 Poster: A snowHead
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I planning to go to Tignes on honeymoon in late April (18th-25th). We haven't been to Tignes before so am a bit lost with the choice of accommodation and different villages. I have seen some good deals on nice chalets in Tignes les breviers but presume this is too low down. I'd welcome any tips on which village to stay in and any general late season advice. Thank you in advance.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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too low, you will need bus to and from if lifts / runs close
Lavachet, LeLac or Valclaret
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Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
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I think Val Claret is the highest, so might be your best option, as you can get right up to the top of the glacier from there on the funiculaire. I stayed in VD around that sort of time 2 years ago, and there was no problem skiing down to Tignes le Lac, albeit the snow got a bit slushy towards the end of the day. That year you could also ski down to Le Brevier for most of the day, but there was fairly heavy slush the one time we did it. Although am sure the others that daehwons, mentions would be good as well.
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Although saying that, there is very little to do in Val Claret in the afternoon/evening as far as I remember, and its also not the prettiest of villages. So, if you're after restaurants/bars to go to in the evening, then Le Lac might be a better option. Have never stayed in Lavachet so can't really comment on that one.
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Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
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ValC is only 50ft os so higher if that
It would have to be a bad year for no skiing down to either
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As daehwons says, Le Lac and Val Claret are pretty much at the same altitude.
I stayed in Le Lac at the beginning of Dec and enjoyed it. It's not the prettiest town in the world, but there are some decent bars and restaurants ... and afterall, you're there to ski not on a tour of fine architecture 
Didn't look around Val Claret much ... so can't comment on it. But as Val Claret and Le Lac are only a couple of mins away on the ski bus, it's easy to from one to another.
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Val Claret is a bit more than 50 feet higher than Le Lac but that isn't really the main criterion for the decision. You don't really go to Tignes for pretty architecture and there isn't much to choose between any of the villages except Les Brevieres and Les Boisses which really are quite a bit lower. Both Le Lac and Val Claret have decent bars and restaurants. To my mind Le Lac just has the edge but there really isn't much in it. And as abj says the free bus takes less than 5 minutes to get between the two even if you do find yourself in the wrong place for the bar or restaurant you want that day.
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| Bogusman wrote: |
| Val Claret is a bit more than 50 feet higher than Le Lac but that isn't really the main criterion for the decision. You don't really go to Tignes for pretty architecture and there isn't much to choose between any of the villages except Les Brevieres and Les Boisses which really are quite a bit lower. Both Le Lac and Val Claret have decent bars and restaurants. To my mind Le Lac just has the edge but there really isn't much in it. And as abj says the free bus takes less than 5 minutes to get between the two even if you do find yourself in the wrong place for the bar or restaurant you want that day. |
I ment 50m not feet
but if you want to get picky..... depends where you measure from and to, bottom of slope is near enough same level
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You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
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Lavachet is a bit of a dormitory that's a short walk behind Le Lac, and is on the bus route. It's the same height as Le Lac. As daehwons says, the advantage of Val Claret is quick access to the Grand Motte glacier. Val Claret, Lavachet and Le Lac all provide pretty quick access to Val d'Isere via Toviere.
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Val claret is at the bottom of the runs from the glacier - the best chance of good runs to the resort still open and in good shape.
The run from the glacier to VC normally still good snowcover till end of may, sometimes mid june.
Also VC is strategically best positioned vis-a-vis the most importants lifts, especially connections to VdI.
Downside of VC is that it is in the shadow quite early in the afternoon. Which means probably too cold for sitting on the terrace or your balcony, after lifts close.
In that respect Le Lac is better. You bask in the sun untill early evening there.
Lavachet is a rather soulless cluster of large appartment building.
Apparently they found a piece of land where they could still drop some 5.000 beds, after Le Lac and VC were finished
Don't go to Les Boisses or Brevieres after mid-march; it's too low.
You probably get back over something that looks white, but it doesn't feel like snow.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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| Onnem wrote: |
| Also VC is strategically best positioned vis-a-vis the most importants lifts, especially connections to VdI. |
Lac has same ammount of options or even more, aeroski is ok in good weather and there is a lift and drag in windy conditions. Other side has good access to alot of skiing and you need one or two lifts to VC for the glacier.
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And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
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Really useful. Many thanks
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Blimey, there's b*ll*cks being spouted on this thread.
One half of Les Boisses is at 1900, the other at 1850. The runs down to Les Boisses and Brevieres are in the shade for all but a couple of hours first thing in the morning, so they stay really cold. Les Boisses is higher than almost all towns/villages 3V and Paradiskiand is the same height as Val D'Isere, just up the valley.
Why would you write the place off after mid March, is it really too low at 1900m, Are Val D, Belle Plagne & Courchevel all shut after mid March?
As for Brevieres, you could always get the gondola back if the snow down to 1550 was patchy. And Brevieres is actually quite pretty with good bars and restaurants.
If it is snowing (and it can do quite a bit of that in March/April), the runs down to Breviere are the only tree lined runs outside La Daille. In VC, you wouldn't bother clipping your boots up if it was snowing.
As for VC is higher than Le Lac, they are on opposite sides of a lake. When I went to school, water tended to be pretty flat. Have a look at the webcam to see if one is going to have better weather than the other... http://www.tignes.co.uk/webcam.htm#LeLac You can see VC in the distance.
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You know it makes sense.
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I've been there multiple times.
It's true that both villages are on a north-facing slope.
Big difference with the large Savoie resorts such as Les Arcs etc is that these are small villages with limited funds for:
-artificial snow
-re-shaping of the slope (so it stays in better shape when show is scarce)
On the positive side: they don't have to cope with the enormous masses of skiers and boarders, like the big resorts.
When there's a good "natural snow" year then you're better of in Les Brevieres, than in Meribel for instance.
But when late-season snow is bad, then you're in trouble.
Nice webcam BTW: it really illustrates very well how VC is in the shade, when LL is basking in the sun
Nothing wrong with VC, just depends on what you want
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Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
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Personally prefer Le Lac because it's a nicer town and quicker access to Aguile Rouge, Brev and La Daile (in case of poor weather) & rest of ValD. Downsides are longer access to the Grand Motte and, for nervous intermediates, a bubble down from Tommases to avoid the busy red back into town.
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Poster: A snowHead
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| bar shaker wrote: |
Blimey, there's b*ll*cks being spouted on this thread.
One half of Les Boisses is at 1900, the other at 1850. The runs down to Les Boisses and Brevieres are in the shade for all but a couple of hours first thing in the morning, so they stay really cold. Les Boisses is higher than almost all towns/villages 3V and Paradiskiand is the same height as Val D'Isere, just up the valley.
Why would you write the place off after mid March, is it really too low at 1900m, Are Val D, Belle Plagne & Courchevel all shut after mid March?
As for Brevieres, you could always get the gondola back if the snow down to 1550 was patchy. And Brevieres is actually quite pretty with good bars and restaurants.
If it is snowing (and it can do quite a bit of that in March/April), the runs down to Breviere are the only tree lined runs outside La Daille. In VC, you wouldn't bother clipping your boots up if it was snowing.
As for VC is higher than Le Lac, they are on opposite sides of a lake. When I went to school, water tended to be pretty flat. Have a look at the webcam to see if one is going to have better weather than the other... http://www.tignes.co.uk/webcam.htm#LeLac You can see VC in the distance.
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I think you missed something in reading this thread..... What you say although true is not really good to suggest in the middle of feb to someone who doesn't know the area. What we did was give 3 options of village to aim for that are pretty much going to be the best for that time. Yes, the others probably will be ok but I wouldnt go out on a limb to suggest them.
As for the lake thing re-read and you will see what was said, dont think anyone said there was significant weather changing differences.
....And you could argue water in its solid state can be un-level
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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ses, It can be like this
Taken in the week starting 13th April 2008.
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Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
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ses,
Are you really sure you want to go to Tignes for a honeymoon? A friend went there for his honeymoon and it pretty much put his wife of skiing for life. There are probably less romantic places for a honeymoon; Wigan springs to mind but not many. Surely a place like Zermatt would be a more romantic option and has higher skiing.
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
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daehwons, bar shaker, also NB that the OP said that they are planning to go in late April, not Feb or March
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Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
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| Big Dave wrote: |
| daehwons, bar shaker, also NB that the OP said that they are planning to go in late April, not Feb or March |
I was saying "making the reccomendation in feb" (you cannot predict the weather over the next couple months)
If the question was asked in april for the next week or so you would look at snow conditions at the time and be able to suggest that brev would be fine - certainly would be as it was last year as the photo proves!
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daehwons, I don't disagree for a booking to stay at the end of April, but I think its misleading to tell people they shouldn't book Les Boisses or Brevieres after mid March. Its easy to suggest not staying anywhere less than 2100m, at any time of the year, but Brevieres has a good record. I have booked to go to Le Boisses 3rd week of March, based on local knowledge of late March being excellent weather almost every year.
End of April is at the end of any non glacier skiing season and a booking would be on the basis that you cannot expect the best snow at all. Yes, staying in VC means you can get straight to the funicular and up to Grande Motte, but accommodation will be priced accordingly. There are some really good chalets in Brev and I would much prefer one of these to an apartment in VC.
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| bar shaker wrote: |
daehwons, I don't disagree for a booking to stay at the end of April, but I think its misleading to tell people they shouldn't book Les Boisses or Brevieres after mid March. Its easy to suggest not staying anywhere less than 2100m, at any time of the year, but Brevieres has a good record. I have booked to go to Le Boisses 3rd week of March, based on local knowledge of late March being excellent weather almost every year.
End of April is at the end of any non glacier skiing season and a booking would be on the basis that you cannot expect the best snow at all. Yes, staying in VC means you can get straight to the funicular and up to Grande Motte, but accommodation will be priced accordingly. There are some really good chalets in Brev and I would much prefer one of these to an apartment in VC. |
I think we are all on the same page, if not at least reading the same book  ...... and this post sums it up and makes the most sense out of everything all of us have said
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According to French Wikipedia VC is 27 metres higher than Le Lac. I have always thought that it was a little bit more than that but as daehwons, says it probably depends on exactly where you take the measurement. To all intents and purposes though they are at the same level as far as weather and snow conditions are concerned.
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You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
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| Quote: |
Don't go to Les Boisses or Brevieres after mid-march; it's too low.
You probably get back over something that looks white, but it doesn't feel like snow.
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Hmm. Funny that.....When skiing back to Les Brevieres on 30th April lasy year the white stuff under my feet not only looked like fresh powder (admittedly only a few inches) but felt like it too  .
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| Quote: |
Don't go to Les Boisses or Brevieres after mid-march; it's too low.
You probably get back over something that looks white, but it doesn't feel like snow.
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Hmm. Some sort of conspiracy must be going on against Les Brev as the year before Mountainaddict experienced his powder (above)we skiied down to Les Brevieres on 2nd May
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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I was in Val D'Isere four seasons ago in late April, and you could ski down to Les Brevieres, it was quite patchy and reasonably hard work, but really not too bad. It was only the last half mile or so that was like this - the rest was fine.
Bearing in mind that the temperature in Bourg St Maurice was 27 degrees at the time, it was pretty good all things considered.
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And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
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no conspiracy here, just my personal expierence
of course your experience can be different, not every snowyear is the same
but les brevieres is 500 metres lower than le lac, so temps are higher (law of nature, 1 degree per 150 metres -> 3 degrees warmer)
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There are some great deals on catered chalets in Les Brevieres for those dates, ie Chalet Chardons, we've just booked for the same week. And we've been automatically upgraded too. It may well be possible to ski right back to Les Brevieres, especially after so much snow this year, and it has been known to snow heavily in April. But even if you can't, it's only a 15 min bus ride back to Les Boisses from Le Lac. Then jump on the chairlift down to Les Brevieres.
We were going to stay in Val Claret, but what we've paid for a fully catered chalet in Les Brevieres is less than half what it would have cost to stay in a tiny self catered apartment in Val Claret. Well worth the possible bit of extra hassle getting to the slopes.
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You know it makes sense.
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I'd wait and see what conditions were like. At that time of the year I don't think accommodation will be a problem.
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Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
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It may not be, but still getting cheap flights (£57 return from Manchester to Geneva) and getting transfers may be well prove a bit tricky so late on. Les Brevieres is a much nicer place to stay, and you get more for your money.
And it's really quite easy to get to Le Lac and Val Claret, even if there isn't much snow lower down.
It may not be on your doorstep, but look at the bigger picture. Especially for a honeymoon, Les Brevieres is a very pretty little village.
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Poster: A snowHead
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@just_one_more, I think it's a bit late for honeymoon advice. The OP will be coming up to their fifth wedding anniversary pretty soon.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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@ses, why Tignes? Not exactly romantic for honeymoon (though great skiing). I would suggest ZERMATT if you are prepared to splash out a little. Comparable late season skiing, really nice village, much higher standard of accommodation and food.
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Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
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@peanuthead,
About 5 years old this thread either kiddies or divorce is happening now.
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
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@T Bar, Zermatt definitely out then
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