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Saturday 17 March 2018

A DAY TRIP TO TIGNES: Dos and Don'ts

The Espace Killy ski area is well within striking range for a day trip from Les Arcs.  It claims to be "le plus bel espace de ski du monde", and you certainly can't criticise the majestic mountain scenery which awaits - including buckets of off-piste.

Here are a few dos and don'ts for the keen day-tripper...

Do:
  • Park at Les Brevieres rather than struggle up to Tignes Le Lac - it's much nearer, the parking is free, and you get a nice long run home (blue or black) at the end of the day.
  • Book an Espace Killy pass, as it's likely you'll stray over the Val d'Isere border at some point during the day
  • Study the piste map. The links between Le Lac and Val Claret are not immediately clear, so you need to plan your route
  • Have a good old moan at the restaurant by the Col du Palet lift which makes you pay to go to the loo
  • Plan your lunch; the mountain restaurants on the Tignes side are few and far between. The self-service at the top of the Chaudannes lift is reasonable.  Avoid the fast-developing Tignes 1800 at lunchtime: it lacks both soul and sunshine 
Don't:
  • Take the Marais lift once you arrive at the gondola above Les Brevieres.  It's very slow and broke down for half an hour during our day there.  A visit to the Aiguille Percée is a must, but much better to take the lift from the other side
  • Forget that the fast Les Lanches chairlift is an excellent alternative to the underground at Val Claret, which I'm not too keen on as it reminds me of my morning commute

Tignes has far more slow lifts than
Les Arcs: Le Marais is one of them



L'Aiguille Percée