Tignes and The Espace Killy (Or Tignes/Val D'Isere) 2021/2022. (Useful links updated on Page 1)

A snowHead

Up Mountain would be great. Booked in Friday mendikoa

A snowHead

Up Mountain would be great. Booked in Friday mendikoa

Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?

The weather was again sunny and pleasant, although there was a gentle breeze up at Le Fornet to chill exposed parts. I met up with a mate I had not seen for 2 years, lots to catch up on. So we shot down to La Daille and took the Covid Express (bus) to Laisinant. We decide that the old gondola was not an option on such a nice day so took the Pyramides but there was a bit of a queue for the Col Pomas so just for the laugh we went up Signal and down the black piste. In that 10 minutes the queues had gone so up to Le Fornet where we had a run and then a cheeky early lunch at Cascades, one place that hasn't changes it ethos or prices - Hurrah. We then emerged to empty piste as France then went to lunch. The snow was in very good nick, except the skiers left red run (Cascades) which was a bit polished. After a bit of up and over we skied down German Mattise which seem to have been sculpted into modern art rather than pisted, everyone was having a few moments, especially as some of the piste was in sun, other was in shade. Mmmmm. We scooted along the traverse back into Val centre for the 2 chairs rather than the bubble, its not often that is a viable option in January in the afternoon! I skied back round the bowl but as Grattalu stopped 3 times on the way up I decided I didn't want to freeze on Grand Huit so I used the new Replat rope tow, which is fine but seems to set up an odd vibration up your arm Puzzled

The fitness is coming back but it might be an early night after a fondue cheese bomb last night...

Tomorrow will be the same as today. Friday may see a few bits of cloud now and again but the breeze will stiffen, especially in the afternoon at altitude. The wind should drop a bit foe Saturday, again mostly sunny with a few clouds. It may feel a bit warmer too. It looks like Sunday will be windy in the morning but sunny. All hell looks like breaking loose on Monday with lift closing winds and light snow showers, no dump alert fortunately.

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The Val d'Isere ski-pass offices were selling Val branded buffs and I think these were €15 over Christmas (may even have been €10). Note, if you ask for one, they call them neck warmers.

Much easier than masks and I also think better than a standard buff. Reasonably comfortable to wear too. Worth grabbing one if you can.

Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.

I’m due to be in Tignes in mid March. I’ve recently read in another part of the forum that “France doesn’t have good beer anyway”.
I’m hoping I’ll be able to get a decent ale while I’m holidaying. Please tell me there is an availability of decent ale (if it’s the crafty IPA type stuff even better). If it is only the watery lager styles I will be abstaining for the week.

You'll need to Register first of course.

@sbooker, There is a link to the local brewery in the first post.

Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...

After all it is free

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Edited! @sbooker, Sapaudia beers are available in the Taverne des Neiges in Val Claret (on the snowfront) and the Box in Lavachet. There is also Reservoir in Brev. From the horses mouth the Head brewer! He is a snowHead but is working at full tilt now the Brits are allowed back in!

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Just had my skies serviced at tignes spirit le lavachet by Charlie. What a nice guy . 2 pairs of skis. He went over them said edges were fine just needed a wax debur and polish. 10euro. Per ski. Just getting a boot blown By Helen same company. Will report back. Thanks @chocksaway

@sbooker, if you want I can hook you up with a beer tap and a keg of our beer to have in your accom.

(I am said head brewer!)

You know it makes sense.

Another fine day but there was a bit of cirrus cloud at high level and a few contrails, but nothing to spoil the fun! As a gang are eating at the QDC tonight we decided to head over to Val and have a late coffee and a late lunch. Again the pistes are holding up well, there's only really chalk off piste and a lot of rocks for this time of year. Grand Pre was in good nick but Santons was narrow thanks to the overall lack of snow this season. As I was in the high speed schuss at the bottom of Santons I noticed the Resto formerly know as Clochetons has reopened as Alpin or Arpin, I wasnt going to slow up and pole into Val to find out. I was quite surprised, given the Clochetons struggled to get clients when Santons was shut. Perhaps its super up market and relies on the fur trade coming by taxi. Coffee is still good and reasonable at the cafe at teh top of the Solaise bubble and Le Fornet was not as busy today, so less shiny. Late lunch was taken at Cascades and was just hearing about a mates new to him yacht, when the conversation went:
Hey Chocks when does Tommeuses shut?
Me: 1630 Why?
Its 23 minutes past 3!

Charge....... I think its the first time I've skied from the top of Cema to Le Fornet village without stopping, the fitness must have returned! Any way we made it back to Tommeuses at 4.12, just ahead of the Folie tipping out for the last lift. I shared a lift with 2 guys who landed at Chamblesberry on Sat. (90 mins sat on the aircraft, then shoved into a holding room). In all 4 hours from plane touching down to Bus. One aircraft diverted to Lyon as they couldn't cope with any more folks on the ground. I hope it is resolved this weekend, perhaps they didn't think Brits would come on holiday in great numbers with 9 days notice. Right!

And the weather, tomorrow will be like today, but the air will be cooler and there will be a bit more of a breeze, another layer perhaps? Same for Saturday. Times are a changing on Sunday, a nice day and a bit warmer as it starts to cloud over from late afternoon, the breeze should slacken. The weather will arrive a bit later on Monday than previously thought. But there will be snow showers in the morning with sunny spells. The wind will really pick up in the afternoon, so keep an eye out for lifts closing. It may feel a bit damp below the Dam. Tuesday and Wed currently look very windy with snow showers, still not huge dumps, but with the wind and the slick base that has developed that's maybe a good thing!

Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:

Well, Duncan at la Queue de Cochon was on top form in the kitchen last night, I had the Queue de Cochon as a starter, Curried Bunny for main and a fab Raspberry Tart for pud. brill.

oday was another Bluebird, after a bit more apartment sorting I disappeared out over lunch for a couple of hours, before frantic Friday commenced. I had a wander round the Palet sector, the Royal Navy are in town and then I thought I'd have a trip down to Brev. Mmmm, I chose sache because it was quiet, which was great at the top but at the breakaway for Arcosses there was a notice warnig hat it was for good skiers only. Yip! From the netting on the left it was a controlled powerslide until the village entry. there was a bit of snow on the edge, but your aim had to be pretty good. Think I'll leave that until after its snowed before venturing down there.

Talking of snow, tomorrow will be pretty much like today, there may be a bit of high level cloud, but it should be a couple of degrees warmer, that breeze will still be there above 2500m or so. The skies look like being bluer on Sunday and maybe a tiny bit warmer again. Its all change for Monday, the weather system has slowed up a bit, so there may be the odd sunny spell in the morning before the cloud builds up and the snow arrives in the afternoon. It will be windy at altitude from the start and this will soon move downhill as well. So keep an eye on the links (if they open) - its going to be blowy. Tuesday will be very windy from the start, expect the high lifts to be shut again and more snow in between the sunny spells. Hopefully, the will be 10-20cm of snow over the 2 days. Currently, Wednesday also looks snowy with another 10-20. That should keep the pisteurs busy, be patient, its a while since they have had to open the explosives cupboard!

For the travellers tomorrow, lets hope the various border forces know we are coming this wee. It will be showery and windy anywhere in the UK, so prepare for a bumpy ride, indeed at Leeds and Glasgow the gusty winds are across the runway, and with gusts in the showers forecast for 40 kts there may be a wait for the shwer to clear ahead of take off and landing. Buckle up! (and mask up!). Over here, its all good at GVA, Lyon will be misty, but with its equipment no snags. Grenoble has a chance of freezing fog early doors, but should be in limits for all. Now Chambery, has a reasonable chance of low cloud which will be vary close to limits and a chance of freezing fog which would shut the place. So, there may be a bit of hanging around on the tarmac in the UK as the high paid help in the nose gunners position check hpw the weather is developing! The roads heading up the hill will be busy in the afternoon, the end of low season is upon us.

A snowHead

A snowHead

Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?

Another bluebird day (nearly). Spookily I woke early, given I fell asleep at 9.30 last night not a surprise I suppose. So I did a couple of laps of Palafour and Chaudannes before the team arrived for the RV. It soon became apparent it felt cooler today, des[pite the thermometer suggesting otherwise. The reason soon became apparent as Mont Blanc came into view with his hat on. The air has much more moisture in it. As the morninng progressed the flying saucer lenticularis spread all along the Grands Jorasses, very picturesque. We popped over to Grand Pre and then up the Solaise for coffee, the sun up high on piste is still great and Val have been blowing snow on Plan and Piste M so it was far from the powersliding horror show we were expecting. Indeed M had so many white hippos of cannoned snow that it was more like a park than a piste. It prompted the question what is the collective noun for hippos - a bloat evidently. Popped home via Julian Clarey, again skiable.

Although the weather at Chamblesberry was marginal, the diversions this morning were to reduce the number of passengers to be processed according to the jet2 website. So a bad start for those having to bus to Chambery (to collect transport) and even worse for those coming home to arrive to then to be bussed to Lyon. Just what you need at the end of a holiday. At least we dont have 24 hour testing to return!

Sorry the phone rang!

Right, tomorrow will be lovely and it should be warmer than today with light breezes strengthening a bit in the afternoon. If you've just arrived - crack on. Because the weather is changing. Monday will start cloudy, there may be a flash of the sun in the morning, but the winds will pick up in the afternoon and we will have high speed light snow, it will feel very cold once the snow starts. Just keep an eye on the links later on. The snow will continue through the night but will stop just before breakfast and there may be a hint of sun before it clouds over again and the snow starts just after lunch. The higher lifts will be shut. 5-10 cm of snow would be a reasonable guess for each day. Wednesday has become a complete conundrum. The models are disagreeing some say snow, some say it will have drifted th the east (just) so the apps will probably bounce all over the place, its a case of wait and see.

The weather for flying will be much more amenable tomorrow from the UK, so no diversions from Leeds due to the high winds. Over here GVA is great, Chambery is currently planned to be above the early morning mist which will affect Lyon and Grenoble. But as long as it stays as forecast it should be clear by nine, and it would have to be worse then currently forecast to cause major problems.

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Another quick jaunt around the pistes today, no change really. But you could tell it was Sunday and some people hadn't been skiing for a while! Had a quick look off the side in the Borsat Gardens, 3 soft turns and then breakable crust and then hard pack, delightful, not! But coffee at Rosée Blanche was very good. I also took my touring skis for a service for a bit of fitness training if weather allows.

As for the weather, standby for changes, the synoptic chart is frankly a confused mess! S this forecast will probably change. It looks like we are now going to get 2 doses of snow rather than 3 and its still all to play for. Tomorrow will start nice, with sunny spells and a breeze. This will turn into a wind and then a gale at altitude by around lunchtime. Don't be surprised if the links don't open in the morning, if they do keep an eye on the Boards and the App as they may well shut. The snow will start around midday, just not sure which time zone! The snow will continue till about midnight. About 5-10 cm if we are lucky, but as it will drift the pisteurs may well have some work to do on Tuesday morning. Tuesday daytime will be sunny spells and windy, especially at altitude, this may shut teh vaery high lifts. The clouds will thicken in the afternoon, but the snow will wait till after dark and continue until mid morning on Wednesday, this timing is far from nailed on though. There will be a gusty wind at height, maybe 10-15cm more snow. Thursday looks OK with sunny spells and a stiff breeze at altitude, out of the wind it will feel warm. The freezing level may well be higher then the Grand Motte, there is quite a heatwave going on over the Med, but hopefully it will come here for one day only!

PS. This forecast will change!

Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.

It looked nice out of the window this morning! But a couple of things soon became apparent, there was already a wind above 2400m and the resort is busier then last week, a surprising number of little people about. I did a couple of laps of Chaudannes before the World realised that this was the empty lift today. We then popped up Paquis and lapped Tichot Grattalu as that was not too busy. However Fresse was rammed I thin a lot of folk had come from Val and realised that Lanches was shut due to wind so decided to go home. The wind rose steadily through the morning and the light snow started at 1145 just as we took coffee at Cocorico. They have a much much varied menu than 2 years ago when it was pizza or bust. As we emerged the sky was completely covered, the vis was flat and the go home to your resort signs proliferated. So we came home and the links and lifts above 2400m shut about one. Its now blowing a gale, the snow has been light to moderate but its blowing in all directions so difficult to tell the accumulations. The avalanche forecaster is expecting about 10cm, so maybe a pisteur induced alarm clock in the morning as they do a bit of blasting of accumulations in the wrong place. The risk rises to level 2.

In other concerning news it would appear that Sherpa have stopped doing chicken and chips, not sure if this is temporary or not. Is nothing sacred?

The light snow will continue until around midnight. There will be variable amounts of cloud tomorrow, we may get to see the sun for certain periods. But there is much debate on how much wind there will be, the Swiss think a lot, the French not so much. Going from first principles from the synoptic chart I would err on the side of windy. Expect high lifts to be shut and a progressive opening of runs as the pisteurs do their stuff. The snow will have stopped by mid morning Wednesday, maybe earlier but it will be windy at height, again sunny periods between fast moving clouds. Thursday appears to be unseasonably warm for one day only, which wont do a lot for the snow unfortunately. There will be a mix of thin high cloud on high and fluffy ones below, the light should still be good. Friday will be cooler with a mix of sunny periods and perhaps the odd light snow shower.

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The view was not tantalizing from the bedcam this morning, we were sat in a cloud, but during porridge there were glimpses of blue around the Aiguille Rouge. But the mercury was much lower, that was the key fact today, it was baltic! There was a stiff wind above 2500m, so not a day for chatting. I emerged out of the cloud at the top of Chaudannes at 9.30 and the fesh 5cm or so had already been rearranged into moguls, and in between the hard pistes resurfaced. As the wind was very blustery yesterday there were nice pockets of soft ish snow, but it was a day of whoop, whoop, scrape as you returned to yesterdays hardpack. There was little rhyme or reason to the distribution of the snow. We tried Lognan, if there is no racing, it is now officially open to punters. By this stage the hill fog had cleared. We then went on the Funi, the AVSP were enforcing mask wearing in the station, in the tunnel everybody just pulled them down again. Funnily enough, it was the same 2 agents I had seen at the end of the road earlier in a plod vehicle not wearing masks! The wind at the top was brutal, there were a few nice turns off Genepy. We then opted for Lanches for another go down the secret valley, same pattern. We were now cold, so retired for an Aspen Burger, good to see certain things don't change, covid pass required though.

After lunch we went up the Palet drag and found some good gullies below the Aiguille Noir, the Col de Ves chair opened today, but I didnt fancy freezing to death for 20 mins in the shade. By 2pm the clouds had returned, so we knocked it on the head. It is now fully overcast and there are a few flocons drifting past the window.

The snow will continue through the night and will finish sometime between brekky and mid morning coffee, the amount of wind is causing some confusion, there is a narrow band of tightly packed isobars that won't settle, so aloft it could be 20k or it could be closer to 50, we shall see. About 6-12 cm of new snow. The rest of the day should see fluffy clouds and sunny spells, it should feel a good bit warmer. Thursday looks like being much warmer, the freezing level may well be around 3200m, but how you feel will depend on the thickness of the the veil of high cloud that will predominate. Should be more than enough light for skiing. Friday will hopefully be sunny all day with a bit of cloud whilst we are all packing to go home, maybe a light shower. Saturday is likely to have sunny spells, a reasonable day for transfers.

In other news it appears Cocorico were fined €10k last night for having dancing in the courtyard and Folie Douce Les Arcs was closed down for 5 days by the Prefect for repeated violations. Wonder how they reacted in Val this afternoon?

Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...

I've had an unfortunate chain of events which means I won't be driving down on Friday the 11th but having to fly in to lyon on 12th and escaping the airport in a hire car at 11ish. How bad will traffic be then? normally we'd leave a hotel cira dijon at 6am and miss everything

After all it is free

The traffic builds up rapidly after midday, put your foot down and you may be able to surf the wave, any delay and you will be in the crawl from the tunnels pre Chambery, unfortunately.

Just walked back from the pub, there is much less wind and the snow flakes are proper size, tomorrow may be OK.... snowHead

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@Mother hucker, Unfortunately that’s also the start of the Lyon/Grenoble area holidays along with most of the UK.
I would prepare for delays even if the weather is good.
Last and final time I had to do half term in Feb 19 it took 4hrs to Val d’Isere after landing at 0900 with hand luggage only, I did speak to someone on the La Daille gondola the next day that took 7hrs from landing to arrival in a private transfer Confused

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A mixed bag! Again the view from the mattress was not appealing, high winds and light snow in the village. So that answered the question about wind in the forecast last night! However, the snowfall had been to the top end of the predictions, allowing the piste bashers something to work with. As the light was not fit for off piste, a lot of the lifts were shut initially and the lower slopes were rammed we decided to review after an early lunch which gave me the morning to refit the cylinder to the the airbag and familiarise myself with the transceiver after 2 years.

The sky progressively cleared, but the wind remained above 2400m, but it was warm, by midday the roads were running with water. The Glacier remained closed. So we played around the Palet Drag (x3) and the Cole de Ves where thee was some pockets of fresh snow 20cm deep. But powder it ain't the wind and the temperature had seen to that, so it was a good workout for the legs. There were one or two cornices about that the pisteurs were dropping. We finished with teh side entrance into Chardo - still hard work despite being in the shade. I suspect all the snow at height will be wind blasted so there's not much hope for powder turns up high, especially given tomorrows forecast.

We are expecting a thin layer of high cloud all day tomorrow, there should be enough light to ski but the air will be much warmer, at lunchtime the freezing level will be atop the Motte. This wont help the snow at all and if the cloud breaks.... There will also be a stiff breeze above 2700m. The sun will shine through the day on Friday, the air temperature will be a bit cooler but paradoxically you may feel warmer with the direct sunshine. it will cloud over and there may be some very light showers of snow between 7 and midnight. These clouds will clear early morning Saturday, which will be sunny with a few fluffy clouds. Sunday will also be nice and sunny with a stiffening breeze in the afternoon. Again there may be a v light snow shower over night.

So, with the exception of a cm or 2 on Friday night and a dusting on Sunday night there is no more snow forecast for a fortnight as the high pressure builds over France. Of course, 2 weeks is an age in forecasting but that's the outlook today. As we enter the busy part of the year we are going to have crowded pistes that are going to become quite slick. Luckily the whole mountain will be open to spread folks out and the altitude restos will have a ball. Of course, for the lower resorts it will become a big problem as temperatures warm up with the passage of the seasons. So the key will be to book high, if you are planning to come later to this part of the Alps. For those down there it must be quite a worrying prospect as the snow depths aren't really there yet this year.

The other thing to note in Tignes is the 3 lifts out of Brevieres towards Lac. As the Marais chair is no longer and is waiting for a replacement the Aiguille Rouge chair is going to be a real bottleneck, so be very careful before launching down to Brev. I can only hope they increase the bus schedules from Boisses to relieve the rush 'periods'. Edit, I have just found the latest timetable, with teh exception of a lunch hour and a half, the busses to Boisses are evry 15 mins compared with 30 mins in previous seasons.

snow reports

@muppet, school holidays are a bind but it's an investment I'm telling myself. Easters good for us not so crazy busy but this year tunnel crossing are getting booked up fast

Hi All. I have a quick question on Tignes lift passes (hope i'm in the right place). We are heading to Le Lac on March 12th for a week. We have 3 non-skiers in the group (2 x grandparents and 1 x 2 year old). On previous trips to Courchevel I'm pretty sure we got a weekly pedestrian pass for the grandparents for about €50. They enjoy going up the mountain for the views and to join us for coffee etc at the top. I can't see that there is a weekly pass for Tignes? I can only see a daily pass for €21. Also, is there any free gondola out of Le Lac for pedestrians? I'm pretty sure that the 2 year old is free but 2 x €21 gets a bit pricey if they want to go up on multiple days. Thanks in advance!

You know it makes sense.

@adriangrogan, How old are the grandparents?

Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:

A snowHead

@adriangrogan, There isnt one.

TBQHWY, they might go up Toviere for a wee wander round, or perhaps up the Funi to Grande Motte, but its not really a "pedestrian" type of place.

They can take the free buses round the resort, go to the pool for a few euros.

A snowHead

@GreenDay, The pedestrian pass page lists the lifts you can use, it isn't just Toviere and the Funicular.

I agree the cost will add up if you do multiple days.

Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?

Can't answer your question, but in reality I think there are only really 2/3 three lifts that will be useable.

1) Toviere Gondola from Lac up to Toviere
2) Funiculare from Val Claret up to the bottom of the cable car.
2a) Grand Motte Cable car up to Grande Motte.

The only other ones I can think of that might work are the Bolin chair (up to the Bolin) and the Chaudannes chair (up to Lo Soli), although in both cases there is probably a 100m walk across the piste to the bar. I have seen pedestrians on both these, but I've no idea what the rules are. All the other lifts in/out of both Lac and Claret end up in the middle of nowhere unless you're on skis.

A return ticket is supposedly 15E - which is cheaper than 21E for the 1 day pedestrian. I don't know if you can use 2 and 2a together on a single 'one way' - I doubt it somehow in which case you may need to splash out on a full 21E ticket for the day they want to go to 'the top'

There are busses between Lac and Claret, and I've never seen anyone asked for a ticket on them. There are also busses that run up/down to Tignes 1800/Boisses, and I think you can then get the gondola up/down to Breviere for free too although it's a bit of a walk from the bus stop to the gondola on the way down. On the way up you could probably use the two poly-tunnel magic carpets if the lifties don't object.

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@rjs, Sure, but all I meant was the ones that there was any point going up.

Perhaps also the option of bus to Boisse and Gondi down to Brev?

Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.

@GreenDay, The chairs that are covered have restaurants at the top.

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@rjs, I'm not arguing, but as @Judwin, points out, there are only a few which I would even bother with.......

Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...

After all it is free

@adriangrogan, I have a vague recollection of our D-I-Law getting a ticking off from the lifties for taking our then 2 y.o. granddaughter up in the Toviere Gondola without a ticket for her. She was coming up to meet the rest of the family for hot chocs and crepes. I think the ticket was free but she still needed to have one. D-i-Law had a lift pass.

Thanks for all the feedback. Much appreciated. It looks like Toviere will be our best bet. Maybe a trip up to the Grand Motte for the novelty as well.
I have been to Le Lac twice before but not in 10 years and I can't recall the specifics at the top of the various lifts etc. We'll probably just scope it out for them when we get there. I mainly wanted to know if there was a 6 day pedestrian pass and it turns out there isn't.

I'm well aware Tignes is not ideal for non skiers. Really all they want is a coffee and a pastry and to watch the skiers heading off for an hour. They really think it is blissful on a sunny day. That and some dinner and a glass of wine in the evening hanging out with the grandchildren makes the holiday for them.

Thanks again everyone

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Tignes and The Espace Killy (Or Tignes/Val D'Isere) 2021/2022. (Useful links updated on Page 1)

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