Tignes, France

Tignes is linked to Val d'Isere and the Espace Killy, its ski area has few rivals for the attention of experts thanks to almost limitless off-piste terrain and is also home to the Grand Motte glacier offering year round skiing. However, although the ski area is extensive it is in a rather bleak treeless setting, which has many slopes liable to closure after a heavy snowfall. The resort of Tignes has done much over recent years to improve the way it looks and really is vastly improved from the cheap purpose built resort that it started out as.

Tignes has moved on - the main road that used to run through Tignes Le Lac is now underground giving the resort a much more pedestrian feel; the modern hotels have been built in the chalet style and many of the older buildings have had the "alpine" face lift treatment. All three of the resorts (Val Claret, Le Lac and Lavachet) are fairly quiet at night although there are a couple of popular bars in the centre and close to the hotels. Tignes has plenty of very good ski schools to choose from offering excellent instruction, and good facilities for kids.