Ski Blog | Ski Resorts

WINTER IS HERE!

Winter seems to have arrived at last! 

Rich is in the Alps and can report that snow is falling and the wind is blowing! 

Check out all the latest deals and availabiltiy by cleicking here.

TIGNES & VAL D’ISERE LIFT PASSES - THE 2017 ULTIMATE GUIDE

This is a guest blog by Becky from Ski Bonjour who run chalets in Tignes - check out their chalets by clicking here.

The Tignes & Val d’Isère lift passes are covered under the vast Espace Killy ski region which stretches from Tignes les Brévières right over to Le Fornet in Val d’Isère with an altitude range from 1550m to 3456m at the top of the Grande Motte cable car.  This ski region offers over 300km of piste with varied terrain which provides for both beginners and extreme skiers & boarders alike.

Your Val d’Isère and Tignes ski pass ‘Espace Killy’ will connect you to 154 slopes via 79 ski lifts which include chairlifts, gondolas, cable cars, funiculars, drag lifts and magic carpets.   Here’s some vital resort information:

Altitude:  1550m – 3456m
Number of slopes: 20

Easy: 68

Medium: 40

Difficult: 26

Total Number of runs:  154
Number of lifts:  79
Kms of piste:  300km
Hectares: 10,000
Glaciers: 2
Snow Cannons 900

The resorts of Tignes & Val d’Isère have created brand new apps so that you can check out the piste and ski lift openings, weather forecast and webcams at your finger tips.  Download them via your app store or visit www.valdisere.com or www.tignes.net.  You can also stay connected with free wifi hotspots thanks to the ski area and mountain restaurants – just look out for ‘Tignes neospot’ & ‘Val-free-wifi’ in your wifi settings.

Types of lift pass & deals

There is a ski pass that suits everyone for all ages, ability and pedestrians.  If you are planning to stay with Ski Bonjour, we can pre-order the Espace Killy passes for you so that they are ready for you to collect at the chalet so you don’t waste a moment on your first day of skiing.

Adult

The age considered to be adult is from age 14-64 inclusive.

Senior & Child

Children aged 5-13 and Seniors aged 65-74 are entitled to a discounted pass rate.

Tignes / Val d’Isère Days Adult (Age 14 to 64) Child / Senior (age 5-13 or 65-74)
Espace Killy (whole area)

6 Day Pass

Adult -  €278.00

Child / Senior - €222.50
 

Under 5s & Over 74s!

The biggest perk is when you’re up to 4 years old or 75+ as you will get a free pass!  Proof of age will be required and a photo may be requested.

Family Pass

A family pass offers a child rate to all family members for 6 or 7 days only.  There must be at least one/two adults and two/three (or more) children either school age or up to the age of 21 if they are students in full time education.  Everyone must be from the same family and proof of age and student identification may be required.

Family Pass Days 2 adults and 2 children (both age 5-13) 2 adults and 2 children (age 5-13 and 14-17) 2 adults and 2 children (both age 14-17) 2 adults and 3 children (all age 5-13)
Espace Killy family pass
6
€890.00
€890.00
€890.00
€1112.50
 

Pedestrians

There’s also pedestrian passes available to purchase in resort for those wishing to make the most of the mountains without skiing.

Tignes only lift pass

The lift pass ticket system seems to have changed this year in that you can only get the local area pass in resort with either a day or half day option.

Days Adult (Age 14 to 64) Child / Senior (age 5-13 or 65-74)
Tignes only
1/2 day
€38.50 /  €31.00
1 day
€47.00 / €38.00

What’s included?

Free swimming and ice skating!

The Espace Killy lift pass allows you free access to the swimming pool of the Aquacentre Le Lagon in Tignes or at the Centre Aquasportif in Val d’Isère.

It also includes free ice skating in Tignes or Val d’Isère including the loan of skates.

Terms & conditions apply and access is allowed for each valid day of your ski pass (6 day ski pass = 6 days access to the swimming pool and ice rink).  Your lift pass must be valid for 2 to 15 days.

Carré Neige

You can add an optional piste insurance to your Espace Killy ski pass which is known as Carré Neige (this is recommended in addition to your holiday insurance).   Information about the insurance and what Carré Neige covers can be found here.

Rate per day €2.80
8 to 15 days €22.40
Family rate per person per day* €2.50
Family rate per person from 8 to 15 days* €20.00

*Rate available if all the family members subscribe to the insurance Carré Neige.

Free Bus

There is also a free ski bus which runs throughout the day and into the evening.  There are two main bus routes in resort.  Firstly, in Val d’Isère there is a circular loop connecting La Daille through Val d’Isère to Le Fornet and back.  Secondly in Tignes there is a bus loop from Les Boisses, through Tignes le Lac to Val Claret and back and a Le Lavachet loop round Tignes le Lac.  It’s a great service giving a good connection between the villages at both resorts.  Guests staying in Tignes les Brévières can access this bus route via the pedestrian chairlift to Le Boisses.

Freestyle & Snowparks

The ski region benefits from two snow parks as well as three boardercross courses for beginners and experts.  The Val park is at the foot of the Marmots chair and has a great range of kickers and 25 rails with lines for different standards.  There is a popular half pipe and airbag located in Val Claret

FOOD & DRINK IN THE PRYENEES

This is a guest blog by Amber W.

I've been visiting France for many years and have always been surprised by the cuisine. I understand France has numerous world famous restaurants and chefs, it is known as a country of high quality dining and I've therefore been disappointed at the lack of variety in the meals available.

My ski holidays have been mainly in The Alps so the usual fondue, raclette and tartiflette on offer are no doubt delicious but - in my eyes - not particularly adventurous. 

In other parts of France the menus I've seen are usually meat or fish with one vegetable on the side or a salad. There's nothing wrong with what's on offer - it just doesn't excite me. 

Vegetarians have a notoriously difficult time eating in France, either a cheese omelette or salad and chips seem to be the staple options there.  And vegans had better take their own supplies if they don’t want to live on chips all week! 

In the Pyrenees the food was much more interesting to me, it was based on a lighter diet - more Mediterranean I felt. There were far more vegetables and I felt the dishes had more flavour. 

To go off menu to suit a vegetarian or vegan diet appeared far easier and more acceptable than in a lot of the rest of the country. The impression I got was that in the Pyrenees the people in the kitchens were experienced chefs who were passionate about their menu, versatile and eager to please their diners. 

The food we were served in every single case appeared to have been prepared with care, to our specifications and with quality ingredients.

This is highly rated wine area and this was certainly reflected in the wine we were offered. In short the food and drink here was delicious, fresh and of fantastic quality. 

When I first arrived in the Pyrenees. I was surprised by the endless Bio (organic) shops we passed. They are everywhere, in tiny mountain villages, in the middle of nowhere as well as in the towns. Having spent a week here I now understand this better; there is a definite air here of people wanting to do their best for their health and the environment. The population and clientele here appear to take care over what they are eating and drinking - particularly where it's sourced from. 

LES ANGLES - OFF THE SLOPES [VIDEO]

The Pyrenees is rich in history and around Les Angles there is plenty of sites that are attractions in their own right which makes it a great ski resort for those who want a bit more than skiing or a mixed group with non skiers in the group.

Rich discussing with Greg from the ESF what you can do in the area off the slopes.

LES ANGLES - THE SKIING [VIDEO]

Les Angles as a ski resort is suitable for all levels of skiers.

Greg from the ESF explains why and how easy it is to progress in this resort from a beginner up to intermediate skier and what advanced skiers can expect.

FONT ROMEU - A SIT SKI EXPERIENCE [VIDEO]

Font Romeu may be small but they have loads of great ideas and one thing they do regularly is have an ‘open day’ for their sit skis. 

These are usually for those who are disabled and unable to ski but here in Font Romeu they also use them to help get others who may want to ski with families but can’t or don't want to ski - for example grand parents who want to ski with their familes.

 It is all staffed by incredibly enthusiastic volunteers and is great to see.  We were fortunate to have a go and it was superb!

In this video Susie explains a bit more to Rich about it.

AX 3 DOMAINES - NOT JUST A SKI RESORT [VIDEO]

Ax 3 Domaines is a ski resort that is much more than a ski resort!  There is so much more than skiing.

Rich discusses with Jacques Murat the commercial manager of Ax 3 Domaines what else there is to do here in Ax.

It really is a ski resort with a difference – there is a lot more than just the skiing.

AX 3 DOMAINES - THE BEGINNERS AREA [VIDEO]

Ax 3 Domaines is investing in new lifts and expanding – their most recent addition has been to improve the beginners area.

It is a completely safe, fenced off area only for beginners – more experienceD skiers are kept out of the way so that beginners of all ages can practice without the fear of someone skiing too close to them and putting them off.

Jacques Murat the commercial manager of the area explains a bit more about this to Rich from Altitude.

AX 3 DOMAINES - THE SKI AREA [VIDEO]

Stefane an ESF instructor guided us around all of the areas of Ax 3 Domains and in this video he explains a bit more about the ski area and about the three different domains that make up the whole ski area.

LES ANGLES - THE SKIING

This is a guest blog by Amber W an intermediate skier.

My first impressions of the Les Angles ski area were good, the snow was in great condition despite being artificial snow from cannons - there were very few icy patches. For a resort which was awaiting the beginning of this season's natural snow, the open pistes had been extremely well covered and maintained.

The skill level the pistes required was enjoyably varied, there were endless opportunities for intermediates to up their game with plenty of slopes available of increasing difficulty. Beginners have a great area of more gentle slopes to practice on and the descent to the village can be made via a choice of piste - green, blue, red or black. This is unusual and a great advantage for Les Angles. Any mixed ability group or family can find a way back to the village to suit them.

The more advanced area of the resort was unfortunately closed during my visit due to the lack of snow affecting all of Europe this January. Our guide took us to the top of the more difficult area suited to better skiers for a look at the slopes and the potential looked very promising.

The views from that side were stunning with wide mountain vistas and Font Romeu clearly visible across the valley.

Les Angles is enjoyable to ski with slopes on two different faces giving opportunities for both early and late sun and protection from most directions of wind. Lower down there are some beautiful tree lined runs, giving valuable protection from the wind and with clearer visibility.