Today we are spoilt for choice when it comes to choosing a destination for a winter ski trip. With over 3,000 ski resorts in Europe, each with its own USP, it can be stressful trying to plan the perfect trip. We've put together a short summary of the 5 reasons why we believe you should choose Tignes this winter, which should take make the decision-making process much easier!
1. Snow Guarantee
With the ever-present threat of climate change and global warming, it is becoming more and more important to choose a ski resort with a good snow record. Due to its elevation, Tignes is one of the most snow-sure destinations in Europe. Tignes Le Lac, Val Claret and Lavachet are located at 2100m, and the Grande Motte glacier at 3656m. This means that when lower altitude resorts are struggling for snow, Tignes has the advantage of fantastic glacier skiing, and being higher up where the rain is more likely to be falling as snow. Its elevation also makes Tignes a great choice for early and late season skiing. April is a fantastic time of the year to visit Tignes, and the resort is often used by professionals for pre-season training in late November and early December. Tignes is also renowned for having one of the longest ski seasons in Europe.
2. Vast Ski Area
Tignes has a one of the largest ski areas in the Apls with a huge number of runs. It connects with Val d'Isere to form the Espace Killy ski area offering over 300km of ski runs. As well as skiing to Val d'Isere it is possible to connect easily via piste to the different sectors of Tignes including Les Boisses, Brevieres, Le Lac, Val Claret and Lavachet. There is a very efficient lift season which comprises 97 lifts and includes the Toviere cable car, and a high-speed funicular leading to the Grande Motte glacier in just 7 minutes. A further cable car takes passengers to the top of the glacier from where you can experience the longest vertical descent in the Espace Killy, all the way back into resort.
3. Large range of accommodation
Tignes has a fantastic range of accommodation and can cater for up to 28,000 visitors. It is a great choice for a self-catering ski trip as there is a huge range of apartments to choose from and many are ski-in ski-out. The apartments vary in size from studios to large 4 and 5 bedroom residences located throughout the resort. With a good choice of supermarkets it's easy to stock up on provisions if you are self-catering, or you can choose from a wide range of restaurants which cater for all budgets. As well as apartments, there are catered chalets and a large number of hotels from 2 to 5 star. These include the 5 star Suites du Nevada located in Val Claret, and the new 4 star Chalet Hotel Yeti, an environment friendly residence which is 100% powered by wood pellet boiler.
4. Great for off-piste skiing
Tignes has incredible off-piste skiing with good lift access. At one end of the resort, there is excellent off-piste down into Brevieres which is accessible from Aiguille Percee. The Col de Ves, which is accessible by a single chair lift, also offers great off-piste as well as some ungroomed trails which are good for practising both powder and moguls. To get the most of the off-piste it's a good idea to hire a guide for a half or full day. They will be able to show you some hidden areas, such as routes down from the Grande Motte glacier, or for the really brave, the steep routes down into Lavachet via the Lavachet wall. It is possible to cover the off-piste in both Tignes and Val d'Isere in half a day with a guide. We were lucky enough at Easter to be able to ski down from the Grande Motte glacier off-piste before heading over to Val d'Isere and skiing down the back of Grand Pre emerging at the bottom of the Manchet Express.
5. Non-skiing Activities
You might have read from our blog that Tignes has some great apres-ski to offer, including outdoor bars such as Cocorico and live music at both the Marmot Arms and Loop Bar. In addition, the legendary Folie Douce is a short ski away at the top of the funicular in Val d'Isere. As well as apres-ski, there is a whole range of outdoor activities to choose from in addition to skiing and snowboarding, so if you are a non-skier you certainly won't feel left out in Tignes. Our partners at Evolution 2 offer activities such as dog-sledging, moon biking, skidoo rides, paragliding and ice driving to name but a few. For something different, there is also the chance to try the wilderness camp experience. This involves a Savoyard meal in a Mongolian yurt followed by a 30-minute sledge ride from Les Boisses to Brevieres. If the weather isn't too good, there is a fantastic swimming pool, fitness and wellness centre in Tignes Le Lac called Le Lagon. The wellness centre houses a steam room, 3 jacuzzis and 3 sauans and is a great place to relax. The swimming area includes a baby pool, a recreational pool with 3 giant slides and a third pool with swimming lanes.
We're sure you'll agree that Tignes has a lot to offer as a winter ski destination. We hope that we've given you an insight into what the resort is like and that it has helped with the tricky decision-making process of choosing where to ski for your next holiday!
For more information please visit our website at www.tignesdirect.com or contact us via email: emma@tignesdirect.com
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