Tignes - Val d'Isere

Tignes and Val d'Isère share one of the great ski areas of the Alps, long known as the Espace Killy after the 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.

The Resorts of the Espace Killy

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 lakeside and the old hamlet of Les Brévières down the valley. Its altitude is the point: the Grande Motte glacier means skiing here starts early, finishes late and is close to guaranteed in between. Architecturally it is more functional than Val d'Isère, and considerably better for it if what you want is to be first on the lift.

Luxury Ski Chalets in the Espace Killy

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 catered chalets where a private chef and host make the week run itself. 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 the Espace Killy

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 and 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.

Espace Killy Ski Holidays: Your Questions Answered

What is the Espace Killy?

It is the linked ski area shared by Tignes and Val d'Isère in the Tarentaise valley, named after Jean Claude 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 the Espace Killy?

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 the Espace Killy?

Yes, and the area has some of the strongest catered stock in France, with private chefs, hosts and in many cases a driver. 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.