Tignes mountain prices

A snowHead

I'm off to Tignes in March, after eight consecutive trips to the Dolomites. I have to say that I'm not that excited about the venue as I've loved the whole experience in Italy- friendly locals, stunning food and scenery, great skiing etc and all at very reasonable prices.
Some of our group have been to France in the past and have said the restaurants and bars are a total rip off compared to Italy. Last month on the mountain in Canazei a soup was @ 7euro and a 12" pizza 9euro. Coffee was @2.50 and pasta between 7 and 9euro.
I've been told to expect double these prices in France. Really?

A snowHead

totally depends where you choose to eat, and I'm sure the Tignes locals will help here, but I have certainly been able to find stuff in the price band you mention without much difficulty.

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

Thanks, that's a relief!

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endoman,

That's surprising- but good news. Which mountain restaurants serve food at the prices mentioned above?

snaffy,

It's a shame you aren't excited about visiting a world class ski area Sad

.

Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.

I know, I should be excited but any photos I see of the area aren't too pretty. A friend has told me that the skiing more than makes up for it though, so I'm now starting to look forward to it ☺

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Not double by any means, more yes. Welcome to a socialist paradise. But they do know how to run magnificent ski areas, on the whole the locals are friendly as long as you are not a Benidorm Brit barking at them like Basil Fawlty. The scenery s stunning if you like the high mountains and its sunny. Yes the architecture is half brutalist, half Savoyarde, but the large blocks have allowed the masses to ski at not too expensive rates.

As for food on the mountain: Cascades in Fornet, Rosée Blanche in La Daille, Marmottes on Bellvarde, Aspen or Cocricos (lunch only!!) in Val Claret, Croissanterie in Le Lac, Cantine in Lavachet amongst others. Clearly you can spend a fortune but if its food on the go then those are more than a starter for 10.

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Excellent.Thanks for the tips.

After all it is free

chocksaway is a local, so he knows the best places. Cascades (which is up on the Val glacier) and Marmottes (assuming that's the one at the bottom of Borsat lift) are the two that would have occurred to me. Plus the Sherpa in Le Lac for takeaway poulet frites.

My theory is we are only here once it is impossible i would say to come away from tignes , val
, la daille saying the skiing is not world class i'd be buzzing
go enjoy yourself

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Thanks all. Looks like I've been misinformed thankfully. I'll report back afterwards

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@snaffy, very different to the Dolomites. Need to choose carefully to get a comparable lunch at a price that doesn't feel like a rip off. Some good tips above. Steve Angus' View from Val D thread has some good tips too.
The Tignes villages are brutalist. Val D less of an assault on the landscape. The mountain scenery in the Dollies is more spectacular. That said, some fantastic high altitude views from the Tignes and Val D mountains.

Big +s for me are that the skiing is more challenging, edgy, exciting. Snow conditions likely to be better in March (on average). Lift system generally copes very well. For all the charms of the Dolomites, ValD and Tignes has my favourite skiing anywhere. Just be prepared for the culture shock.

There's a menu for " The Corner" in Tignes on the Espace Killy thread, looks reasonable. Coffee in the snack place at top of Solaise is pretty cheap IIRC.
Agree re Marmottes and Cascade, unless we fancy something special, eg Peau du Vache or Edelweiss, then they are our go to places. Don't know if it's still there but there was a cabin at Rond Point in Val Claret that was cheap, sit outside though, sadly the cabin on Val snowfront is no more.

I'm sure you'll have a great time, just do a bit of homework.

You know it makes sense.

There was a cabin in the square behind "The Corner", but it was closed when we were there on the Pre-season Bash. It might just have been too early in the season for it to be open though.

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

Re mountain prices in Tignes. I was there last March, I stopped off at a high mountain restaurant, I ordered two coffee's and two miniature Jägermeister bottles. - €19 (The previous year in Sauze the hotel was charging €1 for a miniature bottle of Jägermeister.)

A snowHead

@snaffy, Personally I think if you go expecting the same food prices scenery and experience as the Dolomites you are likely to be a little disappointed. You have to look for the things that Espace Killy does well and enjoy those rather than expecting it to compete with the Dolomites on what they do best.
The food can be excellent though in my experience the excellent food is rarely cheap and the cheap food is rarely excellent.
If you want to eat cheaply picnicking is often a pleasant option in March.
Personally I think few places can compare with the Dollies for scenery and although the basic Tignes bowl has some pretty awful architecture and is unrelieved by trees, higher up it does not do badly for high mountain grandeur and the Grande Casse is particularly shapely (As above you can see Mont Blanc though frankly its a bit more impressive from some of the nearer resorts)

It does some things better than the Dollies though , if you go to parts of the Dollies high season you will experience queues to get up the mountain and to get to the Marmolada like I have never experienced in Espace Killy , the ease of getting on and off the slope in Tignes is far greater than many of the Dolomite resorts. In my visits to the Dollies piste skiing was really the only option (which was admittedly very good) because there was just not the snow depth to ski off piste , this is seldom a problem in Espace Killy.
My advice is go and enjoy what it has to offer , if you end up preferring what the Dollies has to offer there is no harm in that but it shouldn't mean you can't enjoy what Tignes has.
Oh and on many visits to Tignes I have rarely met unfriendly locals, many have been very friendly.

A snowHead

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

As above.

Nothing wrong with a picnic and a flask of coffee, away from it all, on a rock between pistes. It's our lunch of choice on any outdoor trip - whether hiking, mountain biking or skiing.

The further away from the masses the better!

It's also surprising how many object to the buildings/architecture. The village footprint must make up a miniscule percentage of the ski area and it's never detracted from my enjoyment of great snow there. wink

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I think the architecture in VC suits it perfectly. I like it! The only bit I would change is the big blocks under Palafour overlooking the lake, but it works.

Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.

Thanks everyone for the helpful info.
I appreciate that it is going to be different from the Dolomites, and now I know not in a bad way so that's great. I'll do my research on all your restaurant recommendations. I'm forking out for three of us every day and we like to ski early and hard, followed by a long late lunch. That's why I was concerned about dining costs!
You've all been a great help, thank you

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France in general maybe more expensive than Italy (I've just been rushed 30Euros for 4 pints in Chamrousse) but Espace Killy really is second to none in Europe, it's all about the sliding. You'll have a great time there.

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@snaffy,

Sounds like you have already decided you will not enjoy tignes so why are you coming?

Never skied inside one of the apartment blocks but the skiing outside is great and much better than anything I have skied in the dolomites.

Restaurant prices vary, you choose what you want to eat and the price you pay.

Coffee is still cheaper than London!

After all it is free

@Tignes addict,

snaffy,

The lift passes are too expensive - and the skiing too great - to linger over lunch! Toofy Grin

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Skiing ranks as one of my favourite resorts. If it's any consolation I paid €35 for a pizza and a beer in Niseko last week. I doubt you'll get charged anywhere near that in Tignes.

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I thought I'd add a bit about lunch prices in France having just returned from a week in Les Arcs. Prices vary a lot depending on where you go but typically a plat du jour consisting of two slices of roast pork, a mustard sauce, pureed carrots and potatoes would cost about 15-16 euro. At the Rocky Mountain in Arc 1600, a large burger, chips and a beer would be 13.50 euros. A coffee would be 3 euro and a beer about the same. The trick is to return to a ski in ski out village to eat and read the menu. In my experience a plat du jour is usually a high quality, low cost meal (if, perhaps, a bit larger than I would choose).

You will have a great time. The Espace Killy is my favourite ski area anywhere and I return year after year. I prefer the village vibe in central Val, but the skiing in Tignes is absolutely fabulous and the views up on the mountain from all the various sectors are tremendous.

Head to the snack places mentioned above rather than the proper restaurants and you'll find some very reasonable prices. You should treat yourself to a lunch stop at the Panoramic at the top of the funicular though, it's just lovely.

You know it makes sense.

Bacon roll in la cantina Lavachet nuff said
Brassero next doorish burger chips beer if that’s your thing
Pizza slice at Corico Val claret
Sarny at spar le lac
It can be done!

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

Having never skied the Dolomites I wouldn't be able to comment on the comparison but I can't imagine anyone being disappointed with either the skiing or the views in Espace Killy!!

I too was concerned with costs of lunches on the mountain so simply steered clear of mountain restaurants for the most part - particularly as I like to ski for as much of the day as I can so just made lunch a very quick pit stop. My favourite lunch is a hot dog at Rosee Blanche in La Daille for 4.50 Euros!! Otherwise I took a few snacks and a drink with me to keep energy levels up and enjoyed some soup and a cake upon returning to my chalet!!

One tip for not spending too much though is to drop into one of the villages for lunch as it can be a lot less expensive and still quick to get back up again! Les Brevieres is always a good lunch stop and a fun ski down there.

A snowHead

Treat yourself to a picnic on a sunny day at the Eye of the Needle (Aiguille Percee) - easy access from the tops of the Aiguille Percee and Marais chairs - with fantastic views, especially of the Fingers. wink

A snowHead

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

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Wow, some great suggestions and all very much appreciated!
I'd like to clarify that I've certainly not made up my mind that I won't enjoy Tignes. I should have been more specific about what I meant about prettiness etc. It was the pics of the village itself that didn't appeal too much. However all your responses have got me excited about going now, and I can't wait!

Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.

Well, the architecture of the Tignes villages is certainly an aquired taste.

But, as others have said, the skiing there is amazing, and it's my favourite resort for that reason. There's just an incredible variety of slopes. And the mountain scenery is wonderful.

As for lunches, if you prefer a long, restaurant lunch, then I agree with the above suggestion to find a place near the slopes in one of the villages. Maybe avoid the ones right next to the slopes (i.e. walk 50 yards up the street), and you'll find perfectly reasonably priced, decent fare. I can't remember the restaurant we used to eat at (it'sin Val Claret, just a bit off the slopes), but they do a plat du jour for around 12-13 euros, pizzasare 10-14 euros, etc. More expensive than Italy, but still reasonable IMO.

Oh, and you should definitely have a raclette one evening! Either go to a restaurant, or have one in your appartment. It's easy to find a place that rents out the machines, last time we found a cheese/charcuterie shop that lent you one for free provided you bought the ingredients there, and very nice they were too - portions far too big, so we ended up having two raclette evenings! Toofy Grin

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@snaffy, Tignes is a great place to ski, some world class skiing in the EK. And there's world class prices in the wrong places!! So just be aware that the "locals" French resort workers will be seasonal, English on the menus is now relegated below the Russian translations, and that the skiing will be a numbers game. Expect the charm to be French rather than Italian, but the skiing to be right up there with the best. Plan to ski some iconic pistes (Face de Bellevarde, Sache/Sylene, Mur de Trolles, Epaule du Charvet, and over at le Fornet). My favourite Pizza stop is "Trifolet" going into La Daille, or the "Edelweis" on the piste down from Le Fornet. Best use your Amex!! wink

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Not Tignes but part of Espace Killy. Mountain food at bargain prices. Locally made cheese and wine. Fresh bread. All for under 5 Euros. (in 2005)

After all it is free

Have just come back from a week in Tignes.

Its been mentioned above, but - as anywhere - you can eat cheaply and well, get yourself on the useful links thread, lots of detail there.

e.g. One day we headed swiftly to Brev and skied / bussed all the way up to the top of the Val glacier.

Lunchtime was hence at Cascades.

I recalled that chocks may have mentioned the new beer tap so had to try it Very Happy

3 euros 30 for a demi.............at 3400 metres............is not bad value. I added a huge plate of pasta and gorgonzola cheese sauce for about 8 or 9 euros - In all pretty good I thought?

Many places mentioned above are decent also.

I have to say that on one of our evenings out (we were staying in the Rosset with Ski Total), we went to the sister restaurant of somewhere we have used a lot in VC with our local friends, had really slow service and spent a lot of money and it was the worst food and service of the week !

p.s. @chocksaway sorry I didnt manage to catch up for a beer, we were inordinately busy as it was a week interspersed with 50th birthday celebrations for a mate living in St Foy, culminating in a big knees up on the friday in The Monal.
Next time.

Very cheap meal in Val Claret car park. (excluding the champagne, but even that was cheap relatively as it was purchased in Calais)

Unfortunately, bubbles are a different size at altitude. So you need to take bigger gulps!

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@GreenDay, Very Happy

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