered it, transforming it into an indoor arena. The original architect is not explicitly named in available sources, though the firm Dolci Architectes is associated with recent modernization and reconstruction projects.

The primary tenant is the ice hockey club HC La Chaux-de-Fonds, and the venue hosted their first national title win, which helped bring about the 1969 covering. Capacity has varied significantly since those early days: it was increased to 7,000 spectators during renovations between 1996 and 1998 to meet National League (LNA) standards after the team's return to the top division. Following relegation, capacity was reduced.

A major reconstruction project launched in 2021 aims to create a modern 'Ice Sports Center' with a planned capacity of 6,521 or approximately 5,810, with an estimated cost of 20–25 million Swiss Francs for the ice rink portion. The venue also features an outdoor ice track built in 1987, which is part of the current reconstruction scope. Current capacity is cited as 5,800 by Elite Prospects, while Wikipedia lists 5,225. The venue is not located in Grenoble, France, despite occasional confusion.