In The Spotlight: Tignes

More of a network of interlinked villages than a resort per-se, Tignes is made up of five distinct areas.

Located at the head of the valley, bustling Val Claret (2100m) is well serviced by fast, modern lifts and offers easy access to the jewel in Tignes’ glittering Alpine crown: the Grande Motte glacier. Just down the road, on the other side of the lake, Le Lac (2100m) functions as the domain’s main hub, with neighbouring Le Lavachet (2100m) providing a quieter, more low-key feel. The three are grouped fairly close together on Tignes’ central plateau, and this is where the bulk of the domain’s action takes place.

Located further down the valley on the edge of the dam, Tignes 1800 (formerly known as Les Bosses) is the quietest and most budget-friendly of the villages, but extensive recent investment means it’s growing fast. Finally, nestled by the river at the foot of the dam is Tignes Les Brévières (1550m), a renovated former hamlet that’s easily the most picturesque of the bunch.

Along with its glitzier neighbour, Val d'Isère, Tignes comprises one of the world’s largest interlinked ski areas, so there’s no shortage of things to do. Intermediates will love the huge spread of long, challenging runs, while experts can take advantage of some of Europe’s best and most extensive off-piste terrain… much of it easily accessible by lift! A further ace up the domain’s sleeve is the Grande Motte glacier, which boasts some worryingly steep runs and also offers some of Europe’s finest summer skiing over the course of its six-week season.

Freestyle aficionados are well served by Tignes’ impressive array of terrain parks. Its well-maintained halfpipe is currently Europe’s largest, and there’s a free airbag in Tignes (at the bottom of the Carline piste) offering budding freestylers a welcome opportunity to hone those new aerial manoeuvres before taking them to the park proper. Recently constructed separate learner areas allow beginners and families to get in on the freestyle action in a lower consequence manner, and a couple of boardercross tracks – one mini, one full-sized – are great for a good old-fashioned hoon.

Tignes has four nursery slope areas – one in Val Claret, one in Le Lac, one in Le Lavachet and one in Tignes 1800 – meaning there are plenty of options for kids and newbies. There’s also a designated green area for beginners (albeit with slightly tricky access) and a wealth of gentle, rolling blue runs to progress to.