Our knowledge of the resort comes from years of responding to email enquiries, getting ourselves lost, finding ourselves, late-night bar conversations, your feedback, plus translations of French brochures. Find out what Tignes is like before you visit, learn a bit about the history of the town, the surrounding area, and what you can expect from the weather.
Tignes & Its Surroundings
Lac du Chevril
The old village of Tignes disappeared beneath the waters of the Lac du Chevril when the valley was dammed in 1952. The ski resort of Tignes 2100, is now made up of many smaller villages at varying altitudes. Tignes Les Brévières (1550m), Tignes Les Boisses (1850m), Tignes Le Lavachet (2100m) and Val Claret (2100). Tignes-Le-Lac is generally classed as the main village of Tignes.
Although having spent millions in improving its visual appearance, the architecture of Tignes is some what more synonymous with a collection of high rise housing estates, than your typical traditional Savoyard chalet village. There are few trees at this altitude so Tignes isn't the most visually appealling of resorts. However, beauty is only skin deep, so if you’re there for the skiing and not fussed about your outside appearance of your accommodation then Tignes is the place to go.
Tignes and its neighbouring resort of Val d’Isère make up the ski area known as the Espace Killy (so named after France’s Olympic downhill skiing champion Jean Claude Killy); it offers over 300kms of pisted skiing and some of Europe’s most spectacular scenery.
The famous'Eye of the Needle'
Tignes is approximately equivalent in size to Val d’Isère. During the winter months it offers 47 ski lifts which include a funicular railway, a cable car, 24 chairlifts and 19 drag lifts, enabling you to ski round the 150 kilometres of pisted terrain. There is also a board park at Val Claret giving riders the chance to try their hand at some freestyle jumping, rails and ‘big air’! There is skiing to suit all abilities in Tignes, from beginner to advanced, there will be a run that offers a challenge. The skiing is split into four areas; La Grande Motte Massif, Le Palet, Le Toviere and Les Brévières/L’Aiguille Percée. For the more adventurous, Tignes has access to some of the worlds best off-piste in the French Alps. To read more about the Tignes ski area please go to Tignes Skiing Revealed or, for a real insider's guide, check out our regular Snow Reports.
Tignes in Summer
Tignes is also very much a summer resort with host of outdoor activities to keep the sporting enthusiast entertained. Water, Aerial, Motor, Golf and Mountain biking sports are all available during the summer months. Lovers of snow-covered slopes need not be disappointed though, as the Grande Motte Glacier is open during the summer months and allows freestylers to practice in the snowpark, or watch the professionals and champions complete their summer training. The soft summer snow is ideal for beginners too. With so much variety and activity Tignes is a very popular destination with many British and French tourists alike, you can read more about what Tignes has to offer in the warmer months with our Tignes Summer Guide.
There is a great selection of accommodation, but there is definitely a shortage of choice in the luxury range. There are many bars and restaurants in each of the Tignes villages and 4 nightclubs; 2 in Val Claret and 2 in Le Lac. From the 75 restaurants, you can sample the traditional Savoyard delicacies or gourmet cuisine delights. There is also a 24 hour free bus service between Val Claret, Le Lac and Le Lavachet making it especially easy to experience each village by night! Tignes offers much more modest prices than its neighbour Val d'Isère. You can find out where to eat, drink and be merry with our Dining & Going Out guide or follow the exploits of our intrepid Apres Ski Reporter!
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