Bright Mountain Hideaway With SaunaN°001
Tignes, France
From $5,814 per night
High-altitude skiing above a frozen lake in the Tarentaise
Tignes sits at 2,100 metres in the Savoie's Tarentaise valley, sharing one of the world's great linked ski areas with neighbouring Val d'Isère. Snow-sure slopes, glacier skiing on the Grande Motte and a season stretching from late autumn to May make it a serious skier's resort, and a private chalet with ski access and concierge support is the most comfortable way to enjoy it.
- A vast linked ski area shared with Val d'Isère, among the largest in the world
- Glacier skiing on the Grande Motte, with snow reliability few resorts can match
- Five villages at different altitudes, from ski-in Val Claret to traditional Les Brévières
- Summer life around the natural lake: paddleboarding, altitude golf and bike trails
- Ski-in chalets with hot tubs, boot rooms and dedicated concierge service
Known forSnow-sure high-altitude skiing, the Grande Motte glacier, the linked Tignes-Val d'Isère ski area and one of the longest seasons in the Alps
Best time to visitDecember to April for prime skiing; late April to early May for quiet spring snow; June to August for the lake, golf and mountain biking
Nearest airportChambéry (CMF) around 2 hours; Geneva (GVA) and Lyon (LYS) around 3 hours
Ideal forCommitted skiers and snowboarders, families on ski holidays and groups wanting doorstep snow
Luxury Alpine Apartment With Panoramic ViewsN°002
Tignes, France
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Elegant Mountain Penthouse Close to SlopesN°004
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Cozy Alpine Apartment in Val ClaretN°005
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From $651 per night
Stylish Ski Apartment in Tignes With Mountain ViewN°006
Tignes, France
gardenFireplace
From $372 per night
7homes available
2–5bedrooms
up to 10guests
Events not to miss in Tignes
- Early December
Critérium de la Première Neige, Val d'Isère
The Alpine Ski World Cup's traditional season opener on the Face de Bellevarde in neighbouring Val d'Isère, reached within the shared ski area. A festive, race-week atmosphere kicks off the winter.
- October to November
Grande Motte glacier reopening
Tignes traditionally opens glacier skiing in autumn, drawing race teams and keen skiers for first turns weeks before most of the Alps. A quiet, purposeful time to be in resort.
- Late April to early May
Spring skiing finale
Tignes skis on after most resorts close, with sunny terraces, soft afternoon snow and an end-of-season mood around the lake. Ideal for a relaxed final ski week.
- 14 July
Bastille Day by the lake
France's national day brings fireworks and festivities to the resort at the height of the summer lake season, when paddleboards and bikes replace skis.
Tignes through the seasons
- Winter (December – April)
Snow-sure skiing at altitude
The linked Tignes-Val d'Isère area at its best, with cold, dependable snow, big-mountain freeride and long cruising pistes above 2,000 metres.
- Spring (April – May)
Sunny spring snow, quiet slopes
High altitude keeps the pistes in condition into May, pairing soft afternoon snow with sun terraces and thinning crowds.
- Summer (June – August)
Lake days and altitude golf
The natural lake hosts paddleboarding and swimming, the 18-hole course plays at 2,100 metres, and lift-served trails open for hiking and biking.
- Autumn (October – November)
Glacier pre-season on the Grande Motte
Early glacier skiing returns while the valleys turn gold, giving race teams and keen skiers first tracks before the main season begins.
The Area and Where to Stay
Tignes is not one village but five, stacked along the upper Tarentaise. Val Claret is the highest and most ski-focused, with lifts to the Grande Motte glacier on its doorstep. Tignes le Lac, set around the natural lake, is the liveliest centre, with Le Lavachet just beside it. Lower down, Tignes 1800 offers a quieter modern base, while Les Brévières, below the famous dam, keeps the feel of an old Savoyard village among larch and stone. The whole resort links directly into Val d'Isère, so a chalet anywhere in Tignes opens up the full shared ski area. Our chalets and apartments favour ski-in positions in Val Claret and Le Lac, with boot rooms, hot tubs and a concierge to arrange passes, lessons and in-chalet catering.
Things to Do
Skiing comes first. The linked Tignes-Val d'Isère area serves every level, from wide, confidence-building blues above Val Claret to celebrated off-piste faces that draw freeriders from across Europe, with the Grande Motte glacier guaranteeing snow high above the resort. Beyond the pistes, Tignes offers ice diving beneath the frozen lake, snowshoeing, husky sledding and a lively snowpark. In summer the resort reinvents itself: the lake becomes a hub for paddleboarding and open-water swimming, an 18-hole golf course plays at 2,100 metres, and lift-served trails suit hikers and mountain bikers. Glacier skiing returns in the autumn for early-season training. Your concierge can arrange guides, instructors, equipment delivery and mountain-restaurant reservations so days on the hill run smoothly.
Food and Local Flavour
This is Savoyard country, and the kitchen follows: fondue, raclette and tartiflette built on Beaufort and Reblochon cheeses from the Tarentaise's alpine dairies, with cured meats, mountain honey and génépi to finish. Tignes itself covers everything from slope-side lunch terraces to relaxed village restaurants in Le Lac and Les Brévières, while neighbouring Val d'Isère adds some of the French Alps' most refined, Michelin-recognised dining within the same lift network. Many guests make the chalet the centrepiece: a private chef preparing long mountain dinners after the last run, with the concierge handling wine, provisions and any hard-to-get tables down the valley.
When to Visit
Tignes has one of the longest seasons in the Alps. The main winter runs from late November to early May, with the coldest, most reliable snow from January to March and superb spring skiing in April, when the high altitude keeps pistes in condition long after lower resorts soften. The glacier typically reopens in autumn for early training weeks. Summer, from June to August, is a different resort altogether: mild days around the lake, golf, trail running and biking, with chalet prices gentler than in February. For families tied to school holidays, February is the liveliest and busiest; early December and late April offer the same mountain with far more room.
Getting There
Chambéry (CMF) is the closest airport at around two hours by road, with Geneva (GVA), Lyon (LYS) and Grenoble (GNB) all within roughly three, offering wider flight choice in winter. By rail, high-speed trains from Paris reach Bourg-Saint-Maurice at the foot of the mountain, leaving a 30 to 40 minute transfer up to the resort. Private transfers are the simplest final leg, and the concierge can arrange them alongside helicopter arrivals, equipment hire delivered to the chalet and lift passes waiting on arrival, so the journey ends with skis on snow rather than queues.