Tignes & Val d’Isère share the same ski area and offer some 186 miles (300 km) of varied terrain stretching from the village of Tignes Les Brévières at 1850 m at one end of the ski area to the Pissaillas glacier above Val d’Isère at the other. There is skiing for all levels with a predominance of blue and red runs but good skiers and snowboarders will love the “dark blue “runs and testing reds that sometimes seem to go on forever. The famous black run which will test even the strongest legs is the Sache which runs from the top of L’Aiguille Percee to Tignes Les Brevieres giving 1,200m of vertical descent.
The highlight of the Tignes ski area is the Grande Motte glacier, which at over 3,000m provides spectacular views and stunning descents, both on and off-piste back to the resort. The snow tends to be in great condition and there is a choice of blue, red, and black runs down to the resort. From the end of November, it’s usually possible to tackle the thigh-burning 1,350m vertical red all the way back down to the funicular station in Val Claret.
The resort has invested heavily in its lift system and from the villages of Val Claret and Tignes Le Lac, lifts travel up either side of the resort, in one direction towards Val d’Isère, and towards the 9022 feet (2,750 m) Aiguille Percée in the other. The links to the skiing over in Val d’Isere are good with a chairlift from Val Claret or gondola from Le Lac going up to Tovière, the ridge that divides the two resorts.
Tignes is home to some truly outstanding powder terrain, including a selection of steep couloirs around La Grande Balme and La Petite Balme, two rocky outcrops at the southern end of the valley. And don’t be fooled by the cute sounding ‘Mickey’s Ears’ – the run from Toviere to Le Lavachet, this is skiing for off-piste experts accompanied by a guide.
Boarders and freestylers are well served with a number of freestyle terrain parks and boardercross areas. The resort’s terrain park is accessed by the Grattalu and Merles chairlifts towards the Col du Palet and has lines for all abilities; the main boardercross course is also here, along with an easier extension. There’s a halfpipe – the largest in the French Alps – at the foot of the Carline piste in Val Claret. The beginners’ Gliss’Park, reached by the Les Almes four-person chairlift or the Palafour chairlift, has a mini boardercross course and parallel slalom course.
Tignes Ski Resort Statistics
Skiable Terrain | 300 km of piste. 24,700 acres (Ski area with Val d’Isere) |
Vertical | 1,900m (6,233 ft) |
Top Elevation | 3,455 m (11,340 ft) |
Base Elevation | 2,100m (6,890 ft) |
Average Snowfall | 5.25 m (207 in / 17 ft) |
Beginner Terrain | 15% |
Intermediate Terrain | 40% |
Advanced Terrain | 45% |
Trails | 154 (Green 20, Blue 68, Red 40, Black 26) |
Parks | 2 |
Winter lifts Total | 39 in Tignes / 88 with Val d’Isere |
Gondolas Trams | 5 in Tignes |
Chair Lifts | 21 in Tignes |
Surface Lifts | 13 in Tignes |
Longest Run | 10 km (La Sache) |
Season Opens | November |
Season Closes | May |