 Poster: A snowHead
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Hello all,
I've just booked my first foreign ski holiday - to Tignes.
I've done a couple of seasons at Cairngorm, so am probably at the beginning of "intermediate", meaning that I have been parallel for just a few skiing days and can do reds if the snow is kind to me. There are 6 of us going, 2 highly experienced and the others either a bit better or a bit worse than me. We were looking for somewhere to suit our varying abilities.
Have any of you been to Tignes? Any thoughts on the skiiing and nightlife? My pals hadn't been there but seemed to think it's reputation was good. Is the nightlife decent? Is it more expensive than typical French resorts or just average?
Also, I plan to book some lessons (I'm told I don't lack bravado but I do move my arms as I ski (ie I move my whole body). Any thoughts as to how many 3 hour lessons I should book for a 7 day trip. I was thinking between 3 and 6 - I want to ski with my friends as much as I can - would I benefit much from three lessons?
Any input gladly received (horse and cart etc!).
Andy
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Andythejock, Half of the Snowheads population (inc me) is in Tignes next week it seems. There have been several threads on Tignes skiing and Apres very recently, run a search on Tignes and you should find some stuff of interest (make sure you set everything on search, it's very quirky). Why not contact ski schools over there about lessons. I've used The Development Centre several times and they are good, Stewart Woodward and Rorie are both also instructors there and snowheads, you could send them a PM, see what they advise.
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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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Andythejock, Your in for a treat great terrain & lots of it. Good unprtentious nightlife but I seemed to get through a lot of money out on the lash. Not quite as much as in Courchevel 1850 or Verbier but with bigger hangovers. Don't stint yourself, start saving now but keep practising your drinking as you need to be on form at altitude. 
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
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| Quote: |
can do reds if the snow is kind to me.
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I think you might find it's kind more often in Tignes. It's a great resort, with loads of skiing and very good lifts - but it can get very, very, cold and windy up the top at times. Yes, you will definitely benefit from lessons. We had lessons from Evolution 2 (Kev, who was terrific, highly recommended) but I'm sure the others suggested are great, too. The more lessons, the better, really. Will you do private lessons? Expensive, but concentrated. I don't think you'd need to do 3 hours - a 2 hour lesson is more like it, and you would undoubtedly benefit from as many as you want to afford. The people just a bit better, or worse, than you could probably benefit from the same lessons and it's far cheaper if you share, and maybe more fun. When I did lessons with Kev, we were 5 people with quite varied ability and he kept us all very productively occupied.
When are you going?
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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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Andythejock, take sandwiches and a hip flask - you have picked the most expensive ski resort in the world.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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Andythejock, take no notice of red 27, cheap it isn't but it's far from the most expensive (just over the hill in Val D'Isere might be closer to that though)).
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Andythejock, When are you going and where are you staying. If you're after private tuition you won't go wrong with Stewart Woodward.
Check out other threads on here ref. recommended instructors. Espace Killy second to none IMO, lots to go at for all standards of skiers.
Lifts and links mean that most skiers can visit most of the area regardless of ability. Apes-ski pretty much as Lechbob says. Chilled out rather than
full on. Lots of info on previous threads ref "cheaper" places to eat & drink on and off the slopes. Can give you a few pointers if you need them.
Great place for a first European ski trip, it may just spoil you
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it may just spoil you
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Or set you up nicely for La Rosiere....
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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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Cheers for all the replies so far folks!
We're going 26 Feb for a week, staying at Tignes 2100 half board with free wine (not sure whether that means a glass or a few bottles!).
My Aussie gf is coming - she hadn't even seen snow until she came to live in Scotland 4 yrs ago and still gets a thrill from it! Now she can ski blues at Cairngorm. Also have 2 friends with 50 yrs skiing between them (they started young!).
Is there much to be gained in booking lessons in advance? Evolution 2 sounds good. Won't be doing private tuition due to cost but will happily look into snowhead recommendation/usernames.
We have an early flight so will be at Tignes at about 2pm on the Saturday. Obviously red27's comments are a worry, although no surprise. Kind of hoped to have a few free drinks in hotel before heading out! Doesn't seem to be any dipute over the standard of skiing available at least!
thanks again.
AtJ
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| Quote: |
Is there much to be gained in booking lessons in advance? Evolution 2 sounds good. Won't be doing private tuition due to cost but will happily look into snowhead recommendation/usernames.
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Absolutely essential to book - that's peak time and the resort will be rammed (is it too late to change your booking?).
If not private lessons, the alternative is usually group lessons, which you join for the week. You will no doubt get some other recommendations about groups, which are certainly cheaper, though the best tend not to be super cheap.
If you're in a chalet, then often there is pretty well unlimited wine available - and if you're on a tight budget, drink plenty of that, then fall into bed. You don't have to spend a heap of dosh unless you want to. Eat the biggest breakfast possible and keep lunch short and cheap (at that time of year you will find the slopes least crowded at lunchtime - so have a light snack around 11.30 then ski through lunch time, when the restaurants will be very busy as well as very expensive).
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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I love Tignes.
Not sure about the nightlife, being an old codger me and the old man are usually in bed by 10 p.m. (after a hard days skiing). Its worth skiing over to Val d'Isere too when you're there, as the runs are nice and wide, giving lots of confidence.
We always make our own sandwiches and eat them outside if the weather is o.k.
Have fun.
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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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So there's a supermarket within tignes so you can buy stuff to make sannies?
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We always get the Baguette type bread from the local bakery and maybe some cheese and meat from the local shops.
Yes there is a supermarche. Can't remember which part of the village. Lots of nice shops in Val d'isere to make sandwiches from too.
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You know it makes sense.
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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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Poster: A snowHead
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| GeorgeVII wrote: |
| Cheapest on-mountain restaurant has to be Marmottons (sp?) |
I seem to remember that Les Marmottes was reletively reasonable compared to the restaurants at the top of funicular and Aeroski where I felt violated by the prices, 4 euro for a can of coke- they didn't even open form me.
Le Bouchon in Le Lavachet was good value for a meal on Chalet staff's night off.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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so like the others say make some baguettes and take some drinks with you, then maybe buy a plate of chips between you so you dont feel guilty sitting at the tables in said restaurants
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if you try that trick you really deserve to be thrown out on your ear.
There are some "salles hors sac" where you can eat your own sarnies in the warm - can't remember where, though, I don't know the EK - have trailed round following someone who does, the times I've skied there.
If you're in a chalet which serves good breakfasts and good "teas" with cake, baguettes and jam etc after skiing, you really don't need much in between. Take a stock of choc bars ( hugely cheaper in Tesco than in Tignes)
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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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Tignes will suit you down to the ground if you are into blues and reds. There is plenty of good cruising runs and great views. Like pam w, says on the eating in restaurants front tho. If the weather is nice you can always have a picnic on the piste. It is a good place to start!
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
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Awesome, you will have a great time in Tignes, if you want to check out some apres-ski and general resort information have a look at http://www.loveskiing.co.uk/reviews/france/tignes/. Lots of helpful info to help you know what to do before you go. I am going to Tignes in January can't wait, so excited. Make sure you do the Val d'Isere downhill run as well it is a great run and well worth it.
Cheers
Jim
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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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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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Tignes 2100 is in the Palafour building. To get to the Spar, out the front door, go down the road, around the apex of the building and about 100yds along is the Spar (you feel like you are walking back on yourself).
Lunch - try the Loop in le Lac or the Brasero in Lavachet.
Apres-ski - Brasero, Lav Lounge & TCs in Lavachet; Loop, Alpaka & Bagus in le Lac.
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Lot's of great responses - i like Snowheads!
Keen to get advice on likely suspects for a week of lessons i'd better do that in the appropraite section though.
I've been progressing reasonably fast and am 42 and pretty fit (frequent mbt biker and road cyclist). Is it unreasonable to expect to go from not too bad a reds to working my way down my first black in a week (with lessons)?
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| Quote: |
Is it unreasonable to expect to go from not too bad a reds to working my way down my first black in a week (with lessons)?
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No.
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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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Andythejock, perfectly reasonable. Do a search for instructors, there's loads of threads, but just to keep it simple folk will recommend Gavin at TDC, Rorie and Stewart Woodward at ESF (but do private as well), Kev at Evolution 2. I think there are others but I can't recall them
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| Andythejock wrote: |
| I've been progressing reasonably fast and am 42 and pretty fit (frequent mbt biker and road cyclist). Is it unreasonable to expect to go from not too bad a reds to working my way down my first black in a week (with lessons)? |
Don't see why not, I'm not sure about Espace Killy because I've never been there before, but I've generally found that some black slopes could easily be considered red slopes and vice versa.
With you having lessons you could always ask your instructor if he/she thinks you are ready and which would be the best to attempt.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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If you want to get the "I've done a black run" monkey off your back, try the short Leisse run below the Grande Motte down to the Leisse chairlift, it marked as black but offers no challenge after pisting.
If you want to test yourself take the black run Pâquerettes-Trolles can be difficult when mogulled or icy. 
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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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it marked as black but offers no challenge after pisting
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Indeed. I did that with my son, who warned me at the top that it was "not an easy black" and hence had me in a high state of anxiety, as he is a brilliant skier and I'm not. However it was not difficult, just little inoffensive moguls. At the bottom he was surprised, said it must have been pisted the previous day - and had been very difficult last time he did it! Instructors will know. If your instructor is willing, ask him to take you down a black so you can exactly follow his/her tracks - they will pick the right line, and speed, for you.
There's nothing special about black runs. A red run on a nasty day can be much harder than a black run on a nice day. given your Cairngorm experience you'll be used to less than perfect snow - you'll have a great time.
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You know it makes sense.
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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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Tignes has black runs and black runs some of them are quite a step up from Cairngorm reds. Some of them are relatively straightforward and the Leisse run mentioned above was one of several in the area that used to be reds and were rechristened blacks over the years.
As far as ski schools go you are bang in the middle of French holidays I would check with any ski school a) what the maximum numbers in your class are (preferably eight or less) and b) that you will be in an English speaking class.(Scottish may be preferable but possibly difficult to find.)
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Poster: A snowHead
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lol at the Scottish speaking ski school.  Thought we'd missed the French hols - do they run into March?
Here were my thoughts on instructors, having done some digging:
I hope you can provide your thoughts on the following options. I've included what I see as the positives and negatives:
Evolution 2 - Great reviews, 180 Euros for 3 hrs x 5 days. 3 hour lessons, French, would the lessons be in English? 8 maximum in class. Seems best value.
New Generation - Great reviews again, 185 Euros for 2 hrs x 5 days. British, so in English, but lessons are short at 2 hours each. 8 maximum in class.
The Development Centre - Another ski school with excellent reviews. 3 hours x 3 days. Britsh again, 3 days lessons seems less good value, although 6 in class maximum.
So, what would you recommend and what's most important in terms of length of each lesson, number of lessons, whether British or not?
People refer to individual instructors, but I'm less keen on the expense of private lessons and I guess that's what I'd need to use them?
cheers!
Andy
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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just back from a 3 day trip. sking fantastic with some of the best grooming i have seen in 12 years of sking. no expert myself so no advice on lessons.
re prices- tignes is an absolute rip off. prices for food and drink were certainly more than double any where else i have been (austria +italy never been to france before) 6-9 euro for a pint or eg 15-25 euro for a basic pizza. they really are taking the wee wee and i for one will not be bending over to get f***d again. even though I loved the sking i really felt we were ripped off an will not be returning to tignes or france.
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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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Andythejock,
I had lessons at Evo2 years ago and they were good but probably not relevant to now.
If you have never skied abroad the advantage of having three hour lessons is that they can probably take you further afield within the area (Which is vast compared with Cairngorm) and may give you the confidence of feeling you know the area a bit better to explore more of it yourself. 3 day v 5 day one gives you more learning time which may be useful at your stage the other gives you more exploring time which means you can see more of the area.
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
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creedgearoid,
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even though I loved the sking i really felt we were ripped off an will not be returning to tignes or france.
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Don't judge all France by one of its most notoriously expensive areas, I regularly ski Austria and France and lots of French resorts offer decent value, though I do agree that food and drink is generally a little more expensive in France it certainly is not much more . Espace Killy is expensive though.
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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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creedgearoid, there's a big difference between the "big name" French resorts and smaller ones. None is cheap, but you don't have to feel ripped off.
But that's why I and others have advised that in a catered chalet, take advantage of the big breakfast, post-ski teas and wine with dinner. In many chalets you can take in your own beers, or buy cheaply from the staff at little more than supermarket prices, or take your own duty free (if flying to geneva) spirits and buy mixers locally. You don't have to spend a fortune in bars and there's no secret about the high bar prices in places like Tignes.
For those for whom no ski holiday is complete unless every night is spent getting plastered in bars, preferably pumping with cheesy music, Austria is a much better bet.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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Hi Mr T - did Evo 2 speak good English/not do most of the lesson in French? They look pretty good by all accounts but wanted to clarify that.
Re prices - that's a worry, hopefully the fact the 6 of us will be half board with wine will help.
ta
Andy
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Andythejock,
I had a feww pivate lessons from a Frenchman with excellent English. They have a large English speaking clientele but I don't know if they run English only lessons in the French holidays.
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I suppose the thing is - I could be learning from what the instructor is saying to others, but not if he's speaking French!
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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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Andythejock,
Most instructors will translate,biingual lessons may not be the best learning experience but they are not necessarily bad and personally I quite like feeling I am abroad and prefer mixed groups.
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I quite like the French actually. 
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