News – 2018/19

The Grande Motte cable car has been revamped, with new cabins that have an open-air viewing platform on the roof. Chilly, at 3456m! At the opposite extreme of the area, the chair-lift from Les Brevières to Tignes 1800 is being replaced by a gondola.

Summary

The appeal of Tignes is simple: good snow, spread over a wide area of varied terrain shared with Val d’Isère. The altitude of Tignes is crucial: a forecast of ‘rain up to 2000m’ means ‘fresh snow down to village level in Tignes’ (or at least to Tignes 2100, as they are now trying to rebrand the main resort).
We prefer to stay in Val, which is a more human place. But in many ways Tignes 2100 makes the better base: appreciably higher, more convenient, surrounded by intermediate terrain, and with quick access to the Grande Motte glacier. And the case gets stronger as the resort tries to make the place more attractive and as more traditional chalet-style buildings appear.
The lift system has improved, too, with a burst of fast chairs on the western side of the Tignes bowl a few years ago. But there are still a few key links that need upgrading.

Blogs, features and news

• Summer skiing starts across Europe
• French and Italian ski resorts open and are then shut down
• French ski resorts open post-Covid lockdown
• Michelin-starred chefs cook for hospital staff in French Alps
• Grande Motte closes to summer skiers