Snowsure: 4.9
- Occasionally gets enough snow for skiing
- Is often closed due to a lack of snow
- Occasionally suffers from a lack of snow
- Rarely suffers from a lack of snow
- Tignes is snowsure even in the poorest seasons
Visitor reviews for Tignes Ski Resort
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(NOTE: Reviews may be edited by our content team for the purposes of ensuring accurate and relevant information)
(NOTE: Reviews may be edited by our content team for the purposes of ensuring accurate and relevant information)
Latest
November 06, 2016
Ronan from
United Kingdom
Ronan from
United Kingdom
February 23, 2016
joe from
United Kingdom
joe from
United Kingdom
I have read the previous reviews and I believe that people are in some ways missing the point. In terms of skiing the Espace Killy is as good as anywhere. This is especially so off-piste. In terms of lift system it is light years behind most resorts of comparable size.
If you visit Saalbach or Ischgl in Austria you rarely queue and have the luxury of heated and covered fast chairs. In Tignes and Val that is the exception rather than the rule. Above Tignes there are four old slow chairs all serving the area around the Aguille Percee.
The access to the Tignes boarder cross is via an ancient drag with huge queues. This doesn't happen in many other resorts but then again their skiing isn't as good.
Tignes and Val attract visitors due to the excellent slopes and snow. They don't invest in the lift system as other resorts do and this is the trade off.
There are far better, more efficient lift systems elsewhere but few other places with the same quality of slope and snow.
Joe.
December 21, 2015
Bogusman from
United Kingdom
Bogusman from
United Kingdom
Like another reviewer, I am nonplussed by the reviews that say the lift system is outdated. I have skied in Tignes and/or Val d'Isere about 15 times in the last decade. Off the top of my head I can think of two old non-detachable chairs in Tignes: Marais and Grand Huit. Rosset, on the nursery slope in Lac, has been upgraded this year. There may be a couple of others but they are in a small minority.
It 's true that Marais is slow and long. And if you stay in Brev you will probably be on Marais more than most, but that's one reason why Brev is cheaper than the rest of the area. If it bothers you that much just take the slow Brevieres chair (oh yes, forgot that one :-)) up to the bus stop at Boisses. Or take Aiguille Rouge and ski down into Lac to start your day. I guarantee that once you have done that you needn't use another slow lift all day.
December 18, 2015
beek smill from
France
beek smill from
France
November 16, 2015
Phin from
United Kingdom
Phin from
United Kingdom
I don't get these recent reviews. Where are all the ancient drag lifts referred to. To my knowledge there is a drag in Breviere on the beginners slope (quite appropriate), and if I recall a drag in Lac up the beginners slope. Plus I think a couple of others out of the top of Val Claret. There are, however, a huge number of high speed lifts elsewhere. I would agree that the lifts out of Breviere are not that good. Bubble ok but then you are either onto horribly long chair up to 'eye of the needle' or equally slow but slightly less long to get to Le Lac. These are the ones that need replacing.
March 25, 2015
Daniel from
Norway
Daniel from
Norway
Been skiing for 20 years (age 22), and I've spent many weeks in Tignes in the last 3 years. I've been staying with UCPA twice, and rented a studio apartment back in new year 14/15.
I see some who question the quality of the slopes etc but I must add to this that every single slope is almost twice as wide as regular ones in other resorts. Having to groom all of them, everywhere, would crave manpower for two resorts, and most of the slopes are actually usually in really good condition, overall. The issues happen after heavy snow falls (which occur quite often), where the slopes leading to the various town areas quickly show signs of moguls due to the heavy traffic. Lifts taking you from town will also be quite crowded in high-season but the queues move quickly and the lifts, in the upper areas, such as Le Lac and Val Claret are top notch and very efficient. I think that Tignes has some of the most well thought-through lift system out there; it just works and it's always easy to get from one end of the resort to another without having to take 5-6 lifts. That means it's easy to plan meeting points within 15-20 minutes no matter where you are, which is really nice.
Now, speaking more to the pros out there. Tignes is known for its appeal to those who like to take it outside the slopes, doing some hiking and off-piste. There are guided tours and instruction for those who want it. The truly great thing about Tignes is that the place is so huge, even in high-season there simply aren't enough people to track down all backcountry routes, and you can always, always, find fresh powder if you just reach out a few meters further than the last skier. I have never been there (spent around 8 weeks total) without being able to find absolutely great powder every time. If you can see it, you can reach and ski it!
Besides all this, there's a great sporty atmosphere around the upper towns and on the slopes, some great parks with an occasionally open half-pipe and two medium-sized snow parks on the same run close to each other which saves a lot of time not having to use more than one chairlift to access both.
If you chose to have the big ski pass for Espace Killy then Val d'Isère also features some great skiing. The steepness is generally a bit steeper, and features tree-skiing for the bad weather days, which do happen. It must be said that when it's cloudy or snowy then it's impossible to see anything in Tignes due to the lack of trees and the place being so big and open. On the other hand, when the sun shines then the whole place lights up like no other resort.
Transportation wise, the resort excels with ski busses traveling from the lowest town areas to the upper ones, free of charge. The resort has very few transport slopes, which is good news for boarders and people who like to spend time skiing rather than just trying to get from A to B.
To sum it all up, here are some pros and cons:
Pros:
- Big resort with appeal to novices as well as experts.
- High altitude ensures good snow conditions even in low-season.
- Great and efficient lift layout throughout the resort.
- Possibility for skiing in Val d'Isère too.
- Always great possibilities for off piste and hiking.
- Many good snow parks.
- Good after-skiing; lovely city with much life.
- Good variety of accommodation.
Cons:
- Poor visibility in bad weather due to few trees (can be sealed (ed: do you mean to say "dealt?) with by skiing in Val d'Isère).
- For many people it is not the most charming resort (I personally like it).
- Some slopes are not always groomed.
- After snow fall moguls appear quickly due to the amount of people.
- Airport transfer is somewhat expensive, but that goes for most nearby resorts.
Hope you find it helpful!
March 18, 2015
Lenny from
United Kingdom
Lenny from
United Kingdom
I've been skiing for 25 years all over the world and have just come back from skiing Tignes and the Espace Killy ski area for the first time. We went in low season and I have to say how disappointed I was with the outdated lift system, especially on the Les Brevieres side, with the fixed chairlifts which crack the back of the legs before taking you up the mountain at a snail's pace. Even though it was low season the ineffective lift system was the cause for many delays throughout the whole area.
The condition of the pistes was an absolute disgrace with very little grooming, even on main pistes being groomed only once in the week and when I say "once" I mean that half of the piste was groomed. This can vary between the top, bottom or side of the piste whichever they seemed bothered to do.
This whole area needs major investment in the lift system and in some more piste bashers as it was, at times, like a third world resort!
I will not be returning to this ski area until it resembles something like a ski area which has some pride. Come on Espace Killy, sort it out!
February 22, 2015
john from
United Kingdom
john from
United Kingdom
Returned to Espace Killy for the first time in seven years.
I stayed at Les Bervieres in wonderful apartments. The village, itself, is small but with good restaurants and bars and a good if small supermarket.
I have skied in Austria, Italy and the three valleys for the last few years and the resorts I skied have left Tignes and Val behind. I can only ski at half-term and therefore, acknowledge that it will be busy but the lift system cannot cope. There are too many surface drags and old slow chairs that cause huge queues.
If you are fortunate enough to be able to ski low season then it is still a good place to visit but in high season you spend as much if not more time queuing than you do skiing.
I feel the resort is living of its reputation whereas others are investing in the lift system.
Finally, even by French standards, the price for food up the mountain is ridiculous.
February 28, 2014
chris parrot from
United Kingdom
chris parrot from
United Kingdom
Looking forward to my 7th visit to Tignes. Back to Le Lac this time with my wife, brother-in-law, his daughter and her daughter, little Marni. As most say great resort with a great area to explore and as long as you ski blues or better you can go almost anywhere although I did get carried away and found myself above the Swatch snow park with only blacks to get back down but it was still fun although they were icy and narrow but it pushes your boundaries.
This year we fear the niece is going to try and get us to go heli-skiing as she wants to get us off the motorways and into the powder but we are not so sure.
Austria is great for the apri-ski and food on the mountain and pretty alpine villages but Tignes is difficult to beat for skiing.
Roll on the 21st March and hope the snow keeps coming.
February 12, 2014
Stefan from
Bulgaria
Stefan from
Bulgaria
Ok, Tignes/Val d'Isere is French. This means plenty of people speak...errr...French, food is expensive, alcohol is even more expensive, accommodation can be very basic. Do not forget the most important thing though, skiing itself. And skiing in Tignes is simply amazing. A ridiculous number of pistes, 2 glaciers, amazing vertical drops, super wide pistes, amazing views. So if you want a quiet holiday with cheap food on the mountain go to Austria. If you want to walk in nice alpine villages go to Austria. If you want all staff to speak English go to Austria. If you want cheap and relatively luxury accommodation go to Austria. But if you do not care much about any of this go to Tignes. There it is all about skiing.
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