Tignes
Tignes
The popularity of Tignes is simple, a combination of great snow and a large ski area with varied terrain. Indeed Tignes is one of France’s most sure snow resorts, and it remains open for an astonishing 10 months of the year.
The skiing in the Espace Killy (the linked areas of Val D’Isere and Tignes) is certainly some of the best in Europe for all abilities of skier. It is because of these reasons that we can forgive Tignes its unsightly architecture.
The centre of Tignes is at 2100m and there are three main areas: Lavachet, Val Claret and Le Lac. All the areas have a lot going on for them although Val Claret has better access to the slopes. With some of the best skiing and snowboarding in Europe, beautiful mountains and a fun, if somewhat unattractive town, it’s easy to see why so many Brits flock to Tignes each year for their skiing holidays.Pros
- Great snow guaranteed for a long season.
- A huge amount of varied terrain.
- Lots of Tignes accommodation is near to the slopes.
- Some of the best lift accessed off piste in Europe.
Cons
- The architecture in resort is stark.
- The setting is bleak and treeless.
- Many lifts are prone to closure if there are storms.
- The après ski is slightly limited but is improving.
The Skiing
In Tignes alone there are 150 km of piste. If you include Val D’Isere then the Espace Killy has 300km of piste.
With 16 blacks, 35 reds, 60 blues and 20 greens Tignes can happily accommodate all levels of skiers. And with the ski resort situated at an altitude of 2100m you can nearly always guarantee good snow.
Tignes also has excellent and extensive off piste for more experienced skiers, such as the Tignes Fingers, with a number of couloirs which are popular with locals and seasonaires. The area’s weakness is that it can close down in bad weather with heavy snow leading to high avalanche risk.
Facts And Figures
- Resort altitude 2100m
- Highest lift 3456m
- 90 lifts serving 300km of piste in Espace Killy
- Ski in/ski out accommodation is available
- Summer skiing
The Town And Apres Ski
If you are a non skier then Tignes isn’t the place to head to. Despite the availability of alternative activities Tignes is a resort for skiers. Many activities, such as husky sledding, get booked up very. There is ice-skating on the lake, ice driving at Les Brevieres and a leisure centre with pools and a wellness area.
The mountain restaurants in Tignes are not a particular highlight, as is the case with many high altitude purpose built resorts. Le Soli, at the top of the Chaudannes chair, is a favourite amongst locals and tourists alike.
There are more than 50 bars in Tignes so there is plenty going on if you know how to find it. The Crowded House and Fish Tank are popular choices amongst the Brits, whilst Le Lac is an obvious choice for après ski drinks. Try the Loop Bar, L’Embuscade, Grotte du Yeti or the Alpaka. For a late night boogie the Melting Piot is the seasonaire hangout of choice.
Useful resources
