*Gifted stay
In April 2022, we were invited to stay at the newly opened VoulezVous hotel in Tignes le Lac village in France to celebrate the end of their first ski season in April. In this guide, we will share our experience of staying at VoulezVous hotel and what it’s like to snowboard in Tignes. The hotel was opened on 17th December 2021 and since opening, it has been granted 5* star status for the 2022-2023 winter season. It was our first experience staying in a hotel right next to the slopes. VoulezVous hotel is in a prime location, in the heart of Tignes le Lac where you have the luxury of only walking 100 metres to ski right out onto the pistes and can descend down the mountain back to the hotel entrance with ease. VoulezVous hotel is an authentic luxury experience in the Alps with delicious food and panoramic mountain scenery.
Where is VoulezVous?
Tignes le Lac village sits at an altitude of 2100m, within the southeast central part of France in the Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes region and the nearest city is Geneva. Nestled in the Tarentaise Valley, Tignes is a high-altitude ski resort known for reliable snow throughout the ski season and has a peaceful lake. Part of the Espace Killy ski area, it is easy to ski to the nearby Val d’Isère resort. In the summer, there are plenty of activities including hiking, mountain biking and even skiing on the Grande Motte glacier. The ski season usually runs from the end of November until the end of April when the season ends. In the village you will find most facilities you would expect in a ski village including; supermarket, pharmacy, bars, restaurants and even ski shops to get anything you may have forgotten!
How to get to VoulezVous?
We flew from Manchester Airport and arrived in the evening at Geneva airport. The drive follows the mountain road up past Annecy, Lac de Chevril and after a 3 hour drive we arrived at Tignes le Lac. If you plan to drive to the resort, it is worth noting during winter that google maps may try and take you through Petit St Bernard or Iseran Pass which are closed in winter. Once you arrive at the resort, your car will stay at the car park as it is a car-free resort and there is a shuttle to take you around. A concierge service is provided by VoulezVous hotel which you can arrange by emailing reception in advance.
There are several nearby airports that are well connected for onward journeys via train, bus and taxi. The closest drive from the airport is Chambéry international airport with only a 2-hour drive to Tignes. Grenoble international airport takes 2 hours and 12 minutes, followed by Lyon Saint-Exupéry international airport taking 2 hours and 39 minutes to drive to Tignes. Finally, Geneva international airport is a 2 hours 48 minutes drive.
If you’d prefer a more sustainable travel option, take a train and arrive in Tignes in just over eight hours from London and a couple of hours on a TGV from Paris. The nearest train station is Bourg St Maurice, 30km from Tignes and from London you can board a direct Eurostar Ski train which you can take during the day or at night with a journey time total of just over eight hours. Once you arrive at Bourg St Maurice station, there is the option to take a bus or taxi to Tignes which will take approximately 40 minutes by taxi. The local bus (Line T15) Transdev Martin takes around one hour to get to Tignes from Bourg St Maurice station, stopping at Tignes Le Lac, Tignes 1800, Brévières, St Foy and Séez. There is a free daily shuttle bus service at Tignes resort to get around the village without the need for a car. You can use this easy to use journey planner to figure out your route to the resort and explore your transport options to Tignes.
When is the best time to visit?
Tignes has some of the most reliable snow in Europe with the ski season usually running from November until when the season ends usually at the beginning of May. There is also the possibility to ski during the summer, as the resort is mostly above 2100m when there is a forecast of rain will most likely be snow. The total area of pistes in Tignes is a total of 150km and in combination with Val d’Isere, the Espace Killy area is 300km.
What is Tignes known for?
Tignes is one of the highest ski resorts in Europe, at an altitude of 2,100m where the highest ski terrain reaches over 3,000m on the Grande Motte glacier. Tignes is renowned for being a snow-sure resort due to its altitude of 2,100m, snow is guaranteed most of the year. The Grande Motte glacier has previously boasted all-year-round skiing, however now due to climate change this is only possible for 9 months of the year. Climate change is a threat to many ski resorts and the change to weather patterns and a rise in temperatures has resulted in less reliable snow at some ski destinations. Since 2000, year-round skiing has not been viable due to the glacier losing 30% of its snow cover in the last few decades. As a destination with reliable snow throughout most of the year, Tignes is tough to beat and there are plans to build a large indoor ski slope to re-instate the year-round ski status of the resort. However, if you’re looking for a traditional french ski village, Tignes is perhaps not the resort for you. Tignes is a purpose-built ski resort with modern buildings and the promise of guaranteed snow throughout the winter season. There are a variety of high-quality restaurants and bars to try with a well-known après-ski scene and world-class ski schools.
What is skiing or snowboarding like in Tignes?
We both snowboard, so our perspective will be mostly biased towards this but it was well catered to a variety of skills and has fast modern chair lifts and cable cars on either side of the mountains. We were recommended to ski on the northern side of Tignes le Lac in the morning as there is less ice and the sun hits this side of the valley first. Our favourite route was to catch the fast and modern Palafour chair lift which is a high-speed, 6-person lift. At the top of the lift, there is a choice of blue runs including combe and incredible views from the top of the chairlift. Another enjoyable route was to catch the cable car up to Tovière at 2704m, where you will get wonderful views of Mont Blanc and you can take henri which finishes in Val Claret the village where you can catch the funicular up to the Grande Motte glacier. We also enjoyed catching the Aiguille Percée chairlift which you can take after Palafour and taking corniche where you’ll pass a beautiful rock formation which you can ski up to. The run continues past the rock formation and the blue run petit col is unsuitable for snowboarders as sections are flat and narrow and not as enjoyable as the other runs nearby and we’d recommend catching bleuets (red) run down.
Where are the best places to eat in Tignes?
Il Savoi - This impressive restaurant at VoulezVous has panoramic views of the slopes and on our first night we had dinner and watched the snow groomers smoothing the slopes ready for us to hit the runs in the morning. The Il Savoia restaurant is a fusion of French and Italian gastronomy sourced from seasonal ingredients. We ordered the transalpine salad which included fresh figs, olives, gorgonzola, sun-dried tomatoes, hay-infused polenta covered in a delicious vinaigrette dressing and a freshly baked Margherita pizza topped with basil. Whilst staying at VoulezVous you will also have a continental buffet breakfast in the morning with a selection of fresh juices.
Le Chalet des Campanules - A restaurant set in a traditional chalet designed with a cosy cabin feel and fantastic views of the surrounding mountains. We enjoyed a delicious dinner which was a set menu including scrambled truffle eggs, prawn risotto and foie gras. La Chalet des Campanules also features a spa with an infinity pool, sauna, steam room and jacuzzi.
Les Terrasses at the Levanna Hotel - Located in the heart of Tignes le Lac, a perfect pit stop for lunch where you can ski off the slopes and enjoy your food outside in the sun. We treated ourselves to a succulent beef tartare, skin-on fries and a side salad. The setting is perfect as you can watch the skiers gliding down the mountainside as you tuck into your delicious food.
La Place, Montana Village - A traditional restaurant where you can ski from the slopes to the table and offers a traditional menu including the following; Alpine Salad, steak, pizza, fondue, raclette, homemade pasta and hamburgers.
What facilities are included at VoulezVous?
VoulezVous hotel is equipped with a number of facilities including; a ski shop, fast internet, spacious rooms, prime location next to the slopes, ski rental, indoor spa, heated indoor pool, gym, sauna, restaurant, karaoke box and bar. Each room comes with bathrobes, toiletries, minibar, safe, bathroom, hair dryer, shower and tv. After a day on the slopes, the perfect way to unwind at VoulezVous hotel is to take a dip in the swimming pool with a breathtaking view of the mountains.
What activities are there for non-skiers in winter?
You can purchase a pedestrian pass for the lifts where you can enjoy the views from up high from the Grande Motte glacier and there is a panoramic restaurant. There are a variety of winter hiking trails which you can find more about at the tourism office. Other activities include; a tandem paragliding flight, swimming, helicopter tour, ice diving, ice-skating, sledding, snow tubing, tobogganing and dog-sledding to name but a few.
