Sign up to our regular newsletter here...
.jpg)
Tignes is made up of five villages, all with a different character. Read on to find out about which village is right for you and whether you should be looking at hotels, chalets or self-catering accommodation.Families
Les Brevieres is ideal for families wanting a quieter (and often cheaper) holiday surrounded by traditional alpine charm.
Budget
Les Boisses has the choice of several good value hotels, chalets as well as a youth hostel. Many of these have their own residents bars that are a lot cheaper than those in the higher villages.
Party animals
Val Claret has plenty of bars and nightclubs all within stumbling distance of each other as well as a kebab shop.
Park people
Stay in Le Lac or Val Claret for fast lift access to the many kickers and rails of the Val d'Isere snowpark or in Val Claret to be close to the Tignes park at the bottom of the Grande Motte.
Non-skiers
Le Lac is the centre of many activities and is home to the new leisure centre, Le Lagon. It also has plenty of shoping available and cafes from which to watch the world go by.
Val Claret (2300m)
The highest village of the resort is Val Claret at 2300m and with this elevated status comes a wealth of shops, restaurants and bars. Set over two level, the main hub of the village is on the upper level while the ski lifts, main car park and bus route are on the lower level. Take one of the two lifts either end to get between levels or ski down. Val Claret has brilliant ski access with direct links to the Espace Killy, the Grande Motte glacier and the Tignes bowl. Its proximity to the glacier means it’s the only village with direct access to summer and winter skiing.
Le Lac (2100m)
Le Lac has just as many amenities, spread over two areas: Rue de la Poste and Le Rosset. With the wooden Maison de Tignes tourist office located as its centrepiece, Le Lac is usually the place where resort events are held. Access to the ski area is also good here, with the Aeroski, a fast telecabine, providing quicker access to the Espace Killy than the Val Claret lifts. Home of Trolles, the thrill-seeker’s black run, Le Lac also boasts some great blue runs down to resort from the top of the newly replaced Palafour lift; ideal for beginners just graduated from the nursery slopes.
Le Lavachet
Home of many self-catering apartments and also of many season workers, Lavachet is located just behind Le Rosset. Despite being so close to Le Lac, it does possess its own sense of community and has a supermarket as well as several bars and restaurants. Two chairlifts operate out of the lower part of the village: Paquis which takes you to the Espace Killy and Chaudannes which provides access to Les Brévières. The free Lavachet nursery slope has a drag lift which provides skiing access to the Le Lac nursery slope.
Les Boisses (1850)
Situated on the road up to the main parts of Tignes, Les Boisses is the quietest village with just a couple of bars and restaurants - most of them located in hotels. Les Boisses offers the best value accommodation in the resort and is also great for securing those tricky weekend bookings. If it all gets too quiet for you in the evenings, get the free bus up to the higher villages or a taxi down to Les Brévières. Les Boisses has direct access to the slopes to get to the rest of the ski area and its altitude means it is as snow sure as many nearby resorts. A new four-man faster chairlift be installed for the 2007/8 season meaning access to the main ski area will be faster. A free bus service runs every half hour until early evening with two buses later in the evening.
Les Brevieres (1550)
If an authentic alpine village is your cup of tea, then the lowest village of Les Brevieres is your best choice and it has enough restaurants and bars to stop you missing the hustle and bustle of the higher villages. For those on a budget, there is also hostel-style accommodation. With a gondola taking you towards the Espace Killy, ski access is easy and varied for all levels of competence. The runs down to the village are shaded by trees making perfect for white-out days or off-piste tree runs.
Chalets
For many, the beauty of catered chalet holidays is the food - breakfast, afternoon tea and a three course evening meal with free wine - and someone to cook it and wash up afterwards. You have the freedom of your own space rather than the more formal environment of a hotel which can be great if you are with a group of friends and can take over the whole chalet.
Hotels
Hotels tend to be the more luxurious option, often with welcome facilities such as steam rooms, swimming pools and on-site bars (although check out the luxury chalet operators too). They are often the best option for short breaks but at peak times even they may demand a minimum stay of one week.
Self-catering
If you prefer to be your own boss then you should think about self-catered accommodation. You have to be fairly organised to shop and cook after a full day on the slopes and eating out every night can add up, although take-aways are an option, and you have the chance to check out some of the local restaurants too.
| Report date: | 30 Apr 2008 |
|---|---|
| Last snowed: | 22 Apr 2008 |
| Fresh snow: | 20cm |
| Lifts open: | 25 out of 43 |
Snow depth | |
| Lower slopes: | 100cm |
| Upper slopes: | 310cm |
Piste information | |
| On-piste: | Excellent |
| Off-piste: | Varied |
| Resort runs: | Packed |
