Tignes, France

Visitor reviews for Tignes

• April 21, 2008
  Dusko Koncar from CROATIA
  

  I went to Tignes from 3-10 of April and was amazed with the snow and resort itself. Tignes is not ugly as everybody is saying: pure concrete and stuff. There is no concrete as such, purpose built blocks are covered in wood and white facade and when looked from afar is impressive (those buildings work well with peaks surrounding them). Anyway, with global warming, in order to save space, we will see more of those as the skiing area shrinks. Snow is brilliant; plenty of it everywhere. Not many cannons to be seen there. In Val D'Isere area, closer to the village, it was going a bit sloshed but Tignes was mad with snow. Best skiing in Europe!

• April 11, 2008
  Marian de Jong from NETHERLANDS
  

  In Tignes Val Claret geweest van 29 maart t/m 5 april 2008. Een geweldige vakantie met veel sneeuw en zon. Een van de mooiste (zo niet het mooiste) skigebied waar we zijn geweest. We hebben natuurlijk ook wel de beste omstandigheden gehad met verse sneeuw, veel sneeuw en uitstekende pistes. Wij hebben ervaren dat het skigebied zeer gevarieerd is, zowel voor beginnende als gevorderde skieers. Veel off-piste mogelijkheden, prima liften en aanlsuiting op het gebied van Val D'Isere. Leuke, gezellige piste restaurants.
  Wij hebben een week een catered chalet gehad (Mountain soul, wat gerund werd door Suzanne en Peter(Nederlanders). Een echte aanrader. Gezellig, goed eten en dicht bij het dorp aan het Lac.
  Volgend jaar gaan we zeker terug.
  Ton en Marian de Jong

  [Editors note: Would you like to translate your review into English for the benefit of those who don't speak Dutch?
  Many thanks,]

• January 13, 2008
  timo smit from UNITED KINGDOM
  

  Just been for a week; 6th till the 13th and it has been amazing. Resort is very nice and not "concrete" as it may have been known to some. Runs are spectacular as is the snow and it's a pleasure being taught by the instructors. Club Tignes 2100 was very poor though! Meals smaller than what a dog would receive.

• December 06, 2007
  Eamonn from IRELAND
  

  My family and I have been staying and skiing in Tignes for the past 4 years and in comparison to other European resorts that we have experienced, you will find the best snow conditions in this resort. The architecture is definitely lacking but the convenience of the free bus link and easy access to the pistes makes up for the lack of traditional alpine charm. I meet a lot of skiers on the lifts who confess that the lifts and slopes in Tignes are more superior than neighbouring Val D'Isere. So that great debate continues!!

• March 27, 2007
  kathy connor from UNITED KINGDOM
  

  Greg - are you sure you don't work for skibrev!!
  We've just come back from Tignes, having been there for the second year in a row. Staying in Le Lac rather than Les Brevieres meant that we found it much easier to explore the entire region, being able to get over to Val d'Isere in only 2 lifts and 2 runs. Le Lac doesn't have the charm of Les Brevieres, though. The piste grading over the region is a little bizarre - there are blacks that are no worse than reds (Leisse and Trolles) yet (especially in Val D'Isere) blues that are more like hard reds. But in modest conditions they were all ski-able. We did a lot of skiing in our week there and still didn't try out all the runs. Fantastic area that keeps you occupied for the whole week.

• March 20, 2007
  jorge sousa from PORTUGAL
  

  Just came back from Tignes. Great ski holiday. The snow was great but a bit slushy in the afternoon. Great weather but a bit hot on the lower slopes. The " Espace Killy " is amazing with wonderful spots and amazing views. The people are warm and very friendly. We stayed in an apartment in Val Claret. It was small but well located. The prices for me were a bit " heavy", for example a dinner out was never less 40€, a 1,5L bottle of water was 5€ ( Val D´Isere), 2 coffees, a coke and fresh fries were 25€ (Les Boisses). Ok, we know that they only have 4 months to get rich!!!!but for me it is a place to return. Probably next season.

• February 28, 2007
  Greg from UNITED KINGDOM
  

  Just come back from the best ski holiday we've ever been on. We stayed in a fabulous chalet in Tignes, Les Brevieres. I can't express how good this place was. The chalet was so large for the 12 of us compared to other chalets we've stayed in and it was true luxury! If you're interested check out there website www.skibrev.com
  It's so difficult booking things on line when you don't really know the area or the chalet/hotel and we were as nervous as usual, but the first time we walked into the main lounge room we all went "WOW"!" We had definitely booked the right place.
  The lounge is part of the open plan top floor. It was huge and overlooked the village, lake and pistes. It had floor to roof windows along the whole front wall, rising up to massive exposed beams in the roof.
  The rest of the chalet didn't disappoint either. The bedrooms are all en-suite (with proper baths not just a poky shower in the corner!) and three of them also had lovely built in pine bunks for the children. This made a big difference as rather than paying almost the full adult rate for our children (like we normally have to do) we only had to pay £170 for them. I don't know why other companies don't do this. Also, our room was a suite with its own lounge with TV and DVD player!!! We allocated this to ourselves as group leaders; well you've got to have some perks for all the hassle of organising a ski trip!!!
  Downstairs in the basement was a massive games room with a pool table, table football, table tennis table and TV, DVD and Sky TV. This kept the children out of our hair in the evenings and also provided some late night pool tournaments. We all got progressively worse as the free beer flowed!
  The food in this place is also out of this world and certainly not what you'd expect from a chalet. And the staff were all so helpful. Nothing was too much trouble.
  The village is lovely too. So much nicer than the larger villages of Tignes, Le Lac and Val d'Isere. In Brevieres we felt part of the community even though we were only there for a week. The snow was also great, despite all the warnings on the BBC of a bad season in Europe.
  All in all, we had a great time and I would definitely recommend this chalet to anyone. We'll certainly be going back next year. After 15 years organising skiing holidays I've finally found the place I want to go back to. All I have to do now is make sure I get organised early enough as I'm sure it will book up quickly for next season.

• December 11, 2006
  Graeme Stacey from UNITED KINGDOM
  

  Tignes is simply the best, I just keep going back. I've stayed in Val D'Isere but not as good as I wasted time geting over to Tignes. I've skied there from Jan through to April and the snow has always been good. My only gripes are:

  1) You really need a guide to safely find the best powder, unlike the States.
  2) It's high and unforgiving in bad weather, it could do with some plastic pop up trees to help here!

  I challenge anyone to only go once, it won't happen you'll have to go back.

• November 29, 2006
  Kathy Connor from UNITED KINGDOM
  

  Tignes is the only resort that I've been to (out of 2 italian and 4 in France) that I want to go straight back to the following year, so I am. Such a vast area to ski when you include Val d'Isere. Had great food wherever we lunched (stayed in chalet so everything else was catered for). Stayed in Les Brevieres last time and would definitely recommend it - staying in Le Lac this time for a bit more convenience. Can't wait.

• November 02, 2006
  Daniel from UNITED KINGDOM
  

  Hi. I went to Tignes for the first time last year (at Easter). It was the first time I'd skied outside of December/January, so I was a bit worried (my entire year's mood is based on the quality of snow for my one week in France). It really is amazing, Easter last year was late (8-16th April) but the snow was incredible, even down at Le Breviere one could ski all week, although it was a bit slushy. On top, and from about 2200m, it was pretty much like the depths of winter. It was still getting to -26C at 3400m, combine that with the wind-chill, and it won't feel like spring at all.
  Going at Easter again this year (and Easter is a tad earlier). I reckon, even despite the concrete, Tignes (i.e. Espace Killy - do make use of Val) beats La Clusaz, Pila and Courmayeur (sp.?), the only other places that I've skied/boarded.
  A Bientot.

• May 09, 2006
  James from UNITED KINGDOM
  

  Good late season skiing in Tignes is almost guaranteed - far better than Xmas or New Year when the weather can be miserable and the snow not that good unless there's been a big early dump. I've just come back having stayed in Tignes, Les Brevieres and could ski all the way down (it was a bit slushy at the bottom). The best snow is high up and it makes such a difference to be able to sit out on the sun terraces at the mountain restaurants for lunch rather than huddle inside trying to keep warm.

• April 02, 2006
  Gill from UNITED KINGDOM
  

  Been to Tignes at the end of the season (last week in April) two years ago and going again last week in April this year. Weather was brilliant last time, nice and sunny. I think it snowed a little one or two nights up on the mountain to freshen up the slope. Snow is generally good higher up the mountain, can get heavy mid to late afternoon, especially on the main runs down to the resort. There has been plenty of recent snow though so skiing should be good.

• April 01, 2006
  Valerie Keeley from UNITED KINGDOM
  

  We have just booked a late holiday in Tignes (Le Lac) 23rd - 30th April. Not ever skied so late before and am wondering if any of you skiaholics out there have any information on what we could expect the conditions to be like so late in the season?

• March 30, 2006
  Dan from UNITED KINGDOM
  

  Perhaps I am wrong, but altitude sickness at 3500m seems fairly unlikely. Headaches in Tignes are more likely to be down to expanding air in your head or, as the man says, the wine.
  I'm going out next week - could anyone who has been this late in the season calm my worries about the conditions. I'm used to going to La Clusaz at Xmas/New Year - is it likely to compare?

• February 16, 2006
  Mark from UNITED KINGDOM
  

  Tignes is quite simply the best all round resort in Europe (never been skiing outside Europe so can't comment on the world!)
  I ski in Tignes 4 times a season from early Dec - to mid April and the snow is excellent most of the time. Off-piste is just vast!
  Last season I decided to buy a place in Val Claret because it is so snow sure! Anyone interested can look at www.tignesapartment.com
  Come to Tignes you won't regret it - oh by the way April is the forgotton month - clear blue skies, big dumps of snow at night and empty pistes. Plus it warms up nicely compared to Jan / Feb.

• February 14, 2006
  David Perry from UNITED KINGDOM
  

  We've just got back from a week in Tignes with Mark Warner and really enjoyed our time there (four adults and two children.) All in all conditions were ok at the start of the week but with a couple of days snow we were treated to some fantastic on/off-piste conditions! They do a great job looking after the runs and the variation of being able to run into other areas keeps up the interest, although watch out for some small stones starting to appear on one or two of the popular runs back to the village!! It's a high resort and a few of our group regularly mentioned altitude sickness/headaches (maybe the wine had something to do with that though)!? Before going I'd heard mention of the look of the concrete town being a negative, my view was, yes maybe but look up above that and take in the breathtaking Alps, enjoy the well groomed runs and magical off piste opportunities!! Worth a trip? Yes!

• January 31, 2006
  Chris from UNITED KINGDOM
  

  We've just returned from a fantastic week in Tignes Les Brevieres - not at all like the other Tignes villages. It was far more authentic and had a true mountain village feel to it. We stayed with SkiBrev in Chalet La Sache - what a truly wonderful place! Without a doubt the best ski holiday ever.

• January 01, 2006
  John Handy from UNITED KINGDOM
  

  I have spent 2 seasons in Tignes, they are some of the best days of my life.
  The resort is expansive and varied, something for all from the bunny slopes to the steep and the deep!
  I would recommend it to any one for the experience of a life time :-)

• December 08, 2005
  David Taylor from FRANCE
  

  Tignes is simply a fantastic ski resort. With its link in to Val d'Isere you get an awesome ski area with more runs than you can do in 10 solid days skiing. If you count the off-piste, which is superb you really cannot go wrong. Its high altitude (a bunch of runs ovzer 3000m) almost guarantees that you can ski anytime between November and May (usually summer galcier skiing too - Ed.) I take a group of friends skiing every year, this year is our 17th trip. We have been everywhere, and Tignes has become our firm favourite, we return year after year to a little hotel in Tignes le Lac. The next trip is March 25, 2006...

  The downside, well, Val Claret is far from a cute little Austrian village, but who cares, it is dark at night and in the day you are skiing or surfing the mountains and no need to look at it. At night, looking over the lake with the mountains floodlit it still takes the wind out of you.

  I type this I am sitting in Whistler, not bad here, but I rate Tignes above it.

• November 29, 2005
  Sally Chapman from UNITED KINGDOM
  

  It's certainly not the prettiest of ski resorts but Tignes offers some great early skiing prior to the Christmas rush and on a very descent budget. If you are keen to squeeze in some early skiing prior to the main season starting, the resort offers some excellent deals. The Espace Killy can often open by the end of November offering some vast skiing terrain. Check out out early season courses for all levels starting late November to late December at www.inspiredtoski.com.

• October 29, 2005
  Chris Pierce from UNITED KINGDOM
  

  Fantastic skiing on the Espace Killy, too many runs to do in a week. Being a glacier resort it gives a longer season than most. Well groomed slopes and little queing at the lifts makes this an excellent place for all levels of skiers.Plenty of off piste excitement. There is a great selection of restaurants and other apres ski activities. Plenty of cost effective accommodation, try www.tignes4ski.co.uk for self catering apartment

• August 31, 2005
  Daniel Evans from UNITED KINGDOM
  

  Tignes is enormous with masses of off and on piste and so many lifts you just can't get it all done in a week. Which is why I have lived the snow life there for so long! I had to do something good to keep me accustomed to the mountain life so I now run Dragon Lodge - a 25 person Chalet in Tignes Le Lac, established 9 years ago. October to May and Summer too. The Tignes Glacier keeps us going 10 months a year! Check out a great place to stay at a very reasonable price (from £199 half board) on www.DragonLodge.com

• April 26, 2005
  phil smith from UNITED KINGDOM
  

  Tignes is fantastic. This is where we base all our ski courses from early to late season. We atart skiing in October and don't finish until May. Race Training, Off Piste, Bumps and All Terrain. If you want great skiing with guaranteed snow then this is the place to ski. Check out our All Mountain Ski Courses on www.snoworks.co.uk.

• February 16, 2005
  Huub Dijkstra from NETHERLANDS
  

  It's one of the nicest places I've been for a wintersport. Especially Tignes Val Claret, it has a lot of nice bars and restaurants and nightclubs. The pistes are fantastic and the snow seems to be always powder. There is an easy connection to Val d'Isere and you can go down from 3450mtr(Grand Motte) to 1550mtr(Les Brevieres). I'm very sure that I'll will be back next year.

• January 25, 2005
  Chris from UNITED KINGDOM
  

  Tignes is not a pretty resort, but I have been 5 or 6 times and am about to go again this Sunday 30th Jan 2005. For me the standard and quality of the skiing can't be bettered, especially the black runs. A black run is truly a black run here! No red runs with black markers as in 3 valleys (thats my opinion!)
  When you have done Epaule de Charvet in a whiteout, you know you have been down a mogulled black! And as for La Face down into Val D'Isere... a good test for the knees/legs!
  There are many other excellent blues and reds (e.g. Rocs) around for most standards, and queues are almost non existant.
  Also a drop of just under a vertical mile down into Tignes les Breviere with choice of blue red (part way) or black (really a red with a short but very steep mogulled gully part way down) down to the bottom.

• December 09, 2004
  Paul Cawson from UNITED KINGDOM
  

  Very high and cold resort minus 40 one day.So cold the elastic became brittle on our ski passes and snaped so we lost them both.You cannot get a refund on a lost pass so have to get another at £140!The train link to the top of the resort could be a bit erratic Once doing a emergancy stop leaving every One in a heap on the floor covered in skis at the centre of a pitch Black tunnel.Lots of bars and night clubs but no one was out of a night it was too cold.I found the skiing Ok but not great due to the weather.Try the Face into Val D Isere well worth the trip

• December 21, 2003
  Wim Debaere from BELGIUM
  

  This year, I go for the fourth time to Tignes. The mean places of Tignes are 'Le Lac' and 'Val Claret'. These two places are artificial made resorts at a hight of 2100 m. The most slopes are situated around these two places. This height means snow from end November till begin May and a fantastic snow quality till late in the season. Especially the 'Grand Motte' glacier has some great slopes starting at a hight of 3450 m.
  Tignes is a modern ski resort with all the needs for ski and apr?s ski. But like a said, it is a artificial made resort and you don't find the charm of an authentic resort.

• December 03, 2003
  bob from UNITED KINGDOM
  

  We went to Tignes in late March 03 and i have to admit my first impressions were not good, its not pretty, this impression didnt get any better when we got to our accomodation which was in the Hameau du Borsat appartments, this was quickly renamed the Hameau du Borstal. This first impression didnt last long as we hit the piste and were amazed at the snow quality for this late in the season. The bars around our cell block were good and did reasonable priced food and drink if you were in at happy hour, the stand outs were the fish tank and the ubiquitous crowded house. The highlight of our week was a nice dump of fresh powder so we got 4 days of great conditions to end a good season. This is by no means a pretty group of resorts but what it offers in the way of terrain is pretty awesome, enough to ensure we will be returning next March to again end our season in style !

• 
  James from UNITED KINGDOM
  

  Just got back from Tignes too - great late season snow despite the high temperatures. Anyway sunning yourself in restaurants beats the freezing cold of January.
  Skiing was obviously best up high but even the runs into the villages were skiable without too many bare patches.
  I'll be back again next year.
  James

• 
  jonathan watkins from UNITED KINGDOM
  

  Wow what a holiday. The quickest holiday I've ever had, thats for sure. Tignes is absolutely brilliant. Such a wide range of runs, you just cant do it all in one week (Val d'Isere as well). Good snow, great runs, 5 star for me.