
Tignes
1906m vertical, 150km of runs, 300km with Val d'Isère. Grande Motte glacier extends season November to May. Tarentaise, France.
Tignes operates across 1550 to 3456 metres, delivering 150 kilometres of marked runs and a vertical drop of 1906 metres. The Grande Motte glacier reaches 3656 metres and guarantees skiing from late November through to early May, with summer sessions running from late June to mid-July. Combined with neighbouring Val d'Isère, the Tignes–Val d'Isère ski area offers 300 kilometres of piste served by 78 lifts across over 10,000 hectares of skiable terrain. The resort hosted freestyle skiing at the 1992 Winter Olympics and remains a training base for national ski teams.
Tignes divides terrain into 57% beginner, 25% intermediate, 10% advanced and 8% expert, though grading runs above 2100 metres elevation. The 10-kilometre La Sache black run descends through the Vallon de la Sache to Les Brévières, whilst the Grande Motte sector provides wide glacier bowls and red runs from 3456 metres. The Aiguille Percée area features the natural rock arch accessed via the Palafour chairlift, and the Tovière sector connects directly to Val d'Isère via gondola. Two terrain parks operate at the Grattalu chairlift, alongside boardercross and mogul training zones.
Five villages form the resort: Val Claret sits at 2100 metres with direct funicular access to the glacier, Tignes Le Lac operates as the main hub at 2100 metres, Le Lavachet lies between the two, Les Boisses sits at 1800 metres, and Les Brévières occupies the valley floor at 1550 metres. Purpose-built architecture dominates the upper villages, prioritising ski-in ski-out access over Alpine charm, though recent redevelopment has softened the 1960s concrete blocks. Free shuttle buses link all villages until midnight, and 113 snow cannons cover 50 kilometres of piste.
A joint Tignes–Val d'Isère pass costs €48 to €71 per day for adults in the 2025-26 season, whilst Tignes-only passes run €38 to €55. Season passes cost €1299 for the combined area. Children under 8 and seniors over 75 ski free, and the Ski Start beginner programme offers three progression levels with free lifts on initial stages. The resort suits confident intermediates and experts seeking high-altitude terrain, with glacier access extending the season well beyond typical French Alps closures.
Tignes spans 150 kilometres of piste and 80 runs from 1,550 metres at Les Brévières up to 3,456 metres, a vertical of 1,906 metres. It is a resort of contrasts: 57% of the terrain is beginner, 25% intermediate, 10% advanced and 8% expert, so few big mountains pair so much easy skiing with a serious expert slice. The bowls around Val Claret and Tignes Le Lac sit above 2,000 metres, and the Grande Motte glacier adds dependable snow in the early and late season. Gondolas, six-seaters and an eight-seat chair do the heavy lifting.
La Sache is the longest run, a 10-kilometre black from the Aiguille Percée down to Les Brévières. On the Grande Motte, the reds are worth repeating for the snow and the views, and Leissée is a favourite. Across Val Claret, the Tichot and Grattalu lifts serve cruising terrain and the freestyle parks. The Tovière and Tommeuses lifts connect over to Val d'Isère for more variety. Freeriders have a set of secured but ungroomed slopes plus wilder lines that need a guide. Tignes suits strong intermediates and experts, with an easy-terrain share large enough for beginners in the villages.
The 2025-26 season runs from 22 November 2025 to 3 May 2026, spanning 163 days. The Grande Motte glacier opens first with 20 kilometres of piste, then the full Tignes–Val d'Isère link opens from 29 November once lower sectors receive sufficient snow cover. Summer skiing operates from 21 June to 20 July 2026, offering 700 metres of vertical on the glacier with six lifts accessing 20 kilometres of groomed runs. The resort typically reopens in mid-October for autumn glacier skiing before the winter season begins.
Annual snowfall averages around 8 metres at 2100 metres, with over half the ski area lying above 2500 metres and the glacier providing permanent snow cover above 3000 metres. The resort's position against the Italian border captures both Atlantic depressions and Mediterranean low-pressure systems, delivering reliable accumulation from December through April. Snowmaking covers 50 kilometres of piste through 113 cannons, though natural snow depth at 2100 metres typically exceeds 2 metres by mid-season.
January and February deliver the coldest temperatures and most consistent powder, with the highest villages often registering well below freezing. March offers the sweet spot of long daylight hours, stable snow and warming temperatures, whilst April and early May provide spring corn conditions on south-facing slopes and maintained coverage on the glacier. December can see limited terrain until Christmas, and late November relies almost entirely on glacier skiing.
Winter Fest runs 11-13 January 2026 with snowboard film premieres and exhibitions, the FIS Para Alpine Skiing World Cup visits 2-6 February, and the French Alpine Ski Championships occupy 30 March to 8 April. European Snowpride takes place 21-28 March, and Spring Break programming fills 18 April to 3 May. The Live in Tignes music festival traditionally closes the season in early May with performances across multiple stages.
Daily snow reports at Tignes go back to 1996, 31 winters on the books. Open the record to compare winters, lifts and piste.
Tignes sits in the Tarentaise Valley in the Savoie department of south-eastern France, 30 kilometres from Bourg-Saint-Maurice at the upper end of the Isère valley. The main villages occupy a natural cirque at 2100 metres, enclosed by the Grande Motte massif at 3656 metres, the Grande Casse at 3852 metres, and surrounding peaks forming the gateway to Vanoise National Park. The original village lies submerged beneath Lac du Chevril following construction of the Tignes Dam in 1952, with the dramatic concrete wall now painted with a Hercules fresco visible on the approach road.
Bourg-Saint-Maurice serves as the nearest major town, sitting 30 kilometres and 40 minutes down the valley with supermarkets, a TGV station and the regional hospital. Moutiers lies 45 kilometres north along the N90, whilst Albertville sits 80 kilometres distant at the junction of major Alpine valleys. Val d'Isère occupies the next valley 12 kilometres to the south, connected by lift and piste throughout the ski season. The wider Tarentaise Valley contains Les Arcs, La Plagne and the Trois Vallées within an hour's drive.
The N90 from Albertville and Moutiers provides the sole road access via Bourg-Saint-Maurice, climbing 1000 metres over 30 kilometres of switchbacks with spectacular views of the dam and valley. Geneva Airport lies 220 kilometres and approximately three hours west via the A40 autoroute to Annecy then the N90 through Albertville, with transfer times extending to four hours during Saturday changeover traffic. Chambéry Airport sits 143 kilometres and two hours south via the A43 and N90, offering the shortest airport transfer.
Lyon-Saint-Exupéry Airport lies 220 kilometres and three hours southeast, whilst Grenoble sits 164 kilometres and three hours southwest. Bourg-Saint-Maurice railway station receives direct TGV services from Paris in five hours and weekend Eurostar connections from London via Lyon, with local buses covering the final 30 kilometres to resort in 40-60 minutes. Altibus operates year-round bus services from the station to all five Tignes villages, with tickets costing €12 for adults and departures coordinated with train arrivals.
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8 live angles across the mountain. Tap any camera to go full-screen.
More Tignes intelligence: snow report, lift tickets, trail map, resort overview.