Tigne Les Brevieres in April?

A snowHead

Hi,

Just wondering if anyone had stayed in Tignes Les Brevieres in April? We have been offered a good deal for a catered chalet from 8th - 15th April. Will there be snow there? We are a group of families and two of the kids haven't skied before so would be looking to put them in the local ski school. Also how long does it take to get into the main ski area (we are fast skiers)? We have 3 hours from dropping off the kids to charge around the resort so wondering how long it should take to get into the thick of it.

Thanks,

FT

A snowHead

@Fast_ted, The runs to Le Brev should still be good in April. Tignes closes in May & the runs to Brev normally close the week before.

Access to the main resort is easy, just one Bubble then a chair lift, approx. 25 mins. The return trip is even easier with just one lift and a blast down a blue or red run. Don't discard the runs back to brev though as there are many variations and you can easily spend a morning there.

ESF ski school does Kid's ski school with a dedicated learners area in Brev.

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Be warned that it's 1500m and April, so it will be icy. The blue Stewart would have you blast down is a narrow road, busy and icy and bumpy at the end of the day. So fine for you - I'd cheerfully stay in Brevieres in April, indeed nearly did last year - but the more nervous would be better downloading in the bubble. So bear in mind that your beginners will not be getting the nicest snow and will be somewhat limited in scope. If you stay in Tignes itself they'll be high up doing the greens off Borsat, which will be nice cold winter snow, in April sunshine.

So nothing wrong with the place at all. But you're not being kind to your beginners!

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@Fast_ted, remember the factor 50 sun block

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It sounds an unsuitable location being at the far end of the ski area and not the easiest place to ski back to (by reputation). With beginner kids I'd recommend going somewhere with easy access to gentle slopes for them to practice on in the afternoon. You would also need reasonable altitude for that week.

Eg. La Rosiere, Montgenevre, Val Cenis or Les Arcs

I don't know much about catered chalets as we prefer luxury self catering with access to pool and spa.

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If it is possible to down load in a lift, what the problem with that? We went late season to L2A and Courchevel 1550. In both resorts although the run back was open the quality and bare patches made me chose to download via lifts. I would rather have an extra run on nice snow higher up instead.

Les Brev is the lowest point in the Espace Killy and at 1550 come 8th April it will be perceived as risky. Almost everybody will head high. Hence the "good deal". It may still be skiable, it may be skiable but a slushfest and detiorating fast, it may not be skiable. But it's certainly getting to the dodgy stage for an early booking. Of course downloading is an option and the "good deal" may take precedence.

But the second, perhaps more important point, is the ski school meet up, 3 hour window for skiing, multiple skiing standards, business. For this you want the most convenient, least hassle option - even if it costs a little more.

I have stayed in Les Brev many moons ago and loved it. But it was a boys trip in mid-season.

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@Layne, Not really sure why you are dishing Le Brev so much Puzzled

Why is 8th April perceived as risky Puzzled

The Blue back to Le brev is very easy and if you don't fancy it or are tired you can always download on the bubble.

I consider the runs back into Val D much more difficult for beginners and nobody seems to object to Val

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@Fast_ted, I stayed there last year, very end of April into early May. All runs open, fresh snow, still fairly cold. Very difficult to predict April conditions. Typical is freeze/thaw, with ice/hard pistes early, good conditions around middle of day, slushy in afternoon.

I think families with children in lessons caught morning bus to Tignes 2100 (Le Lac) and they joined group there. That would be better for young beginner skiers, higher altitude, better nursery slopes, more open and hopefully sunny. Also for parents, not having to get back to Les Brev each lunchtime to collect them. Better sleeping and less queasiness at 1500m compared with 2000m+ accommodation too.

Overall, I'd say Les Brev not ideal for your group. But if the deal is right and you don't mind getting going early each morning then it could be OK. I'd certainly consider ski school in Tignes 2100 rather than Les Brev.

Clearly there are deals in Les Brev at that time of year. But if a couple of the kids haven't skied they will be more than happy for a number of days on the warm easy slopes in the village. Other than that just get the bubble up if the runs are too slushy. Given that the blue run is the summer road, if a 2CV can get up it a skier of limited ability should be able to get down. La Rosiere will be a much bigger risk this year unless we have a monumental amount of snow in February, the snow pack over there is so shallow that they may well be grass skiing from mid march.

You know it makes sense.

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Hi @Fast_ted,

the nice thing about Les brev, is that it's pretty quiet so nice from a family perspective (assuming you're close enough to the gondola, though the chalets higher up tend to shuttle you down and back, although I prefer to avoid that faff if possible, esp. with kids). It's also nice little village rather than purpose built.

Yes it's true - April will be freeze thaw so runs down to the village will be icy first thing but later when they have softened up it's an easy cruise down the blue, which from what I recall is more like a green, just a narrow road snaking down, with flat stretches in between, the odd hairpin bend which is steeper and maybe swept/icy but no biggie. Despite being a border I actually enjoyed the bimble back to Brev down that flat cat track at the end of each day and if we got down a little early I'd jump the chair or gondola and do it again.

Anyway, your questions have largely been answered, gonodola and 1 chair (there's a choice of 2) will get you into the main bits of the resort. In 3 hours you could easily get to any bit of the Tignes side of EK and back if you can cruise blues and get down reds. We did a day trip and went across to the glacier above Val D'Isere and back, opposite end of the map, stopping for lunch in Val D'Isere.

Anyway, I have eurotunnel tickets booked that same week. My kids are 9 and 6, the 9 year old can ski anything, the 6 year old blues and easy reds. I'm thinking of breaking away from my usual tradition of renting an apartment in Courchevel and going elsewhere. We're not going to do lessons this trip and just ski together. Tignes is one of my options, and I'm thinking of Les Brev or Boisses for the reasons of it being quiet and having the extra run down at the end of the day - so I'd be interested where you found your deal if you don't mind sharing (once you've made your mind up of course - I guess you don't want me knicking your deal snowHead

)

Cheers

G

A snowHead

A snowHead

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

@Fast_ted, I really wouldn't stay in Tignes les Brevieres with the group that you have described in April. It takes two long slow lifts to get from Les Brevieres to the main ski area which probably takes in the region of half hour, done it many times but never timed it, and getting back is also quite lengthy, 1 chair from Tignes Les Lac and then a fairly long ski down (and not a particularly fun piste as the Tignes goes), maybe 20 minutes from Le Lac if you push it. This cuts down the time that the experienced half have to explore the Espace Killy down to about 2 hours which will be frustratingly short and meanwhile the inexperienced half of the group will be having to learn on a bullet proof ice in the morning which transitions to slush by mid afternoon.

If you stayed in Tignes itself (Le Lac or Val Claret) or Val d'Isere then all of these issues disappear, there is no 'commute' for the experienced half of the group leaving them ample time to explore the area and the inexperienced half of the group will have easy access to good snow high up. For what its worth I'd pick Val d'Isere over Tignes for your group as the beginners will get both the Solaise area and the Bellevarde area to learn on which are both excellent. If you really want to save money then I'd head to a different resort that has high beginner slopes and with easy access to the main areas. I've not been but Les Deux Alpes would probably fit the bill well

Having said all that, I have stayed in Les Breviers and would do again (the excellent Chalet Chardons being the main attraction) but not if half the group would be stuck down low late season and not if I would have to return mid way through the day.

The one way that I think you could make the trip work is by booking your beginner lessons through Evolution 2, who I believe, but you would have to check, will drive everyone having a lesson up from Les Breviers to Le Lac in time for a 9am start. This would give your beginners access to good snow and mean that you didn't have to return to Les Breviers after two hours of skiing

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Could you not just get the bus up if time is that critical?

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@endoman, there isn't a bus up from Les Brevieres.....

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@mountainaddict, that gondola was built in 1983, and yes, it is pretty slow. You may be thinking of the new high speed detachable one from Les Boissons

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Tigne Les Brevieres in April?

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