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.

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.

If you enjoyed the Freestyle events such as boarder- and ski cross, the fun is not over yet. The countdown has already started for Winter X Games Europe in Tignes. You can be there to watch live rather than on TV. A one hour flight from the UK to either Lyon, Geneva, Grenoble or Chambery and a two and half hour ski transfer will get you to Tignes. Worth doing even for the weekend as you will be able to share the amazing X Games experience with thousands of spectators coming to cheer the competitors. For sure Tignes will be buzzing with energy and beat the Winter Olympics atmosphere by miles.

Tignes Winter X Games – March 10th to 12th

The Winter X Games will be held in Tignes from March 10th to 12th. On show the very best freestyle athletes on the planet including Tignes’ own Xavier Bertoni freestyle ski legend. On offer some world class extreme skiing and boarding:

Men and Women’s Super Pipe Ski

Men and Women’s Super Pipe Snowboard

Men and Women’s Slopestyle Ski

Men and Women’s Slopestyle Snowboard

Freestyle Snowmobile

Kevin Rolland, Sarah Burke, Mathieu Crépel are just some of the many free riders confirmed. Watch and meet the world’s best freestylers. Best ofall the entire event is for free  with lots of parties and fringe events.

Tignes X Games

Sensational Snow Conditions in Tignes

The current snow conditions in Tinges are short of sensational and probably the best I seen for many years. We had below zero degree temperatures all season and lots of fresh powder. This is surely going to be the best Winter X Games ever. The only downside for me:  I won’t be able to make it and I am gutted!!! Who is going to enjoy the views from my Ski Apartment in Tignes? I don’t even dare to think about it.

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