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Situated at the end of the valley of the Haute Tarentaise in the Savoie department of France, Tignes is very much away from the crowds. The downside of this secluded location means that you won’t have the easiest of journeys to get there but the upside is that you won’t often see the crowds of resorts such as Chamonix.
| Airport | Distance to Tignes in km |
Approx. transfer time by road |
| Chambery | 142 | 1.5 hours |
| Lyon St Exupery | 220 | 2.5 hours |
| Geneva | 200 | 3 hours |
Flying
The airport of Chambery, the capital of the Savoie region, and has a transfer time of just two hours however few airlines fly there. The larger airports of Geneva and Lyon St Exupery get the majority of ski routes so have the most flexible flight times. Ryanair’s recent addition of Grenoble to its timetable is a good option for a cheap flight and shorter transfer time. It is worth checking the ski carriage costs when you book to avoid hidden charges.
Train
Why not take the train to the Alps - the snow trains run by Rail Europe and Eurostar go from Kings Cross St Pancras this winter. Whilst being pricier than low-cost airlines, the journey is relaxing and if you want to party, Rail Europe’s renowned ‘disco carriage’ will get you in the mood. The nearest train station to Tignes is in Bourg Saint Maurice (about 30km away). Whilst the sleeper train makes the most out of your time, beware that you get into resort early morning and accommodation is often not ready this early. Use the showers and baggage drop in the Maison de Tignes offices.
Transfers
To get from the airport or the train station to Tignes, public buses run from the major airports (Geneva and Lyon St Exupery) through Bourg and up to Tignes regularly. Expect to pay from €50 for a round trip.
For a door to door service, private transfers and taxis are often a good option, especially if there are a group of you. There are also a number of English-speaking transfer companies that operate out of resorts who are good for both price and reliability – very useful too if you have an early morning flight!
Self-drive
If you would rather drive yourself, it should take about 11 hours to drive to Tignes from Calais. French autoroutes are a lot emptier than UK motorways so it can be a relaxing way to get there if you can share the driving or stop on the way. It will cost around €50-60 in toll fees which you can pay in cash or a UK credit card (not cash card).
| Report date: | 30 Apr 2008 |
|---|---|
| Last snowed: | 22 Apr 2008 |
| Fresh snow: | 20cm |
| Lifts open: | 25 out of 43 |
Snow depth | |
| Lower slopes: | 100cm |
| Upper slopes: | 310cm |
Piste information | |
| On-piste: | Excellent |
| Off-piste: | Varied |
| Resort runs: | Packed |
