Tignes
Tignes' high altitude makes it one of the most snow sure resorts in France. Linked to Val d’Isere and sharing the same ski area, it is a vast domaine that caters for all abilities and serves them very, very well.
Best for
Snow sure resort
Fun fact
You can ski for 10 months of the year in Tignes
Nearest airport
Geneva (220km), Chambery (130km)
Centre comfort
Resort charm
Snow sure rating
The Tignes ski area is linked up to the neighbouring resort of Val d’Isere to create one of the most famous ski areas in the world, the Espace Killy. One notable advantage of the Espace Killy area is it’s high altitude (second highest in Europe) making it an extremely snow sure resort. Tignes is a great choice for early or late season skiing and usually does well even in lean snow years.
With over 300km of piste there is plenty to keep you occupied throughout your stay and a good spread across all the grades. For beginners there are special ‘tranquil’ zones in which strict speed limits are enforced making for a much more enjoyable experience. At the other end of the scale there are a number of ‘Naturide’ runs in Tignes which are non-pisted but within the patrolled area, a great concept taking away some of the additional risk of off piste skiing for the more advanced skiers and boarders looking to venture into the back country.
As well as a superb piste network, Tignes can boast one of the largest lift served off piste areas in the world. Areas of note include the Chardonnet Bowl, the classic Vallon de la Sache or the 'P' Couloirs (P1-3) all of which are steep and serious undertakings.
Tignes attracts skiers from the full spectrum; from those who are pushing on to the last lift, to those who are pushing on to early après.
The concrete aesthetic of Tignes reduces its 'alpine charm' factor but this is made up for with its excellent efficiency. UCPA Tignes is located in Val Claret (the highest of the three towns making up Tignes, at 2100m) acting as a hub for the resort with many of the lifts, shops and bars located here, including the funicular to the Grand Motte glacier.
If you fancy a break from skiing there are plenty of other things to keep you occupied; from the cinema to ice driving, Le Lagon indoor water park to ice climbing and ski joering.
Tignes UCPA is in Tignes Val Claret, situated at the foot of the Grande Motte Glacier, at an altitude of 2,100m. Val Claret is the ideal location in Tignes with excellent access to the slopes and the main strip of shops and bars. The UCPA centre consists of two large traditional style buildings close to the village centre. There is a drag lift just 50m away which takes you to the main lift station and if the snow cover is good you can ski almost right to the centre. It is one of the favourite UCPA centres due to its facilities, location and being more recently refurbished than its neighbour in Val d’Isere.
Rooms
- 4 person rooms
- Twin rooms available
- Bathroom facilities shared between 2 rooms
Facilities
- Well priced bar
- Buffet style restaurant
- Great social areas
- Ski equipment and storage all on site
- Lift passes provided at the centre
- WiFi in the bar area. Please note the WiFi is not good enough for working on data intensive activities
All UCPA meals are buffet style and with multiple servings the norm; you won't go hungry.
Breakfast is normally yogurts, cereals, fruit juice, coffee and bread - don't be surprised to see that the coffee and tea is taken in a bowl!
It is possible to return to the centre for lunch everyday where you will find 1 or 2 hot options available. As with all meals there will be a salad bar, plenty of bread, cheese, meat and of course desert. If you prefer you can make a packed lunch at breakfast time and eat on the mountain. Either way you will save a fortune avoiding the piste side restaurants.
Dinner is a 3/4 course buffet - typically a salad bar style starter, a choice of 3 hot main courses, a cheese and cold meat platter and ice cream/dessert.
Due to the cost focussed nature of UCPA and the wide range of dietary requirements, it is impossible to accommodate everyone as standard. If you have any severe dietary requirements please contact the centre two weeks before to let them know. Generally speaking vegetarians will find plenty of options, with vegan options being a little more scarce but improving year on year.
By Air
Geneva airport is the most popular airport for travelling to Tignes, however it is also possible to fly to Lyon, Grenoble and Chambery. However, Chambery has few flight options and therefore onward travel, including transfers, becomes a little more difficult.
Airport Transfers
We provide shared transfers which go directly to Tignes from Geneva, Lyon and Grenoble with our local partner, Ben's Bus. Transfers usually run on Saturdays only, with a few exceptions. The journey from all three airports takes around 3h30 but timings can vary according to weather and traffic. Geneva offers the most transfer buses during a Saturday, with fewer buses operating from Grenoble and Lyon.
Geneva
We provide Geneva airport transfers through our local transfer partner, Ben's Bus. Transfers mainly run on Saturdays with very limited Sunday transfers available.
| Dates 2/12/23 - 27/4/24 | Latest flight arrival | Earliest flight departure |
|---|---|---|
| All Saturdays (except for those below) | 20:15 | 09:20 |
| Saturday 2 Dec 23 | 14:35 | N/A |
| Saturdays 06 Apr 24 - 20 Apr 24 | 18:15 | 09:40 |
| Saturday 27 Apr 24 | N/A | 09:40 |
| Sundays (10/12/23 - 7/4/24) | 16:35 (14:35 on 31 Mar & 7 Apr) | 10:15 (09:50 on 31st Mar & 7 Apr) |
Typically the transfer time is 3h30, but this can vary due to weather and traffic. As this is a shared transfer service there are likely to be several stops en route and there is likely to be some wait in the airport to be able to combine your journey with those of other passengers.
There is not a timetable as such, as the transfers are arranged to meet with popular flights.
If you give us your flight details as soon as your booking is confirmed and your flights booked, then we can book you onto the best possible transfer times. If you are making a booking (or providing your flight details) just a few weeks before travel, then you can expect that a lot of the buses will already be booked up and you may have longer to wait at the airport.
Note that transfers will be subject to availability at the time that we receive your flight details.
For midweek transfers and flights outside of our times, have a look at Altibus or Alpybus.
Grenoble
Transfers mainly run on Saturdays with our partner Ben's Bus with limited availability on Sundays.
| Dates 16/12/2023 - 13/4/24 | Latest flight arrival | Earliest flight departure |
|---|---|---|
| All Saturdays | 15:20 | All flights (except 08:45) |
| Sundays | 10:20 | All flights from Grenoble |
Typically the transfer time is 3h30, but this can vary due to weather and traffic. As this is a shared transfer service there are likely to be several stops en route and you may need to wait in the airport so that your journey can be combined with other passengers.
Please log in to your dashboard to enter your flight details as soon as your booking is confirmed in order that we can book you onto the best possible transfer times, please note that transfers will be subject to availability at the time that we receive your flight details.
Lyon
Transfers run on Saturdays only, with our partner Ben's Bus.
There are usually just 2 transfers each Saturday. On busy holiday dates (30 Dec, 6 Jan and 10, 17& 24 Feb) the buses leave resort early in the morning, even for later flights.
| Dates 16/12/2023 -30/3/2024 | Latest flight arrival | Earliest flight departure |
|---|---|---|
| All Saturdays (except for those below) | 15:50 | 09:20 |
| 30 Dec, 6 Jan, 10, 17 & 24 Feb | 15:50 | 09:20 (ALL buses leave resort early morning even for later flights) |
Typically the transfer time is 3h30, but this can vary due to weather and traffic. As this is a shared transfer service there are likely to be several stops en route and you may need to wait in the airport because there are usually just 2 transfers a day.
Typically the transfer time is 3h30, but this can vary due to weather and traffic.
By Coach
Our partner company Snowexpress offers affordable and environmentally friendly travel to the alps. All hold bags and ski bags are included in the price. The coaches travel through the night from London Victoria to resort, arriving typically after lunchtime directly at the centre.
By Train
The nearest train station to Tignes is Bourg St Maurice (30km away), from there you would need to take a taxi or a public bus. Please check out Rome2Rio for information on the transport options from Gare Routiere Bourg Saint Maurice.
By Car
It is possible to drive to Tignes, but it is important to note that driving can become challenging if the conditions turn significantly wintery - snow tires and chains are highly advisable. There is no parking at the centre but there is a large uncovered car park directly opposite the centre, which costs around 75eur for the week. It is not possible to book it in advance.
View all dates & prices for Tignes
Prices from
What our clients say about us!
Subscribe to our Newsletter
Join our newsletter and get news in your inbox every week! We hate spam too, so no worries about this.