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.

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