Review of Tignes

2nd March 2008 by Nick Hounsome 

We went as part of a large group to Tignes Les Brevieres in early February. We stayed in the Relais du Lac, which is used as an overflow by Chalet Chardons and it was frankly disgusting. I’m told that the French have the same laws about indoor smoking as we do but that doesn’t stop them putting ashtrays in every room and the flock wallpaper that had been up since the sixties reeked accordingly. Les Brevieres is a much smaller place than I expected with nothing much to recommend it, although some of the restaurants were good, most notably the one directly across the road from the piste where we had a couple of good meals in the evening. The places on the piste were shockingly expensive for snacks - Hot chocolate & a bowl of chips 15.50!
Apart from that Les Brevieres makes a poor base because the late visibility is really bad as the sun sets behind the mountains. This means that you won’t be popping up for one last run and you won’t be finishing the day on the Sache. Timid intermediates should not do the Chardons run above Les Boises - There is a short, narrow, heavily mogulled section just before the split with the Pavot that caused a few people to panic. This was not a one off - it appeared to be the same every day.
Of the wider Tignes area the most enjoyable runs were in the Palet and Grand Motte sectors particularly the grattalu, genepy/prariond, face/double M. All members of the party taking ski school with the ESF (beginners and early intermediates) had bad experiences - for example the instructor managed to lose one member whilst heading to the Tommeuses lift (The only lift on that side of the mountain that is included in the Tignes pass) causing him to end up in La Daille and having to pay to get out again and work his own way home.

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