Tignes ski resort guide Ski area, apres-ski, things to see & do in Tignes
Overview
Tignes ski resort is linked to Val d’Isère providing a combined ski area of over 300 kms of psites.
Due to its altitude and the Grande Motte glacier which tops out at 3,656m, going on a ski holidays in Tignes means you don't have to worry about snow - its snow record is impeccable and is one of only two ski areas in France listed as 'Snow-sure resorts'.
But, being so high, Tignes suffers from a severe lack of trees which does make the resort look a bit bare. Having said that, what Tignes lacks in beauty is certainly made up in abundance with the quality of services and the sheer excellence of the ski terrain.
Après-ski
Tignes has a vibrant party scene with very lively bars and night clubs. There are over 100 restaurants that serve a wide variety of cuisine ranging from hearty local specialities to fine gourmet cuisine from Europe and around the world. There are also plenty of cafés and pizzerias.
| Key information (whole area) | |
|---|---|
| Altitude | 2100m |
| Top lift | 3456m |
| Family | |
| Beginner | |
| Intermediate | |
| Expert | |
| Piste (km) | 300 |
| Longest run | 10 km |
| Off piste | |
| Cross country | 40 km |
| Season | Jan - Dec |
| Snowboard parks | 1 |
| Heli Skiing | ✘ |
| Summer skiing | ✔ |
| Glacier skiing | ✔ |
| Babysitting | ✔ |
| Creche | ✔ |
| Apres ski | Lively & Fun |
Tignes ski area guide
The Tignes - Val d’Isère ski area provides 155 runs stretched over 300kms between 1550m and 3456m and is an incredible winter sports playground for skiers and boarders.
Tignes has 5 ski areas - Les Brévières (1550m), Tignes 1800 - Kalinda Village (1800m), Le Lavachet, Le Lac and Val Claret (2100m) which are all connected by a 24 hour bus service. Le Lac is the main village where you will find the majority of chalets, hotels and nightlife plus the fast gondola that whisks you up towards Val d’Isère. Being a pedestrianised resort, all cars must be parked at the resort entrance in a 3,500 space multi-storey carpark.
Beginners
Tignes has some gentle slopes for beginners and a separate nursery area at Le Lac with 5 free lifts.
Intermediate
One of the best places in the alps for intermediate skiers with stacks of long cruising blues and reds in both Val d'Isere and Tignesand around the Grande Motte glacier.
Advanced
Tignes, together with Val d'Isere has some of the finest off-piste around. The "Naturide" area offers serious challenges - this is a patrolled zone of black pistes which never sees a piste basher. Another great challenging run is La Face - this is the olympic run from the top of La Bellevarde to Val d’Isère.
Snowboard
Tignes, together with Val d'Isere has some of the finest off-piste around. The "Naturide" area offers serious challenges - this is a patrolled zone of black pistes which never sees a piste basher. Another great challenging run is La Face - this is the olympic run from the top of La Bellevarde to Val d’Isère.
Things to see & do in Tignes
- Ice diving
- Ice skating
- Paradigling
- Snowmobiling
- Dog sledding
- Paragliding
Childcare
Tignes looks after the youngsters extremely well with some kindergartens providing day care for babies from just 10 weeks old! Evolution 2 has an excellent ski school for the children and receives fantastic reviews year after year.
Our view on Tignes ski resort
If you are booking your ski holiday in Tignes, try and avoid arriving on a Saturay - its transfer day and the road from Bourg St Maurice is a nightmare. Traffic jams are the norm and the journey time can easily be over 4 hours no matter which airport you arrive at
When the weather is not great, the Lagon leisure centre in Tignes le Lac is a good place to keep the kids occupied. It has a 25m pool and water slides - for the adults, there is a fitness and a wellness centre. If you like Tignes, you may also want to have a look at Flaine (its traffic free, 1800m high and great for kids) or Val Thorens
