Great Last Minute deals for apartment Eterlou:

Apartment Eterlou is in Les Chartreux, a pretty, quiet area of Tignes situated next to the lake in between the main areas of Val Claret and Le Lac. Les Chartreux isn’t far from the ski lifts and the bus stop next to the apartment provides quick and easy access to the main ski lift areas, as well as the wide variety of shops, bars and restaurants that Tignes has to offer. Tignes is served by the large well linked ski area called L’Espace Killy. Tignes shares the L’Espace Killy with Val d’Isere and with over 300km (190 miles) of pistes 150 shops, 115 bars, numerous ski schools, 1500+ staff & extensive off-piste it has become one of Europe’s premier resorts.

LAST MINUTE DEALS

Sunday to Sunday 5th – 12th Feb – £595 for 7 people self catering
Sunday to Sunday 11th – 18th Feb – £895 for 7 people self catering
Sunday to Sunday 18th – 25th Feb – £895 for 7 people self catering

contact: http://www.tignes-ski.me.uk/contact_us.php

Many ski schools are running some October courses on the Grande Motte glacier in Tignes. The some of the one-week course have sold out but there are still a few places left on the weekend course that runs from the 14th – 17th October.

For now 20 kilometres of green to black slopes with 12 lifts, offering a 750 vertical meters drop, can be accessed on he glacier. You’ll also come across a large number of athletes from various national teams who take advantage of the glacier at Tignes to get back in touch with the snow and get their skis on again! Basically at this time of the year Tignes is packed with celebritrie downhill skiers.

The glacier will be open daily from 8:30am until 2:30pm – chairlift access only until the cable car opens on the 8th. Lift passes cost 27 euros for adults and 22.50 euros for children. Lift pass prices 2011/2012

The rest of the Espace Killy (Tignes & Val d’Isere resorts) is due to open on 26th November, so get up on to the glacier in the meantime for a bit of pre-season practise!

More and more slopes then open up, depending on the snowfall, enabling you to return to the resort on your skis as early as possible in the season. The Espace killy Tignes- Val d’Isère is scheduled to open on 26th November 2011.
Here you’ll find 300 kilometres of slopes to tear down, no holes barred, with the fun guaranteed until 1st May 2012.

EasyJet Holidays has launched its first ever range of ski packages. The new offerings include several major European snowfields, including Tignes and Val D’Isere. Flights are offered to Geneva from 11 UK departure airports and to Grenoble from seven.

No worries, Tignes got snow, when other resorts fail

Driving up to Tignes, I have to admit, I was getting a little worried. Looking up towards Les Arcs and La Plagnes, there was not much snow left below 2000m. I also know that many of the lower resorts have closed weeks ago. But Tignes never lets you down. After all you can ski there in summer and the resort is as snow save as you can get.

To be fair, you don’t want to stay in Tignes Les Boisses (1850m) or Les Brevieres (1550m) over the Easter break. You can still get there by ski, but there is not much now next to the official slopes. However the piste maintenance team in Tignes does well to keep all the runs open, even with temperatures as high as 15C.

Val Claret the best place to ski over Easter

The place to be is Val Claret. Here you got direct access to the best pistes and the best snow.  The runs down from Col Du Palet are sun blessed with great snow coverage and consistency. Doing a few runs up and down the Grattalu get you going on day one. It is one of the best slopes in Tignes in any conditions. You find the best snow on the Grande Motte glacier, but there you need to be an intermediate skier to enjoy the runs. I have been skiing off piste all the way down from Grande Motte to Leisse. No powder, but a thin vernier of soft snow made it almost as good.  The best place to ski, a real Easter treat.

Easter Skiing in Tignes – not to worry

Don’t worry about snow when you book your Easter break next year. Tignes has a great record and always got snow until the end of the season. There is always the glacier as a fall back. Tignes is one of the very few resorts with a winter season that reaches into May.

I for once enjoy Easter skiing here. More relaxed, more sun, less people and no worries.

Fresh snow is slowing down competitors

The fresh snow falls are slowing down slopestyle competition and is making courses more sticky. X-Games competitors feed on speed, fresh snow and poor visibility is not helping getting the best out of the competition During yesterday’s women’s slopestyle competition for example,  a number of the female riders opted to skip the last kicker due to a lack of speed. Even Canadian Kaya Turski, last years winner put together the strongest run but did not make the final jump due to lack of speed.

Forecast good for Tignes and X-Games

Looks like the weather has been a hindrance during yesterday’s competition but the forecast is for clearer skies next few days. Temperatures will be below freezing, but not too cold with a max -2°C on Fri morning, min -12°C on Sat night. Winds will be generally light. There might be some sunny spells next few days which will please the X Game competitors and ski holiday makers alike.

The long range forecast looks great, some more light snow fall next week followed by sun and just sub-zero temperatures. Luckily the season in Tignes is continuing until the 10th May, so plenty of time to enjoy the fresh snow and mountain sun.

There is still plenty of availability. Ski apartments in Tinges rent for as low as £400/week for up to 7 people.

Tignes has had good snow throughout this season compared to other resorts. Now the conditions are near perfect and will stay so for the rest of the season. I for once can’t wait to go out there next week.

Below the snow conditions issued by the Tignes main website today. Check the various webcams available and see for yourselves. At http://www.tignes.net/en/skiing-in-tignes/webcams-290.html you can see all the fresh powder.

Tignes Le Lac 2100m

Amount of total snow  65 cm

Quality of the snow: Fresh

Grande Motte 3300m

Amount of total snow 145 cm

Quality of the snow: Fresh

3 day Tignes Weather Forecast:

A moderate fall of snow, heaviest on Sun morning. Temperatures will be below freezing between -5°C and -15°C with light winds.

6 day Tignes Weather Forecast:

Mostly dry and sunny with temperatures  below freezing from -4°C to -21°C with light winds.

More powder is forecasted for this week with spells of sun and good weather. Ideal conditions!! Book your ski apartment now.

Despite negative press coverage on snow in the Alps, Tignes has had good snow throughout this season as all the slopes are above 1800m.I been in Tignes last week, before all the snow fall and I still could ski back to the front door of my ski apartment. Not sure what the UK press is talking about.  Best to check the resorts weather forecast, piste conditions and webcams.  See contact details below. Don’t rely on the press – tends to be negative anyway.

The piste skiing in  Tignes has still be considered good for the time of year. With the new snow fall, the piste conditions will be good until season close, which in Tignes is on the 9th May!!

Below the snow conditions issued by the Tignes tourist office.  Also check the live Tignes webcams, (http://www.tignes.net/en/skiing-in-tignes/webcams-290.html) where you can see all the fresh powder. More is forecasted for this week with spells of sun and good weather. Ideal conditions!!

I still got some weeks left for the 2011 winter season, which will now go on ‘SALE’. My ski apartment is located in one of the nicest areas in the heart of Tignes . It offers great self-catering ski accommodation with very easy access to Tignes ski lifts, slopes, outdoor, restaurants & entertainment. The ski bus stops outside my apartment, slopes are less than 5 min walk away and you can ski back directly to my Tignes apartment.

Tignes apartment rental week SALES:

Here are the dates available including the SALE rental prices for up to 8 people:

w/c 20th March – £950/week

w/c 27th March – £950/week

w/c 3rd April – £995/week

w/c 17th April – £850/week

w/c 24th April – £690/week

w/c 1st May – £550/week

To make a booking please contact: info@tignes-ski.me.uk or contact us via my website: www.tignes-ski.me.uk

Space & convenience

Our ski apartment in Tignes offers space and convenience. The 64sqm ski apartment is suitable for families, small groups or individuals, very comfortably sleeping 7 or max 8 depending on group.

Snow is now guaranteed until the end of the season. With more powder forecasted for this month and typical now fall until the end of April, there will be no risk booking your March and April ski holiday right  now.

Because of its heigh altitude (up to 3500m skiing), Tignes is about as snow safe as you can get. Especially considering its got a great big glacier, the Grande Motte to ski on just in case. Years ago it was possible to ski all year round at Tignes. To protect the glacier for the long term the Grande Motte is now only open for 10 months of the year.

Here are the main reasons for guaranteed snow:

• High altitude with skiing between 1800 – 3500m (many other ski resorts don’t even reach much above 1800m and that is where it all starts here).
• Grande Motte Glacier on which you can even ski in the summer – so no problems finding snow in the winter.
• When it rains low down it tends to be snow fall as Tignes is throughout the winter above the snow line
• Temperatures are below zero throughout the winter so the snow that falls, stays
• Being purpose built, the resort has been situated with snow safety in mind
• Tignes has one of the largest networks of snow cannon anywhere in the Alps
• Tignes also got the largest water supply anywhere (a large barrage below the resort).  Snow making is also guaranteed even during dry periods

Talking from experience, Tignes skis well in summer (July to August up on the Glacier) so the winter season, Easter and even early May shouldn’t be a problem! I skied powder many times early May. Last year we had a big dump of powder on the 10th of May, just a day after the winter season ended and all the ski lifts closed – bugger…. had to walk up as it was just too good.

I started 10 days ago in Tignes and skied accross L’Espace Killy. The entire resort is covered in snow, no brown or green patches. Admitably most of the pistes were hard packed, but no ice. The snow on all the Grand Motte runs was still great and I even found a little off-piste.

Friday I moved on to Trois Vallee, skied large parts of Meribel, Les Menieures and Val Thorans. Full coverage but there, all pistes are hard packed, no off-piste and the lower slopes in Meribel and Menieures had already some icy patches.

Saturday I moved on the La Plagnes. Same story full piste coverage but hard packed and very ice, especially towards the connection with Les Arcs. For the last run down below the tree line you already needed ice skates.

Sunday in Megeve was a shocker. Brown and green slopes with some white ski runs in between. It did not look like a ski resort mid winter but the skiing was not that bad largely due to the spring conditions on the slopes as early as 11am.

Monday I tried Espace Diamant. Flumet has already no lift connection to the domain. You had to take a bus to the higher slopes. Snow coverage very thin and very icy on most of the runs. Les Saisies is you best bet. However many of the connection run across Espace Diamant are out of action or difficult to navigate. It needs to snow soon otherwise it will be every resort on its own, which takes the magic out of skiing Espace Diamant.

Tuesday Grand Bornand. All pistes open, but ice & slush in abundance. It is skiable and in the afternoon the conditions feel like skiing Tignes in May. The snow on piste is man made, so hard. It is a family resort, but not good for beginners at the moment as both ice and slush are difficult to ski unless you know what you are doing.

Wednesday La Clusaz. The low snow conditions work against the resort. Normally very shady, so snow last long but if there is not much snow on offer, rocks are showing. At the moment there are many rocks on the slopes and I caught a few. Not happy. The lower slopes in Clusaz are very ice. It is one of my favourite local ski resorts, but I wont go back in a hurry unless it snows soon.

Thursday back to Meribel and Courchevel. Meribel got very ice low down. Conditions have deteriorated and are not helped by skiiers sliding down to navigate the ice. Courchevel has spring conditions but icy early morning and late evening. Be careful on your run home late afternoon.

Friday back to Megeve, where the snow is melting fast. In the space of four days many slopes have turned brown and I can’t see where the snow grooming team will get the snow from to cover up all the brown patches.

And the last resort is Tignes. With a good part of the ski domain above 3000m there is still great snow to be found. If there is no more snow this season, Tignes will be fine. I am worried about some of the other resorts though. Let’s hope that fresh snow is coming soon.

Here is the deal: You can get my Tignes apartment for free between 13. – 20. Feb, subject to paying for change-over, cleaning and bed linen. All you got to do is contact me on my website www.tignes-ski.me.uk. If I got more than one request, I will draw the lucky one. If I manage to let the apartment between now and the 13th – tough luck. There is always ski accommodation finder to check for some last minute deals.

Tignes offers something for everybody. The skiing in Tignes is simply vast, and with several free lifts for beginners helping the excellent local ski and snowboard schools, progression is normally quick for first timers on a Tignes skiing holiday. For intermediates there is a good percentage of difficult blues and reds, which are more than enough to keep even an ambitious intermediate challenged for during their Tignes skiing holiday.

There are huge long sweeping runs up on the Grand Motte glacier, which should be the goal for the end of the beginner’s first week skiing in Tignes. The trip down to Les Brevieres can be particularly enjoyable, with nice restaurants awaiting you at the bottom.

Intrigued?