TRAVEL DATES: March 4 – 13, 2023
Tignes (French pronunciation: [tiɲ]) is a commune in the Tarentaise Valley, in the Savoie department in the Rhône-Alpes region in south-eastern France, known for the highest skiable area in Europe[2] and the longest ski season in Europe[3]. It is located in the Savoie region with good transport links in and out of Lyon, Geneva, and Chambery.
It is best known as a snow-sure ski resort. Together with neighboring Val d’Isère, it forms the “Espace Killy” ski area. The proximity of the two resorts offers one of the most seamless links between ski areas in Europe, in effect creating a single skiable area of over 300 km piste. Whilst not the largest ski area in the Alps, the level of integration between the two resorts has the effect of making it feel as one, often described as feeling like one of the largest single ski areas as a result.
Tignes was the freestyle skiing venue for the 1992 Winter Olympics, co-host city for the 1992 Winter Paralympics, and host of the Winter X Games. This, coupled with the year-round skiing, season length, and a large number of ski parks/slalom runs has supplanted Tignes as the go-to training ground for snow sport athletes[4].
The terrain of the valley lends itself to more challenging skiing, with advanced skiers often opting for the resort as their preferred ski area. The town has however strived to improve its appeal to beginner and intermediate skiers with the introduction of easier runs lower down in the valley towards Tignes- Les-Brévières and upgrading/installing new chairlifts with smaller elevation gains.