For those of you who don’t know me, you might find it helpful to read this intro. This is the first of my ski resort review series. I plan to keep these posts short and yet informative. I will focus on four major areas for consideration. You may find some of this information on sites like World Snowboard Guide, but my perspective is that of an intermediate rider, and a former “fun-person” who now has a toddler in tow.
Overall I give Tignes a 4 out of 5. I have been there twice now, and had two different experiences – staying at Val Claret and Le Lac respectively. Key tips:
- Stay in Le Lac, especially if you have young kids. You’d need to walk a lot less to access everything the resort has to offer.
- Make sure you reserve a ski school in the same village where you are staying. We made the rookie mistake of booking ski school in Le Lac when we stayed at Val Claret – getting on the ski bus (usually packed to the brim) to make it in time for ski school every morning was not fun!
- Stay in an apartment if you can, especially with kids, because the place does not have too many restaurant options if kids want to eat at odd times.
Quality of Snow/Slopes for Skiing/Riding:
Rating 5/5
Positives:
It is no secret that Espace Killy is one of the most snow sure areas in France in December. The quality of slopes at Tignes is just amazing, with ample piste to cover. This is especially a great resort for beginners and intermediate skiers/riders because:
- Lifts and slopes start at resort level (unlike some Swiss resorts like Verbier and Zermatt)
- Variety of runs and wide bowls to learn and practice on
- Mostly groomed runs (if you like the piste riding experience)
- Wait time for lifts even in the most crowded times was never more than 5 mins
Negatives:
If I must point out – when it gets cloudy the visibility is a bit low for comfort in the bowls and valleys which are often unavoidable.
Apres’ Ski and Dining Experience:
3/5
Overall, Tignes has a decent Apres’ Ski scene (although not as good as St. Anton!) What the resort lacks in mountain drinking and dining options it somewhat makes up in its villages. The Apres’ Ski scene and dining options are best in the Le Lac area, followed by Val Claret. If you go around Christmas and New Years both Le Lac and Val Claret have fun events and all-night parties. Choices of cuisines is fairly limited with only French, Italian, Swiss, and American restaurants in Le Lac, and one Sushi restaurant and one Mexican restaurant in Val Claret. There are a few gourmet restaurants open for dinner, like Ursus – but we skipped those to keep with Arya’s sleep schedule (and save the money for my brand new 2018 Jeremy Jones ride).
Kid Friendliness:
5/5
I rank this resort super super super high on kid-friendliness. My top reasons:
- ESF (The French Ski School) has a specific methodology they use to engage and teach toddlers and this tailored to every age group. My daughter is a Montessori kid, and I don’t know if this is the reason, but I found their approach to be very child-centric and effective.
- Slopes begin at resort level, and all the bunny slopes are at resort level so its quick and convenient to drop off and pick up.
- Le Lagon Aquatic Center at Le Lac is an added bonus activity – it is an indoor pool, spa, and relaxation area. Access to this is free with multiple day ski-passes. It is a great place to relax after a few hours on the slopes for both kids and parents. There is a separate toddler pool (only a foot deep) with water toys to keep them entertained for hours!
Overall Experience:
4/5
Tignes is a great resort for families and groups in terms of convenience, experience, and value for money. It is relatively cheap (my husband says this is because my benchmark is Zermatt, Davos, and Verbier) – even if you compare it to Chamonix and Courchevel in France. But like most big French resorts it is spread out over multiple villages connected by cars and buses – because of which, it lacks that romantic feel of Zermatt.
Babytravelchronicles👶 