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.

The Pissailas Glacier at Val d’Isere is open until mid July. It is a smaller affair, but a nice change to skiing in Tignes, for a half day at least. The conditions should be great, as it snowed up to 40cm of fresh powder earlier this month.

You can ski in  the morning from 7am, lift operations will shut around 2pm so you can still enjoy at least five hours of skiing before doing some hiking or mountain biking in the afternoon.

In the heart of Savoy, in France’s Northern Alps, Tignes’ ski resort has got a great summer and winter season. From freeriding to MTB downhill trails, golf or spa therapy, you’re certain to enjoy yourself. A superb holiday in the mountains awaits you. Tignes is also the resort of the Winter X Games Europe: the major event in snowboard and freestyle ski! The next Winter X Games Europe Tignes will take place in March 2012.

Every Sunday (from July 3rd to August 28th), a welcome meeting is organized to welcome you in the resort and present you all the entertainment and activities you will be able to enjoy during your stay.
Throughout the summer contests are organized every week: Crazy Airbag, MTB Airbag, Water Jump, biathlon, remote controlled cars, tennis, table tennis, “petanque”, beach soccer, beach volley, frisby, football, rugby, Wii, archery, nautical battles, pedal boats, canoe, fishing, shows and much more.

There is plenty to do in Tignes throughout the summer for skiers and non skiers. For accommodation, check Tignes apartment.

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.

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.

Watch X Games & X Game Preparations

Not only has Tignes landed the European Winter X Games for three years running. In only 36 days left and you will be able to enjoy the Winter X Games Europe live on Tignes’ snow! If you can’t wait and want to follow the preparation? From February 20th on, ESPN and Canal + Event staff is landing at 2100m to set up THE biggest freestyle event of the year! Tignes set-up a mini website dedicated to the Winter X Games Europe for those of you who can’t be there. The site offers you all essential info easily: HD webcams to follow the shaping of the SuperPipe and the modules of the Slopestyle, news, practical info to organize your stay, goodies to customize your computer etc.

Rally Champions racing on ice

You don’t have to wait for the X Games to get in on the action. What about some Rally Racing …. on ice? Tignes’ child Guerlain Chicherit and his Mini Countryman All4 Racing are ready to ride Tignes’ snow! The Full Metal Garage Show has landed in Tignes from February 13th to 16th. The four-time freeride world champion, Rally Raid world champion in 2009, combines his two passions into one brand new free show. Three days of training for an hour long performance on the most unlikely spots of the resort: skids on the frozen lake, jump over a bridge…

Exteme Winter Madness

You can expect a lot more entertainment and activities during your stay in Tignes. Some of the special events you can enjoy are parallel slalom with a sumo suit, photo Snow Safari with Sony, street entertainment, Kinect contest on giant screen with the Tignes Winter Madness game, Playstation contest with PS3, Disco on Ice, the party that puts the natural ice rink on fire, ice diving, and… skiing, boarding and snow fun of course.

Free Tignes holiday draw

Tignes tourist office also draws a free holiday for a lucky one in a 4* holiday residence, with five friend. The winner can enjoy all the madness for free in a hotel, just 2 minute walk away, and watch the best riders of the planet are landing stratospheric tricks along a crazy Slopestyle course and in an XXL half-pipe… You just have a few days left to play and try to win a 1 week stay for 6 people during the Winter X Games Europe! Hurry-up, no time to waste. The draw is on February 15th. More information on www.tignes-winter-madness.com!

Free swimming & skating

Tignes also offers free access to the swimming pool and to the ice rink if you buy a 2 to 15 day espace killy ski pass! Great deal and all makes sense. Why not, after a whole day of skiing, head for a few lengths in the Lagon pool and go toward the ice rink for a hockey match.

I hope you agree, Tignes keeps pushing the boundries’. The ski resort rocks.

Every Wednesdays enjoy the Fresh tracks sessions, the only way to be the first on the slopes: departure at 8.30 am for a slide down from Grande Motte Glacier to the heart of the resort.

Some of the Highlights this Tignes winter season:

November 27th:

Eespace killy’s opening, 300 km of pistes, but you already know that!

December 31st:

Tignes Fire Mix Party, the highest New Year’s Eve party of all. Andy Favre and DJ’s Mathieu Bouthier / Fun radio will set the dancefloor on fire with electro house sets from 10.30 pm to 2.30 am.

March 16th to 18th 2011:

2nd edition of the Winter X Games Europe Tignes.

Winter X 15 will be held from Jan. 27 – 30, 2011 in Aspen, Colo. Winter X Europe will be held March 16 – 18, 2011 in Tignes, France.

More than 125 athletes will compete from all over the globe in Snowboard and Skiing in France for the second year of Winter X Games Europe.

Plenty of reasons to ski Tignes this year