Tignes 2008 – Hip Ski – Best of Tricks

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.

Freeridesport presents a summary of the third edition of Tignes Airwaves, one of the biggest ski/snow event of the year. Comments are in french (sorry ). This part concerns the “Big Air to Wall” contest, with skiers and FMX, staged as a dynamic trailer. Hope you’ll enjoy it, see you soon on www.FREERIDESPORT.com .

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.

Tignes Airwaves 2008 – Hip

David Babic 2007 World Cup Freestyle Moguls Final run. 12th place finish.

Me and my Friends in Tignes. Some beginners, some intermediate and some advanced.

Snowboarding video of Bristol University in tignes in 2007. Amateur footage of a few cool dudes… and with some cool music to boot.

Fire Mix Party Tignes Fun Radio Nouvel An 2010 Laurent Wolf New Single Survive