Where to Ski And Snowboard - Tignes plans snow dome for 365 skiing

Tignes plans snow dome for 365 skiing

21st December 2016, by Abi Butcher

The snow dome will be built at Val Claret if investors are found for the €62m project

The French ski resort of Tignes has had plans approved for a snow dome that will offer year-round skiing. The plans have been made to mitigate losses from the Grande Motte glacier — which has apparently decreased by 30 per cent in recent years due to global warming.

The snow dome will have a 400m slope, and be situated at 2,000m at Val Claret — at a cost of €62million. The new centre, for which planning was approved at the end of November, will also have a surfing pool with three-metre waves, a shopping centre and hotel with 1,000 beds.

Tignes is planning ahead for the loss of its summer skiing, which traditionally takes place on the Grande Motte during July and August and hopes the snow dome will continue to attract teams of ski racers. The resort is now seeking private investors for the snow dome and wave centre — which will be called “Ski Line”.

The slope will cover an area of 20,000m2 with an indoor chair lift, much like the snow dome in Dubai, and will use renewable energy in the form of hydroelectricity from the town’s dam, a biomass boiler and solar panels on its roof.

Jean-Christophe Vitale, the mayor of Tignes, told The Times: “The Grande Motte glacier has already lost 30% of its ski area, so we have decided to react by creating an indoor ski slope.”

A new four- and five-star Club Med complex will be built nearby and open all year round. If investors are found for the project, the resort hopes both Ski Line and the Club Med complex will be open in 2018-19.

Read the Where to Ski and Snowboard review of Tignes.