Why go?
If you’re looking for a family skiing holiday that caters for different levels and needs a mixed-ability group, it’s not easy to find better than Tignes. At 2,100m, it’s a snow-sure destination and, sharing the massive L’Espace Killy with Val d’Isère, offers 320km of trails catering to every level of ability. There’s clear blue sky, jagged mountain peaks, a sweeping expanse of glacier and powder-topped piste – and then there’s the 360° view from the top of Grande Motte telepherique. Skiing really doesn’t get much better. ?
Who is it good for? Children can learn to ski from the age of four, and the earlier you start them, the more naturally it comes.
Activities
Ski school: Local ski school Ski Evolution can turn inexperienced skiers into confident jump fanatics. Mornings are spent in ski school learning control and technique and afternoons are used to show off their new-found skills. Beginners have access to nursery slopes (with free lifts) before moving onto a large ‘ski tranquille’ area of long, wide and easy-going green runs – perfect for those looking to practice after a morning of ski school. Pros can take to the ‘naturides’ – groom-free black runs, offering great powder skiing on avalanche-protected pistes.
Aprés ski: For kids there’s husky rides, snowshoeing, sledging runs, ten-pin bowling and a leisure centre with swimming pool and slides – there’s plenty to wear out little legs if the skiing alone hasn’t done the job.
The lowdown
Travel time: Tignes is close to four airports; Chambery-Savoie (1 hour 50 minute transfer), Lyon Saint-Exupéry (2 hour 35 minute transfer), Grenoble-Isère (2 hour 33 minute transfer) and Geneva Cointrin (2 hour 42 minute transfer), all are around 1 hour and 35 minutes from London.
How to get there: Between December and April British Airways flies from London City Airport to Chambery; from £153 return, and from London Heathrow (from £131 return) and London Gatwick (from £79 return) to Geneva, as well as London Heathrow to Lyon (Saint Exupery); from £133. Swiss flies from London Heathrow (from £98 return) and London City (from £104 return) to Geneva. easyJet flies from London Gatwick to Geneva; from £50.98 return, and, between December and March, from London Gatwick to Grenoble; from £57.61 return.
Best time to go: Tignes has one of the longest seasons in the Alps, – thanks to its Grande Motte glacier – running from the beginning of December to mid-May.
More information: skiclub.com / espritski.com / igluski.com
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