Resort Guide: Tignes – Val d’Isère Ski Area

Val d’Isere

Val d’Isère skiing has a pedigree that few other resorts can’t match. Famous for its 300km of pistes and over 10,000 hectares of lift-served off-piste skiing terrain. This is one of the world’s best for experts

Not what you would call a beginners paradise. With tricky green and blue runs and the runs back down into resort are nearly all either black, difficult reds. A novice should, head to the top, look for the gentle, wide blues and then head down to the bottom on a gondola.

The intermediates will enjoy the top of Le Fornet, the Grand Pré or the lovely blues under the Glacier Express lift. If you are looking to push yourself, tackle the OK-Orange down from the top of the Olympique gondola, a high-speed rolling red.

For advanced skiers, off-piste is where it is at. Virtually every face offers endless possibilities especially when the snow is nice and deep. Off-piste skiing should be undertaken with a local guide; avalanches can and do occur in this area. On-piste, the most challenging run is La Face – the extremely steep and mogulled black.

Cross-Country Trails – Within Val d’Isere you’ll find 7 cross country trails for you to use, which cover 31.3km.

Tignes

At Tignes, the snow is almost guaranteed. It caters for all levels and intrestes, but the resort really delivers for the intermediates to experts.

All of the villages have their own free nursery slopes to get beginners up to speed. The best spots are in Lavachet and Val Claret. From there, you can take the Fresse lift up to the gently rolling greens of the Ski Tranquille zone

Intermediates should start with the lovely blues starting at the Chaudanne lift and finishing at the Paquis, then once feeling confidant head straight for the Grande Motte down the lovely fast wide red slopes.

If you are looking to push yourself Trolles, the black piste back down into Le Lac. This will definitely take it to the next level.

Advanced skiers have the pick of the bunch with a variety of excellent blacks – choose from gradient on the Sache, bumps on Silene, or sheer speed on Descente.

There is plenty of open powder between the runs and there are also heaps of well-tracked off-piste itineraries to sample. As always hire a guide to get the most out of the area. Head to the Naturide and Le Spot areas, which are patrolled but un-pisted.

For those who are looking for a bit more Tignes ski features slalom stadiums, a mogul field, a half-pipe, and three snowparks.