The distance from my house in North London to Tignes is almost exactly 700 miles (1150km). I did the trip yesterday and the total journey time, including ferry crossing and three fuel stops was 13 hours. You can reduce the total journey time by one hour if you use the Eurotunnel to cross the channel, more if you break speed limits (not advisable).

I started from my London home at 10.15am. It took me just over 1.30hours to get to Dover. Not bad, considering I have to cross from North to East London, navigate Blackwall tunnel and cross the M25. I always plan for a minimum of 3 hours for London to Dover ferry departure as I have been caught out in traffic before and missed my fair share of ferries. I also use any spare time before ferry departure to refuel the car, check tyre pressures etc. Gets me further into France without stopping and currently fuel is cheaper in the UK too.
Ferry left on time(they normally do) and with a crossing time of 1.30 hours I reach Calais at 4pm local time (don’t forget you loose one hour travelling to the continent). Also make sure you take the ferry to Calais, not Dunkerque or any of the other port, otherwise your crossing will be longer and your drive to Tignes too.

The route goes broadly Calais – Reims – Troyes – Dijon – here you got a choice either Lyons – Albertville or direction Geneva – Annecy – Albertville. The Lyon route is longer, faster but higher motorway fees. I always drive from Dijon direction Geneva to Annecy – Albertville – Bourg St Maurice – Tignes. Shorter distance and less expensive and if you drive into the night there is no time penalty.

Calais to Reims is just under 200 miles and you are in the centre of the Champagne region. The Champagne is a fairly flat but obviously many wineries and vineyards. If you are driving from the Midlands, this is probably half way point and not a bad stopover. I always do the journey in one day, but I do stop to buy Champagne. My tip here, don’t buy near Reims where all the big Champagne makers are based, drive on another 100miles and stop near Troyes, which is still the Champagnes. For me this makes a perfect first fuel stop (300miles into the journey) and gives me an excuse to pass my favourite Champagne makers.

After Dijon, you pass the Burgundy region, another possible stopover and opportunity to buy wine, this time Burgundy!! From here you either drive via Lyon to Tignes or drive via Annecy (Geneva). The Lyon route is quicker, but the Annecy route is more scenic and cheaper. Both routes will lead you to Albertville from where you climb the mountains towards Tignes.

The total drive time from Calais to Tignes will be 9 hours if you keep your stops to a minimum and short (8 hours if you are super fast and have a big petrol tank). It took me 8.30 hours but I had to stop 3 times for petrol. If you drive the first time or if you travel with a young family you should plan for 10 – 11 hours from Calais to Tignes. If you try to avoid motorway charges and drive route national, you save 65Euro (£50) but you journey time will be more like 12 – 14 hours.

Cost to drive to Tignes, ferry £80 return, motorway charges £50 one way, petrol £120 one way, which makes return trip cost (by car) about £420 – £450 depending on ferry cost and fuel consumption of your car. Normally driving makes only sense if you are a group sharing the cost. There are four regional airports with low cost flights, good car hire and airport transfer options. Do the maths.

I always leave London late morning 10amish to beat the traffic. That normally gets me into Tignes around midnight. I have lunch on the ferry and only stop for fuel. Because I pass lake Annecy late, I also beat the traffic along the lake.I don’t like to get up early.

Tignes Weather Forecast 2nd – 4th May – Powder:

A heavy fall of snow, heaviest during Mon night. Temperatures will be below freezing (max -1°C on Sun 2nd May morning, min -4°C on Sun night). Wind will be generally light and fresh powder guaranteed. Tignes is one of the last ski resorts to close for the winter season and is open well into the spring for some late-season skiing and is offering some deals to match.

Great spring skiing at even better prices

The Happy End deal, running from 1st to 8th May marks the end of the season in Tignes (before the summer ski season starts again in June !!!) . 100 kilometres of pistes stay open until May 9th and guests can enjoy seven nights’ accommodation plus a six-day SuperTignes pass starting as low as €175 per person. My chalet style Tignes ski apartment with great views sleeping seven people is available from as low as €400 for six people .

Tignes does make an effort to attract the punters

Tignes goes a long way to celebrate the end of the season and the deals are incredible. Tignes also include free entry to the massive indoor swimming pool and free ice skating. There are a lot of reasons to visit the ski resort not least a mix of long sunny day, quality snow, lively “after ski”, well, just the perfect cocktail to celebrate Spring time !

Remember Tignes for next ski season

My advice, take advantage of the deals available. You won’t get better powder skiing at lower prices anywhere next season. If you can’t make it this season there will always be a happy end next season.

Of course I have been thinking about contingency plans for how to get back to the UK. To be honest not really hard as there is always a way back from France.

For once you can easily drive back to the UK. Journey times to the French ports are less than 10 hours and if you keep the stops to a minimum you can do it in less than eight hours. I checked with my car hire company and I would be able to drop-off my car in Calais.

Not that I am in  a rush, snow conditions in Tignes are fantastic and even the off-piste is still good. Yesterday I skied Vallon de la Sache all the way down to Tignes Les Brevieres. I had a 10cm soft cover of snow on top of the dense solid snow foundation. … all to myself.

I love skiing Tignes late April, more often than not the snow is great and the past five years we had fresh snow even as late as early May.  The days are longer, the sun is warmer and a lot less people. Temperatures are still minus degrees, keeping the snow nice and consistent. Yes there is the odd slush lower down in the afternoon but it is April after all.

Skiing down the Grande Motte is still like sking in January, with firm, gripping snow ideal for racing long carving turns. No queues at the bottom of the Grande Motte cable car, no delays just continuous up and down on one of the most spectacular runs in the Alps and the world. Yesterday I managed almost 4 runs per hour from 3450m Grande Motte all the way down to Leisse chair lift.

Back to the vulcano and the current traffic chaos. You need not have to rely on flights getting to Tignes anyway.  There are direct train connections between London King’s Cross and Bourg St Maurice, from where it is just a 30min transfer to Tignes. Many transfer operators and busses operate on the route form Bourg st Maurice to Tignes. there should be no problems making arrangements at low cost.

As I am writing this blog post (sitting in my apartment overlooking Tichot) the first flights landed in Geneva airport. It looks like the air traffic ban has been lifted in London after a 6 days shutdown and it seems a large part of the British air traffic is expected to resume its works.

I for once had made my contingency plans.  Having said so I don’t have to go back to the UK before the end of the week and I could think of worse places to be stranded than Tignes. In fact, I wish the flight ban had been introduced later so I could stay to the end of the ski season.

Oh well there is always next year.

Last Friday I went to Porte du Soleil, Togon to be precise. I was invited by some friends and to be fair we had a lovely refuge on the slopes, courtesy of the local ski club.

Fridays skiing was good, but the snow below 2000m was already very slushy and the coverage very thin below 1500m altitude.  We are only just half way through March with another six weeks of the winter season to go. As I said, I enjoyed the skiing and the weather was great, so absolutely no complaints there.  We also had a good laugh partying in the refuge!

Saturday afternoon it started raining all the way up to the higher slopes. It was very mild and the snow coverage started to thin out by the minute. Soaking wet, on our way back to Torgon we had to ski some red and black runs with heavy, wet piles of snow – something a beginner would have found impossible to navigate and even an intermediate skier would have struggles with.

As it happened it rained all night and most of Sunday. The ski resort of Torgon decided to leave all lifts closed and many of the lower runs had already large sections without any snow coverage. Fair enough, if the resort decides to close the facilities due to lack of snow or weather conditions – that’s the way it is.

However not only were all the lifts closed, so were all the ticket offices. It took us a while to find an official to discuss ski pass refund (40euro for the day) only to be told that there won’t be any refunds at all.

You tell me, you operate a ski resort at low altitude, get caught out by the weather and lack of snow, decide to close all your ski lifts and than not even offer a refund? Would you book a ski holiday there again. I won’t.

I won’t go back to Porte du Soleil. This is the second time I have been skiing there in rain. It is also a difficult domain to ski between ski resorts. Too many buses to take, too many low altitude connecting slopes (often closed), too many old lifts that keep breaking down.

I cam back last night, frustrated from the lack of skiing. I checked the weather in Tignes and guess what. It was snowing. That’s why I don’t ski anywhere else but Tignes!!

Ski hire is an obvious one. We all have seen the offers for 20% and 30% reduction on skiing and boarding gear. Never mind all the banners from websites offering reduced rates for online bookings. How much of a real discount you are getting depends which starting price you take.

The problem with ski hire, everybody want to make a cut. If you are getting 20% discount via your booking agency or via a ski travel website you can bet that they are making 10% to 15% on you too. As always, direct is the best way to go. A friend of mine just came back from Tignes. He told me that he got a 45% discount on all the ski gear for his entire family including helmets and safety wear. I can’t name the shop (for obvious reasons). Just browse around in Tignes town and negotiate. There are plenty of ski hire shops in Tignes.

It is safe to assume that snow gear for sale is heavily reduced in price too. Most ski related business will have had an average, if not poor season to date. Businesses in Tignes are no different. I bet that sales for ski, boards, accessories and ski wear have already started. You should expect discounts of 50% – 80%. Now is the time to buy, if you are in the market for a new pair of ski or a snowboard.  Shops will still have all brands and sizes. Prices might be low at the end of the season too, but stocks will be limited.

Looks like airport transfer operators have started to discount too. If you are looking for a ski transfer to Tignes, submit your request to Ski Transfer Finder which should get you some transfer options. I have been told that some providers offer good midweek deals. A friend of mine booked a midweek private Grenoble airport transfer to Tignes and got a 50% discount.

Ski accommodation seems to be in plenty supply too. I know this first hand as I still got my Easter weeks free for this season. Here you go, even the last rental weeks in my ski apartment are on sale:  Ski apartment Tignes – 25% discount, directly from the owner (me).

Expect to see more happy hours and more meal deals in Tignes as the ski season progresses into April but don’t expect any discounts on ski passes. Also don’t bank on any preferential rates in Tignes many mountain refuges and restaurants . Things might be bad, and most things in Tignes are on sale. However it will take a lot more to break the cartel of lift and refuge owners in Tignes.

Why do I take this drastic measures? Well I got a lovely ski apartment sleeping seven people and for the first time this season it will be empty. I don’t want it to be empty, so I offered it to my friends. They can’t make so now I offer it to anybody following this blog.

Why do I have an empty ski apartment, during the best winter season in years? Because some chancer let me down. He booked the apartment, did not pay his booking deposit for weeks and informed me two days ago that he won’t take the apartment. That is what you get if you trust people these days!!

Anyway, the apartment is yours for the week. Easyjet still does flights from Stansted to Geneva for £130 return.  Cheapest Geneva airport transfer via Alps2Alps or check Ski Transfer Finder but a little short notice to start looking around. £200 in total will get you from the UK to Tignes somehow. You can also fly to Lyon, Chambery and Grenoble. These flight might be even cheaper and more convenient. The closest airports to Tignes are Lyon and Chambery about 2.5 hours away.

Tignes skipass is about £150 for the week. Here you go you could be skiing inclusive flights, transfers, accommodation and ski pass for as much as £350/week. Cheaper if you drive with a few mates, which would make the cost for the week as low as £300.

Sorry not exactly free but as close as you can get to free skiing in Tignes.

Imagine the sound of cowbells as you walk up one of the many trails around Val claret and Tignes Le Lac. If you never been in Tignes during the summer you probably can’t imagine the Alpine fauna that springs to life during the summer period on the foot of one of the largest ski-able glaciers in Europe. Imagine the contrast of green, white and blue.

Imagine skiing down the Grand Motte in a T-shirt on empty slopes, sunbathing on a terrace at 3000m in your shorts or bikini, having lunch overlooking some of the most stunning mountain ranges in the Alps. Well that just covers the mornings in Tignes.

Imagine yourself on a mountain bike downhill, racing down one of the many bike trails in full body protection, helmet and goggles. Toviere Aeroski, Palafour chair lift and Grande Motte funicular makes sure you can do this all day without breaking sweat.

Imagine playing a hole of golf at 2300m. Tignes golf course is the highest in Europe, 18 holes in a unique alpine setting.

Imagine playing football or rugby next to famous teams such as the French National Football team, Olympique Lyonnais, Stade Francais and Montpellier. Imagine great facilities, playing every ball game possible from tennis to beach volleyball.

Imagine the largest children and grown-up theme park in the world, without the crowds, without the theme but with all the fun. Imagine the largest children playground you can imagine. Imagine the buzz of children having fun

Imagine Tignes in summer.

Last weekend holes were even higher with additional ‘greens’ set-up below the Grand Motte at over 3000m. Up there you don’t call them greens any longer, better ‘whites’ as the golf is played on the glacier.

Now Tignes is not your average resort and golf is not know for its underground movements. To understand last weekend’s concept of golf you have to understand the difference between a middle class skier and a crazy off-piste boarder.  For one weekend only, the golf course is extended around the entire resort and the mountains nearby. Everyone could join in, which might not be the spirit of the normally elitist golf.

The weekend and concept of ‘Wild Golf’ in Tignes has gone down very well with everybody in Tignes. BBQ and Concert on Saturday evening by the lake drew a huge amount of people.

This week the golf course is back to normal, 18 holes and more of a traditional crowd. Beware traditional means something different here in Tignes.

Skiing late season in Tignes never disappoints, but the food on the slopes does. And talking about clouds in the sky, I was appalled by price, choice and quality of food in the mountain restaurants in both Tignes and Val D’Isere.  Skiing is not a cheap sport and Tinges is no exception with a day lift passing nearing £50. However there is no excuse for bad, overpriced food when you are most in need to recharge your energy.

Coffee, piece of cake and small bottle of water 13 euro, which is almost £13 these days. Or a poorly tasting spaghetti Bolognese for almost the same price. Give me a break… but not at these prices. We are in the middle of a recession and surely the target audience for those self-service mountain restaurants has no longer the cash to spend an extra £200 a week for poor quality lunches on the slopes.

I am certain, that the intake of these so-called restaurants has gone down. Does that mean the prices will have to go up next season or do those Tignes ‘restaurant’ owners start to offer decent value meals the likes to get in most ski resorts in Germany, Austria and Italy?

Apres-ski cost has gone up a level too. Two pints at the infamous terrace at Folly Douce put me down 13 quid just to listen to the DJ and an inflated unnecessary support band. I used to love this place but it is getting more a rip-off and less of an atmosphere. Get me back to a London pub any time…. for the après-ski anyway…

This year I skied a lot of other ski resorts as my ski apartment was booked for most of the season. To be fair, the snow was great everywhere I been and I had powder most days. However I can’t suppress my excitement about going back to Tignes. There is a different kind of spirit and energy out there in the ski resort and on the slopes… and I can’t wait for my first run down the Grand Motte all they way into Val Claret. I can already feel those legs burning and the head rush of adrinalin.

The weather forecast is great and there has even been some fresh powder last few days, which is not unusual for Tignes in late April. I have been hear on the last day of the season and experienced a dump of 1m powder …. and all the ski lifts closed the next day.

The season in Tignes finishes on the 10th May this year and with current snow levels they could probably go on for another few months. Although most Europeans have finished with the winter and are enjoying spring time activities. Keeping the resort open beyond the end of April is probably not commercially viable.

April skiing in Tignes, especially after the Easter holidays, is propbably the best in the world. High altitude gurantees good snow conditions, lift hours are extended and there tend to be long sunny spells. There are also no crowds at all with 300 km of piste used by very few skiers and boarders.

Cost for a ski trip are also low, with 3 day trips costing as little as 80 – 100 euros including ski pass and ski accommodation.Compare that to a peak time February or March ski holiday.

Having been in Tignes every single month of the year over the past two decades, April must be my favourite month. You will remember my words when you ski down those empty sunny slopes or enjoy a party on the terrace of the Folly Douce overlooking Val D’Isere.  Don’t forget to take the last chairlift back to Tignes. Even in April they don’t run during the night.

Enjoy April holidays in Tignes, I hope you do one day.

skiing holidays Tignes - Val Claret