I grew up going to Tignes. My parents bought an apartment there in the early ‘90s and we went every year, for each winter vacation we had, and in the summer. My parents chose Tignes because it’s one of the highest resorts in the Alps, tucked in the far corner of the Tarentaise Valley, with lots of diverse terrain and an enormous skiing area (Espace Killy, named after the 1968 Olympic gold medalist). This means it’s a bit harder to get to, but well worth it. The best way is to make a stop in Paris and take the train up to Bourg St. Maurice, followed by a 40-min taxi up the mountain. Or you can fly into Geneva and make the 2h45 drive! Tignes is where a lot of the professional ski athletes train, because it gets snow nearly year-round (the glacier sometimes sees snow in the summer and you could ski it… at least back in the ‘90s you could!). Tignes is a family resort and has more brutalist-type architecture than the more traditional chalets (which Val d’Isère has more of). But in the last 10 years, there’s been a lot of improvements to the resort—which actually extends to four different altitude levels—to develop more chalet-type hotels and architecture. Tignes also boasts a big lake, is home to lots of water-based activities in the summer (and a ski jump ramp for those athletes in training), and has nice walks across the frozen lake in the winter. The Dec. 31 fireworks are really special against the backdrop of mountains and there’s always a big party outside there for NYE.
There are actually four “Tignes.” As you head up the mountain, you’ll see the first Tignes exit is for Tignes Les Brevières. This is a quieter village with chalet-style lodging. It’s at the bottom of the mountain in the valley, so you won’t get as much snow. But there’s a gondola that takes you up the mountain to the snowier parts of the resort if it’s now as snowy down there. When snow dumps on the valley, you can have fun skiing from the highest point (La Grande Motte) all the way to Tignes les Brevières, where there are great little restaurants on the way down and at the bottom. Some faves include L’Armailly, la Sachette. There are nice chalet rentals there and Santa Terra condos.
Then there’s Tignes 1800 (a reference to altitude in meters), which used to be called Tignes Les Boisses. This is the one you pass right after driving over the dam (known as Le Barrage de Tignes — it’s a fairly famous dam as when they filled the reservoir, they had to flood the original village of Tignes… so there’s a whole village under the Lac du Chevril!). Tignes Les Boisses used to just be a handful of condo buildings and nothing else… There’s a bit more now and it connects to the whole ski area, but I wouldn’t recommend anyone stay here unless you’re looking for cheaper lodging options.
Then you drive a bit further up the windy mountain road and you arrive at Tignes le Lavachet and Tignes le Lac. Lavachet is a few minutes from Tignes le Lac but much quieter, with beautiful chalets. Le Lac is the heart of the resort. It has everything—luxury condos, hotels, ski schools, ice skating, trampolines, live music, restaurants, a wellness center with pool and gym, bowling, shops, etc. I love this in the summer… it’s as bustling as the winter with the lake activities, market, etc.
And lastly there’s Tignes Val Claret, the highest point with the more technical skiing, brutalist lodging, but amazing restaurants. This is where we had our condo.
Here are my recommendations in Tignes (which I’m so hesitant to share, but with you and the YOLO audience I will! :)…
Eat & Drink
Our first meal is always pizza. There’s something about coming up the mountain and breathing in the fresh air that makes you want to just eat carbs and cheese! Our stop: Pignatta, which has been around for as long as I’ve been going there and is run by two brothers. They have a bunch of traditional alpine dishes but I have a soft spot for the pizza Savoyarde or a calzone.
Ursus – A Michelin-starred food experience where each course represents a different altitude level. It’s a very cozy vibe. Also a family affair: run by Maison Bouvier, the son Clément Bouvier is the chef!
Grizzly Bar – Everything in this bar was hand-carved by the owner. It used to be a shop where we rented our ski equipment, but the owner built a fireplace on the second floor and started inviting friends in for dinner, where he would throw a beef rib in the fireplace and a few potatoes with tossed salad. Slowly the space became less of a shop and more of a bar and restaurant. The terrace outside is a great place for a midday lunch of grilled meat and potatoes, Grog (hot rum with lemon) or vin chaud, or draft beer in the sun. Dinner can be cozy by the fireplace upstairs. The owner’s daughter and husband now run the place.
L’Armoise – Also has been around for ages. This is the place to get a traditional alpine meal: tartiflette (my personal favorite!), raclette , pierrade….
Le Panoramic – Also from Maison Bouvier, at the top of La Grande Motte, this is an experience unto itself. You don’t even have to ski to eat lunch there (there’s a little underground funicular that takes you right to it). They warm your ski boots and give you slippers, you can eat traditional alpine cuisine, grilled meats, and end the meal with a plate full of homemade marshmallows (not kidding!). We always book this on Jan. 1 for lunch—it’s the best way to start the year in my opinion. 🙂
La Table de Jeanne -Traditional alpine fare in cozy wooden and faux-fur interiors in the center of town.
Le Whitney Bar in the Maison Bouvier hotel is a nice evening hang.
Le Bollin – Slopeside dining by the brothers of Pignatta. Focus is on meats and alpine dishes. This is a good restaurant that’s on the mountain but easy to get to. We like taking our son there in between ski lessons.
La Ferme des 3 Capucines – you ski-in for lunch or go for dinner (there’s a shuttle that connects all the different Tignes or you book a taxi; this restaurant is in Le Lavachet). This is a great place for traditional Alpine fare like tartiflette and raclette. This is actually an active dairy farm–they’ve been around since 1985 making “beaufort” cheese, which you cannot find in the United States. There is summer beaufort (milk from cows on a fresh grass diet) and winter beaufort (milk from cows from a straw diet)–you’ll become an expert by the end of your stay! But this is where you have beaufort!
Mentioned above, L’Armailly is a great spot for lunch and it’s a really nice ski experience as it’s located in the lowest Tignes, Tignes les Brevières. Nice halfway break for a full day on the slopes!
Stays
CGH Residences Hotelieres: Le Jhana or Le Nevada – Furnished, luxury apartments with the services of a hotel and spa / pool amenities. Both are centrally located and close to everything
Maison Bouvier – Les Suites Hotel – The very first 5* hotel in Tignes! It’s on the main street and has a great bar, michelin-starred restaurant, spa and pool. The rooms are decorated in faux-fur, warm and wood tones
Hotel Les Suites du Montana in Le Lac – Perched centrally in Tignes le Lac, it’s a ski-in/ski-out 4* hotel with indoor/outdoor pool, spa, family activities, and close to all
Services, etc.
SkiOne for ski rentals, classes
Evolution2 for lessons and/or guided off-piste excursions (they’re in Tignes and Val D’isere); they also run non-ski outdoor adventures
Foodshops: Sherpa for everyday groceries (you can even rent a raclette machine and they’ll give you the cheese and cured meat and veggies to have the traditional raclette meal), épicerie Bouvier for fancier items (cheeses, cured meats, jams, honey, desserts, etc), La Grange (my go-to for cured meats and cheese, génépi, honey, jams). Tip: make sure to bring saucisson, beaufort and a baguette for the train ride back to Paris!
Val d’Isère
Val d’Isère is Tignes’ fancier, more popular neighbor, though lower in elevation (keep in mind if great snow is a priority). As you reach the Tignes dam, you can pass over it and head into Tignes or continue on and land in Val d’Isère. Many people find Val d’Isere to be more beautiful, as you’ll find more traditional, alpine chic architecture and chalets. There are more restaurants and shops, so if you’re not a serious skier and you’re really looking for more cozy après-ski vibes and awe-inspiring landscapes, then Val d’Isère is likely a better match.
Val d’Isère stretches across a valley, with three distinct areas:
La Daille – more brutalist architecture, closest to Tignes and where there are more affordable lodging options. It doesn’t have a ton going on but it’s well connected to the rest of the resort.
Val d’Isère – center; this is where you want to stay, with easy access to the ski areas, ski schools, restaurants, shops and best hotels.
Le Fornet – furthest; not a ton of connection to the rest of the skiing area but closest to Pisaillas glacier… It takes a full day to get here and back from Tignes. It’s a great full day ski excursion. You depart Tignes, ski through Val d’Isère, and then get to Le Fornet, where you stop for lunch and then do it back. There’s an amazing restaurant there called L’Edelweiss. One of the best meals, in my opinion!
Hotels in Val d’Isère – Le Refuge de Solaise (on the mountain) or Experimental Chalet Val d’Isère (central, in town, new this season), K2 Chogori Val d’Isere (central, in town)
I recommend chalet rentals in Val d’Isère too – they are over the top there.
Val d’Isère has more shopping than Tignes, but it is more crowded. With time, I’ve grown to enjoy skiing on the Tignes side more. Tignes is also more casual. More about the sport, less about the glam!
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