View of Tignes Val Claret and Tignes le Lac

Tignes with its neighbour Val d’Isere form the legendary Espace Killy, one of the largest ski areas in the world. The resort is made up of several villages the highest being Tignes Val Claret at an altitude of 2100m, which gives it excellent snow coverage. As well as a long winter season there is also summer skiing on the Grande Motte glacier. Tignes is one of the top ten resorts for snow.

Tignes was purpose built, mostly in the 1960s, so is not the prettiest ski resort you will come across. It is improving though, an example being the 12 million Euros that has been invested in the total renovation of the Club Med Village in Tignes Val Claret. The resort is much more pleasant than it used to be with a more Alpine feel to it.

View of Tignes le Lac

Tignes-le-Lac is the main part of the resort located on the edge of the Lac de Tignes at the entrance to the valley. At the upper end of the valley is Tignes Val Claret. Below these two areas are Tignes-Les-Boisses by the dam and Tignes-les-Brevieres a village below the dam. The road up to Tignes crosses the Barrage de Tignes which holds in the 230 million cubic metre Lac du Chevril! The access road has been recently redirected and no longer runs through Tignes-Les-Boisses. This area is being developed with a new beginners' slope and snow front. There is new accommodation being built and a new gondala lift which will link to Tignes-le-Lac.

All parts of the resort have good lift access to the ski area and there is a free bus service connecting the villages.