Tignes - Val d'Isere

Tignes and Val d'Isère share one of the Alps' greatest ski areas, formerly known as the Espace Killy (now known as Tignes - Val d'Isère) after triple Olympic champion Jean Claude Killy, who learned to ski here. Officially, the area now goes by the plainer name of its two resorts, but the old one has stuck, and with good reason: 300km of linked pistes, a glacier that holds snow when the rest of the Alps has given up, and a reputation for off-piste that draws serious skiers back every winter. It is also, less obviously, an excellent family area, and the luxury chalets here reflect both audiences. Catered chalets in Tignes - Val d'Isère set the standard for the rest of the Alps: a dedicated chalet host will look after the chalet, drive you anywhere within the resort, and cook for your group. Many chalets offer larger teams of staff, with many having the option to include a pre-arrival menu consultation that can include wine pairing, so every meal is built around you. See our catered chalets in Val d'Isère and catered chalets in Tignes. 

The Resorts of Tignes - Val d'Isère

Two resorts, forty minutes apart by road and fifteen minutes apart on skis, with quite different characters.

Val d'Isère

Val d'Isère sits at 1,850m and blends genuine Alpine heritage with contemporary sophistication. The old village around the church has been carefully preserved, the restaurants are among the best in the French Alps, and the Face de Bellevarde, the 1992 Olympic downhill, drops straight back into the resort. It hosts a World Cup race most Decembers, and the atmosphere in the town reflects a place that takes its skiing seriously without taking itself too seriously.

Tignes

Tignes sits higher at 2,100m and is spread across several villages, from the lively Val Claret up by the glacier lifts to the quieter Le Lac by the lake and the old hamlet of Les Brévières down the valley. Its altitude is the point: the Grande Motte glacier means skiing starts early and finishes late. Architecturally, Tignes is more functional than Val d'Isère, and is considerably better if what you want is to be first on the lift.

Luxury Ski Chalets in Tignes - Val d'Isère

This is high altitude, high specification territory. The area's accommodation runs from substantial standalone properties with pools, spas and staff, through slopeside apartments built to a standard that would have been unthinkable twenty years ago, to fully catered chalets. Ski-in/ski-out is unusually achievable here, because both resorts are built around their lifts rather than beside them, and chalets with swimming pools and hot tubs are well represented at the top of the market. Browse our luxury catered chalets and Ski-in/Ski-out chalets, view every property in the area using the button below, or widen the search to our full collection of luxury ski chalets in France.

Skiing Tignes - Val d'Isère

300km of piste, 96 lifts, 44km of cross-country tracks and two snow parks, with the highest lift at 3,456m and the longest run, La Sache, dropping 10km down to Les Brévières. Almost all of it sits above 1,800m, which gives the area one of the longest and most dependable seasons in the Alps, typically late November to early May, with glacier skiing beyond that. Beginners have the gentle sectors above both resorts and some of the best ski schools in France. Intermediates get the run of the area, since the two resorts link at Tovière and the Col de Fresse, and the cruising between them is endless. But it is off-piste that made the area's name: the Tour du Charvet, the Col Pers, the Vallon de la Sache and a dozen more, all lift-served, all best taken with a guide. Few places in the world offer this much serious terrain this easily reached.

Getting to Tignes - Val d'Isère

Geneva and Lyon are both around three hours, with Chambéry closer at roughly two and a quarter, and Grenoble a similar distance to Lyon. The better option for many guests is rail: Bourg Saint Maurice is about thirty minutes from either resort and is served by direct trains from Paris and a seasonal service from London, which turns a long transfer day into a civilised one. Tell our Ski Specialists how you plan to travel, and they will arrange the last leg.

Tignes - Val d'Isère Ski Holidays: Your Questions Answered

What is Tignes - Val d'Isère?

It is the interlinked ski area shared by Tignes and Val d'Isère in the Tarentaise valley, formerly named after Jean Claude Killy, as Espace Killy, who won three golds at the 1968 Olympics and grew up skiing here. The area now markets itself under the names of its two resorts, but Espace Killy remains what most British skiers call it, and it describes exactly the same 300km of skiing on exactly the same lift pass.

Tignes or Val d'Isère: which should I choose?

Val d'Isère for the village, the dining and the sense of occasion; Tignes for altitude, snow reliability and being closest to the glacier. Families often prefer Val d'Isère's compactness, while early and late season trips lean towards Tignes. Since one pass covers both and the link takes fifteen minutes, the choice affects your evenings far more than your skiing. Our Ski Specialists will happily walk through the difference for your dates.

Is one lift pass valid across both Tignes and Val d'Isère?

Yes. The area pass covers all 300km and every lift in both resorts. Single resort passes exist and can suit beginners staying put for a few days, but the link is the whole point of the area.

How long is the ski season in Tignes Val d'Isère?

One of the longest in the Alps. The main season typically runs from late November to early May, and the Grande Motte glacier extends it at both ends. This is one of the few areas where a late April booking is a reasonable bet rather than a gamble.

Can I book a catered chalet in Tignes - Val d'Isère?

Yes, in both resorts. Properties at the top of the market book a year or more ahead, particularly for February half term. See our luxury catered chalets for the current collection.