Tignes and Tignes-Val D'Isere (formerly Espace Killy) 2023/24. Useful links on Page 1

A snowHead

@chocksaway thanks for your speedy reply! I do like the look of L'Armoise but agree veggie options could be a little thin! We will deffo prebook for our large group and I'll have a look at Brasero and Kodo, thanks!

A snowHead

Much softer! It was warm toda but the milky cloud layer persisted through the day. So early doors the snow was softer than yesterday but then it didn't deteriorate as quickly thanks to the lack of direct sun. I popped up to the Eye 1st thing and even at 2750m it wasnt hard on the piste which is unusual. I then met up with a couple of mates and we Paquis/Combe Folled our way to the top for a charge down to La Daille and a bus to Laisinant - all absolutely fine. It wasn't too busy up at Le Fornet, but we had a coffee stop and a couple of runs before heading back for a late lunch via Germain Mattis (still a little firm in the shadow of the trees) and then the 'Travesty du Laisinant', Savonette, 2 chairs and Tommeuses. Even Trolles was nice!

In other news the Remontees-Mechaniques forum is reporting that the new 6 seater Marais chairlift will be installed this summer. I can't find anything on any Tignes website yet (or the Poma one) but when I went up to the Eye this morning, all the snow has been scraped off where they are going to put the top station. Presumably they want to start digging footings as soon as they can. Its also been fenced off, so maybe a good sign. Seemingly the delay has been due to a legal challenge from a Butterfly Protection Group which has been rejected as it was covered under the public enquiry!

The weather, mmmm still some disagreement between the models for tomorrow afternoon, so watch and adapt! Firstly it will be cooler with sunny spells and a breeze to start, it ten depend son how far a trough comes south in the afternoon, but expect more clud and perhaps light precipitation towards the end of the afternoon. It will then clear up in the evening and Friday will be much like today - bright but not direct sunlight but about 8 or 9 degs cooler than today. Saturday will start with light snow showers (some forecasts have from brekky time, some from lunch) and these will intensify through the day. It looks like snow down to below the Dam which is good news unless you are driving - leave early if you are going. The roads should keep clear for a while but maybe not into the afternoon, expecting buffoonery from lunchtime onwards, a wild guess would be 10-15cm. It will also be very windy. Sunday will be windy and snowy 10 -20cm. Winter is back for a bit. Remember to put another layer on tomorrow!

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

Great spring snow around this morning on the Palafour side. This afternoon the Melezes route to Boisses was closed due to significant avalanche debris across the piste before the first narrow section. Not sure if it was natural or the result of the authorities intervening.

You need to Login to know who's really who.

It's usually natural at that spot and often occurs when the snowpack becomes saturated - eg as a result of persistent warm temps or lots of rain - or both!

Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.

I hope my late transfer from Chambery on Saturday manages to complete its journey.

You'll need to Register first of course.

Well, I did say there was some disagreement between the models. But none of them forecast rain at 6AM! So it looked pretty grim over breakfast as it drizzled and the wind picked up. It was also warmer than forecast. I can only think a quirk of the isobars resulted in some instability ahead of the trough, which is why thunderstorms are forecast for this afternoon (but they will be hit and miss. But it did clear a bit and it was a warm wind which meant the wet pistes were soon softened up quickly. Some of the high lifts were shut for a bit. Additionally, some Saharan sand has also appeared after a circuitous journey to get here - hence the orange smudges under the new snow. A few of us did venture out, it was OK but only just, so we had an extended coffee break and came home for lunch, by which time it was heavy and understandablt some intermediates struggling to maintain direction and stability. I then spent an hour or so on my own Great Tignes Bake Off making brandy snap baskets. Its the big Parade in val Claret for European Gay Pride, so providing its dry ish I'm going up to have a look.

Following yesterday's rumours a big banner has appeared announcing the opening of the Marais Chair before Christmas 24, so its official. Just hope with all that new accom in Brev there is enough capacity to get folks from Brevs and Boisses to the 2 new chairs.

Tomorrow should be nice with a milky sky, but it will be warmer than we thought yesterday, so pretty much similar conditions to yesterday, so pretty reasonable for a frantic Friday. Saturday sees the big change, a fast moving cold front is coming from the north west, with lots and lots of wind. Maybe not as much snow as was thought as its moved a bit to the east, but it will start snowing in the morning, it will start as rain in the villages but the temps will soon drop and it will turn to snow. If it goes as planned the roads may get a bit tricky. If the winds are as forecast, not a lot will be open. Sunday will be snowy and windy, the snow won't be that intense and it should stop by mid afternoon. Perhaps 15-30cm over the whole weekend. Monday looks nice - deteriorating late afternoon before more unsettled weather next week (and its warming up.....).

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

It did indeed get a bit violent this afternoon. We were considering packing in, but a ride up the train gave us access to some (limited visibility) powder (or was it just small hail) on piste and what was supposed to be a last run up grattalu resulted in the sun coming out and lots of powder/hail on piste as well as a short foray off. Most folk has already abandoned by then and pistes were just about empty up to closing time.

After all it is free

Heli removing lots of wheels and supports from the Ves lift from first thing this morning.

@Ski lots, I wondered what all the noise was! Another warm day ahead before we get blown away tomorrow.

*Ski* the Net with snowHeads

Travelling out on Sunday for a week. My god the forecast looks grim for a fair weather, half blind, knackered old man that can't afford to fall over. Visiting our son and his wonderful partner, so not all is lost

snowHeads are a friendly bunch.

Off to Val tomorrow. Can't wait. The transfer in may be a bit hairy, but the weather is looking ok for some fresh snow throughout the week (on the mountain at least!).

snow reports

Interesting morning in Val Claret today, looks like they were dismantling a chairlift by helicopter up towards the snowpark - anyone know which one it was? Assuming it could be the Col Des Ves?

It was a great day today, it lacked promise over porridge but the clouds cleared almost to leave a sunny day with a hint of high cloud. The breeze did pick up through the day though. As it had frozen in the villages last night the snowpack was harder and softened more slowly which made for a good day on piste. I set off early doors for a lap of the Eye of the Needle and Aiguille Rouge before meeting a gang and we set off to Fornet via Fresse (as Combe Folle was shut). There were also queues in odd places so we had a couple of non standard routes. Face at 1045 was very good and not busy, coffe was taken at the top of the Solaise Gondy, then down to Germain Mattis and up Laisinant (q dodge at Glaciers) and up to Pissailas where the snow was fab. Home was up and over and down Rhone Alpes - which was in the best condition I've seen in a long time! There were technicians climbing one of the pylons on the Solaise Gondola which was going very slow and then stopping but they were intermittently allowing folks on?!?. Trolles/JC was in fine fettle. As we were coming home there was some Lens Cloud forming and Mont Blanc had a scarf rather than a hat - but still a portent of inclement weather.

Tomorrow is going to be an odd day and all really depends on the passing of a cold front, behind which the temperature will drop 6 or 7 degs. So the general pattern will be a grizzly morning in the villages with a strong gusty wind. The rain snow line will be around 2100m. The wind may well preclude a lot of the high lifts opening, maybe even the links won't open. The clouds will then break and the sun will come out for about 3 hours before it starts snowing well down the valley below Brev. This pattern may well move 2 or 3 hours either way. The snow will continue through the night and into Sunday which will be a white out till mid afternoon (ish), the wind will still be howling so expect an increased avi risk and lots of delayed lift openings and closures. Monday looks like starting nice with a stiff breeze, the cloud will increase during the day as will the wind. It will start snowing after dark and this will continue through Tuesday, but it is likely to be rain below the Dam. But there's a lot that can change before then as the charts are complex.

For the drivers, its 27k vehicles up and 28k down, so heading out be away by 8 or queue after Bourg, on the way up it should be spread out enough to not cause too much bother - short queues at teh lights in Aigueblanche perhaps. For the last mile or so the roads should be wet in the morning and then light snow after dark may require snowchains, maybe only in the village - tricky to say really.

For the air travellers tomorrow: its going to be very showery in the UK, maybe with a hint of thunder so if you catch one it could be a bumpy arrival or departure, if one gets very spicy a couple of times round the hold perhaps. You may even get hailed on in the carpark. Over here GVA - fine, maybe a shower or two at Grenoble and Lyon. Chambery should be OK but its a northerly wind, which if it stays above 10 knots may involve the wacky arrival by heading south down the lake, breaking off at a thousand feet or so and doing a circuit of the town and landing heading into the wind from the north. Dramatic but safe.

You know it makes sense.

@chocksaway, is the new matis chairlift going same start/finish points?

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

@Dr John, Just about. It will start at the same place as the Aiguille Rouge, the current building was designed to take both sets of controls so one ‘conducteur’ can control both lifts ( they are the more qualified and expensive lifties). The top station is in exactly the same place as the old one.

A snowHead

Most of this mornings snow/rain has arrived, there might be a few more showers. The roads round the village are a bit slushy, but with the temps and the wind that should soon melt. The snow tonight is going to start between 9pm and midnight so most transfers should be in by then. However, it is windy aloft, a fair few of the top lifts (including both glaciers) are currently shut.

A snowHead

@chocksaway, great stuff, take the pressure off the chaudanne piste to Lac. Presumably will be faster than the 2 hours of the old one

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

@Dr John, https://www.skiresort.info/ski-resort/tignesval-disere/ski-lifts/l106385/

The old Marais lift wasn't missed when it was removed, exception being instructors from the Ecole du Ski Followme who would use it to take 20 minutes out of a class while being paid to sit on their leathery arsingtons Toofy Grin

You need to Login to know who's really who.

@moosepig, indeed, although that tactic is not confined to the ESF by any means...

Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.

Funny old day. Just after my morning message , the wind picked up a lot and closed the links. The foul weather continued until lunchtime, when the sun came out, but the wind is still blowing. So I cracked on with domestic trivia and had a coffee in the Jam Bar. There's not been much new snow and what has arrived at altitude is blowing all over the place, so there might be some nice stuff in the gullies tomorrow (if we can see it). A bit more Bake Off batch cooking this afty with Choccy Torte on the menu.

The Chocks Dining Club tried Chez Juliane on the Palafour Gallery last night (formerly Bagus Cafe). It was very good, about 5 starters and mains but proper french cuisine (plus a couple of DIY Savoyarde 'delicacies'). There was also a decent wine list which started at about €26, which is an improvement on some of the tourist traps. I had a scallop casserole with Normandy Sauce, mmmm and Chicken in a wild mushroom sauce - it goes on the recommended list. 2 courses and half a bottle each came in at €65 - not cheap but worth it.

Okey dokey - the sky is soon going to cloud over and the snow will start within an hour or two of midnight, the wind will continue to blow hard. There is some debate about how much snow, we are going to be pretty much on the edge of the system, so it really depends on how far south it comes, maybe 5-10cm, that's what the avi forecasters are working on. The wind will ease in the morning, but still expect a few top lifts to be closed and maybe the odd delay in opening. The snow will continue till just after lunchtime, the clouds will progressively clear and it will be sunny by Happy Hour. If you do venture out it will be much cooler than last week, wrap up. Monday will be warmer and mostly sunny to start with increasing cloud through the afternoon, the wind will also pick up after the lifts close. Tuesday looks like being cloudy and windy with a few snowflakes here and there. Beyond that is purely astrology as its a really confused picture, so not worth wasting electrons on!

For the fliers tomorrow, bumpy on both sides of the Channel, but nothing to preclude flying. The roads above the Dam may be a bit tricky in the morning and require chains or socks, if not equipped with snow tyres but if the sun comes out they will soon turn black.

You'll need to Register first of course.

Hi all,

I went to Tignes last year for the first time during April and conditions were excellent for the time of year. This year we are looking at going out for a week from the 13th April - does anyone with good local knowledge of the area have an idea what conditions we can expect given current snow levels and average/expected weather conditions?

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

@Il_Capitano, All I can say with certainty is that the current snowpack is deeper than at the same time last year. So it's looking good, but forecasting what it will be like in 3 weeks time is nigh on impossible. As it's not busy at that time of year, hang on before booking, if thats an option with flight prices etc. But, it means you arrive on the day lift passes drop in price by 30%!

After all it is free

@Il_Capitano, as @chocksaway, says, there’s nowt wrong with the snow base. For the last 8 years I’ve been skiing most of the area on the last weekend in early May. The weather will do what it does.

Is it generally nice and quiet end of April / start of May ?

Am considering a last gasp trip depending on how the weather pans out … will book last minute.

Or is there a last busy week / weekend at the end ?

*Ski* the Net with snowHeads

@sheffskibod, Yes, it is nice and quiet after the middle of April, and most years offers the best skiing, on empty pistes, of the whole season (and 30% lift pass discount). One thing to be aware of; many bars and restaurants will start closing down for the last couple of weeks, generally after the mountain restaurants closing parties on 20/21st April (which are great fun, BTW). This is a source of considerable seasonnaire frustration. If the lifts are open then so should the facilities in town be, I think it reflects badly that Val boasts of the long season but does not insist that the facilities remain open.

snowHeads are a friendly bunch.

Cheers for that, I will keep watching the weather… didn’t realise the lift pass got discounted so that would be a bonus.

So long as somewhere is open for a drink and a bite to eat I will be happy enough!

One last question - which is the better base to stay at that time of year?
One of the higher bits of Tignes or Val d’isere ?

Does more stay open in one of the other?

snow reports

@sheffskibod, Dr John may disagee(!) but I would stop in either Lac or Val Claret in Tignes, unless you like skiing slush after lunch (or downloading into Val D'Isere). There is quite a lot going on in Tignes towards the end of the season such as Spring Break and Blackshoes (telemark festival) so there are enough bars and restos open. I think its fair to say that Val winds down a week to 10 days earlier than Tignes.

Quite challenging, it was a quick trip out today after the worst of the weather had passed and before I become chalet host this afternoon (lift passes, skis etc and a gourmet meal).

The weather has hung around longer than the forecast suggested but it started to brighten up around 10, though it has continued to snow and is still snowing now. Somewhere between 5 and 10 cm has fallen in the last 18 hours. The main problem was the wind, quite a few lifts were shut and the Aiguille Rouge kept stopping so I didn't venture out of Tignes in case they shut both links. The wind at the top of Palafour was quite brutal. And then the strangest sight so far this year, there was a pair of skis and some gloves half way down the slope back into Lac. I skied past and then looked back and behind a snow cannon was a sight that could best be described as a place to park a mountain bike! Clearly she had been taken very short, unfortunately her hiding spot wasn't that great!

I decided to head for Brev where there was a bit more light and less wind. Quite surprisingly, there was some quite light snow on top of the very hard surface below. In the depressions there was enough for me to float on top of, out of those dips it was bang, float, bang! So I did 3 laps of the Aiguille Rouge before coming home to get on with the tasks ahead.

And onto the forecast, the only thing I can say with certainty is that its going to be windy this week and unsettled. The synoptic charts look like a drunken gang of spiders have drawn them. So this forecast is going to change day by day and the Apps are going to fluctuate wildly. So here's the best guess.

The snow will eventually stop this afternoon and the skies will clear and the wind will die down. Tomorrow is likely to be the best of the week. With a bit of luck the sun will be shining in the morning, with a breeze. High level cloud will encroach in the afternoon and the wind speeds will rise. The cloud will thicken after dark and it will start to snow just into Tuesday. It might be a bit sleety down in Brev, but we should get 10-15cm up here. But it will be a whiteout if the winds arrive as forecast and most of the high lifts will be shut. Let's hope the isobars move apart!

As we now move into fantasy forecasting, Wednesday may see the winds abate, but light snow may continue all day. Thursday, may start OK and deteriorate.

You know it makes sense.

@chocksaway, any idea why Lanches has been rubbish past few days?

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

@Dr John, No but it was going well this afternoon - but it caused me to have to think see below!

A snowHead

A fab day, awesome snow up high in VDI, less so in Tignes I thought. Went hard from 1st lift to 2.30, lunch at The Corner (some pie that, but mushy peas were bang average)

Post lunch Toviere to La Daille finished me off. Wind Was getting up, Cloud came over and I am am awful at skiing under a cloudy sky. Got to the bottom, tigh back, tight thighs, bailed at 3.40. very poor.

A snowHead

What a day!
Ski bud is only here for 4 days so was under strict instruction to be booted and spurred so we were at Palafour by 8.50. We were. The sky was blue, the air was crisp and there was no wind - for once the weather obeyed the forecast. Didn't see any bluebirds (but some Niverolles). There was never going to be thigh deep powder, but in areas under the wind and out of the sun it was fab. We did 4 laps of the Palet drag off piste until UCPA followed us and ruined it. It was boot deep in the gullies and just so much fun, yeah occasionally there was a bounce off the bottom. So a quick airport run down to VC, with a plan to go up to the glacier for secret stashes. The funi had only just opened but Lanches was having a morning off, so VC was mobbed. Change of plan. Bus to Tov and down Familial which was mixed but just below the ruined village there was about 12 turns of proper creamy spring snow. We then did a quick lap of the La Daille Gondy and declared an early lunch at Rosies. By the time we got back to VC the Funi queue was short as it was at the cable car. SO to the top of the World as the milky cloud arrived as we did a direct to Leisses avoiding the snow farming trenches. Here it was top of the boot deep and still light and fluffy. Next was down to Lanches, mmm bit wind blown and then a trip down the secret stash to Genepy, much softer than the top bit. By now the light was going quite quickly so up the Funi again for a top to bottom non stop on Piste and a wander home through the Palet sector. Talk about the ski bud arriving for the best day for a while.

The weather charts are still a shambolic pile of spaghetti so more change and no promises. The cloud will thicken more this evening and there may be a few light showers of snow, the wind will pick up as well. Tomorrow will be very windy and cloudy but little snow. Not quite sure how windy, enough to shut teh glacier lifts almost certainly, the links - maybe. Wednesday looks like being windy and snowy, maybe a bit moist in Brev, 5-10cm on current guesstimates. Thursday looks a bit warmer so rainy to 1800-1900m, cloudy all day and windy - not that pleasant! I have a better chance of plaiting fog than providing a forecast for Friday!

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

Going to Tignes for 1st time and enjoying the contributions on this thread.

Does anyone have advice on where we might find a chef for some of the week? Any forums or websites or FB groups etc, or personal recommendations? I have tried Take a Chef website, it seems they take nearly 20% commission so it's not great value, and prices are quoted in ex the cost of ingredients compared to similar service we've had in the 3Valleys a few times.

Separately has anyone used this service for food delivery? https://hu.ski/ Or any other good meal delivery options.

Any info appreciated

You need to Login to know who's really who.

@Leax, These folks can organise chefs for their clients who book accommodation, might be worth a try:

https://peakfeeling-ski.com/

As for Hu.ski, the food used to be very good, but they went bankrupt last year and a lot of the staff didn’t get paid for the last month or so. Like the Phoenix they are back but I can’t vouch for the new product.

Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.

Today was great. The family (grandchildren) don't start early so I went alone to catch the first car up Toviere. Pistes perfect corduroy. Up Marmottes to Bellevarde then back over Toviere and down Cretes etc to les brev, up to Aiguille Rouge and down to meet the family at 10am where I started an hour earlier. Then up Grande Motte where the powder was nice on and around Leisses. The run down to Val Claret for lunch was so smooth. Piste skiing couldn't be better. Flat light after lunch but we were all getting tired so happy to stop early. The rest of our week looks like more of a challenge.

You'll need to Register first of course.

It's not yesterday, cloud in and out, breezy, but even I can ski in it

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

After all it is free

A different day - quite windy with quite a few lifts closed. So it was a piste day and not straying too far from home. The light early on was OK, latterly it was not great but there were some tantalising bright spots that soon vanished. We tried Brev first, Sache was great until the last pitch after the netting, the rest was sugary snow, slush that had refrozen. However, we did notice that when we got to the bottom the stream that runs through Brev is nearly dry, which, according to the local press, is due to the outflow from the Lac Du Chevril being cut off at the Dam to allow work to go ahead in one of the tunnels that carries the water from up here to the Malgovert Generating Station just out of Bourg. They normally let the Lake drop to soak up the snow melt, but this year it has gone much lower, so presumably the 'plug' is going to be for a while whilst the work downstream is completed. After that we had a wander into La Daille, coffee at Marmottes, then round the Palet before an Aspen lunch, followed by a trip up Lanches and home. Some of the pistes were very firm after the freeze last night after softening in yesterday' sun.

In other news, the spare part that the Mont Blanc Chair has arrived so expect to see that back in operation soon.

The weather picture is still messy, so heres the best guess. The light snow that we have right now will continue for a bit and then stop. It will be on and off through the morning, then on for the afternoon before the skies clear for a sunset. The winds will be a bit less severe but expect some of the top lifts to be shut. Thursday will be windy and snowy, perhaps sleety in Brev. Up high pretty much a white out. Friday currently looks like being very windy with light showers in the morning, maybe rain to 2000m, the top lifts will be shut. Saturday will be pretty similar on current bets.

Dumping down. Powder for miles on the glacier. Vis a bit rubbish but wind has dropped right off.

*Ski* the Net with snowHeads

Quite a day, thanks to a trough appearing it has snowed lightly, perhaps moderately all day. The wind wasn't too bad but the vis varied from OK to a pea souper. So we had a day out to Le Fornet via Face, the Solaise Lounge, Laisinant. A couple of runs round Pissailas when we saw the sun through the clouds. Lunch at Cascades, then up again, but no clearance but nice snow. At the top it was the thickest fog I have skied in for 20 years. For the first 250m vert I had to ski from pole to pole, I could only see one at a time Shocked

. Home via Le Fornet village, the first time I have seen the carnage from the avalanche - wowsers. Back through Val Cente to JC/Trolles.

In other news, because of the extra tourists coming up here thanks to the poor snow cover in lower resorts the ER at Bourg has had its busiest Jan/Feb ever, with 10% more casualties than ever before.

The sun has just come out!

Right the weather, the European and American models can't even agree about tomorrow. So teh best forecast is look out of the window. It is going to be very windy (easily spotted on the synoptic charts) but the French think its going to snow in the morning, followed by a sunny afternoon. The Swiss are forecasting snow all day. As ever the answer will lie between the two. So I can imagine the 'App conversations" in the chalets tonight "Well mine says"!! But check the lift openings and I wouldn't go out of your own valley in case the links are open and then shut as the wind will pick up in the afternoon. Friday looks to be even windier and warm with light showers in the morning, probably rain to 2200m. Cloudy in the afternoon. Saturday - who knows - stay tuned.

Help!!

Tignes and Tignes-Val D'Isere (formerly Espace Killy) 2023/24. Useful links on Page 1

snowHeads Forum Index >>> Snow Reports - weather - snow conditions