Home to one of Europe's largest glaciers, Tignes is a fascinating place to ski. Tignes and neighbouring resort Val d'Isere make up the L'Espace Killy, an area famed for its reliable sow and epic amount of terrain. Five villages make up Tignes; Val Claret, Tignes le Lac, Le Lavachet, Tignes Les Boisses and Tignes-les-Brévières. The first three are close together at 2100m and Les Boisses and Les Brevieres are further down the valley, above and below the dam. While much of the terrain is focused on intermediate skiers, Tignes is known for its incredible off-piste, there is a half pipe, boardercross course, some great free riding & the 1992 Olympics downhill course should you be feeling up for it.
For those seriously dedicated to skiing, Tignes has a lot to offer. Be prepared for long days up the mountain before relaxing evenings in the local bars and restaurants - you'll be ready for an early night. Compared to its neighbour Val d'Isère, sport comes first here and you're more likely to find visitors staying on the slopes as long as possible rather than partying the night away. While it has a host of good Après- ski venues, the atmosphere is not as raging as Val d'Isere. The actual resort is split between Val Claret, Le Lac and Le Lavachet, although most visitors tend to move between each of the villages.
The sunning glacier, The Grande Motte, offers a good choice of wide open blue runs, but it can get very cold, so rug up warm before you set out. There are a number of cruisey intermediate runs and although there's not a huge selection of blacks, you can try the 'Sache', a long black run from the top of the L'Aiguille Percée to Tignes Les Brévières - it provides some fierce moguls and challenging skiing. There is enough physical space that you could not cover even half the resort trails in a three-day stay. Au contraire, if you are into tricks and jumps, you could easily spend all day at the two-and-a-half-kilometre long snow park.
More on Tignes:
Tignes Childcare
t4 nanny
t4 nannies provides the loveliest nannies in the Alps by hand picking nannies for the full season who share their belief that undivided attention, fun and getting involved are the key ingredients to a happy family holiday. All t4 nannies are first aid trained and CRB checked with glowing references. Every day a t4 nanny will come to your chalet and take your children out on an adventure such as a trip to the farm or whizzing on a sledge. Crates of toys are dismissed and instead it’s all about playing with arts and crafts – plenty of cutting and sticking, painting and messy play!
www.t4nanny.com
Jelly and Ice Cream
Jelly and Ice Cream, experts in childcare, offer private nannies and babysitting services both during the day and evening in Val d'Isere and Tignes. You can rest assure that your babies and children will be looked after, leaving you free to enjoy your skiing! Jelly and Ice Cream have the ability to provide care to virtually all age groups of children, as young as just six weeks up to pre-teens and older. Today's varying demands of a family can be accommodated with flexible business hours, tailor-made for each individual on a virtual 24/7 basis. Because of their excellent service, clients return to Jelly and Ice Cream year after year and are full of praise for Tina and the team!
www.jellyandice-cream.com
Snow Angel Nannies
Snow Angel Nannies is the perfect childcare solution for your skiing holiday in the French Alps. The nannies all hold relevant childcare qualifications, CRB/DBS checks and first aid qualifications. They are all carefully selected for their kind, caring and fun loving nature as well as their childcare skills. You will have your nannies contact details so you can amend plans during the day and the Snow Angel Nanny ensures a fun activity packed day for the children. The nannies also do ski school pick up and drop off and can take the children to meet you for lunch if required to keep the family holiday aspect. A Snow Angel Nanny will give you peace of mind to enjoy your day on the slopes knowing your little ones are having the time of their lives.
www.snowangelnannies.co.uk
