This month I was lucky enough to travel to France for 7 bliss-filled days of skiing with a group of close friends. This was my second European skiing experience after I visited the Austrian ski slopes earlier this year, so I was ready to get on the slopes again for another active adventure.

Booking a ski holiday can be very daunting as there are so many elements to creating the perfect getaway. My amazing friend Amy was a godsend when it came to booking the ski trip and scouting out the best things to do while in the mountains. Here are my top tips for planning a ski trip to Tignes and Val d’sere in France.

WHERE TO SKI

With so much choice of stunning European ski resorts, it was hard to decide where to go. After much deliberation, we decided we would book our ski trip in the area of Tignes in France. Not only was it a short distance from London, Tignes was a lot more affordable in terms of accommodation compared to its neighbouring ski town, Val D’isere. We purchased a Tignes and Val d’Isere combined ski pass which covered both ski areas, allowing us access to around 300km of pistes. That’s a lot of ground to cover in one week.

WHERE TO SLEEP

Located in the heart of Tignes Le-lac village is a newly built hotel called Le Taos. Delightfully decorated in a Mexican slash American alpine vibe, Le Taos was the perfect combination of naturally sourced materials and luxury amenities. We booked a three bedroom, two bathroom apartment with 180 degree views of white ski runs and blue skies. It was such a beautiful position to watch the sun rise over the mountains each morning.

There was a living area, dinning table and small kitchenette – enough space to do some yoga in the morning and unwind in the evening after skiing. The hotel also had a french restaurant and wellness centre equipped with a pool, sauna, hammam and an in-house massage service. Other than the opulent use of wood throughout, my favourite part of this hotel was the ski-in and ski-out access straight to the slopes. Too easy!

WHERE TO EAT

The Tignes and Val D’isere ski resorts are dotted with gorgeous mountain lodges that serve your usual alpine comfort food of pizza, pasta, soups and salads. There was always at least one vegetarian option on the menu – but nothing that blew my mind. However, here are a few restaurants that you must try when visiting the Tignes area:

Le Panoramic

From the slippers on arrival, to the luxe wooden interiors and not to mention the most delicious food, this place is absolute alpine lush! Accessible on skis or via the funicular from Val Claret, it’s a luxury lunchtime dining experience not to miss. Make sure you save room for the dessert buffet and make sure you meet the resident St Bernard named Igloo.

La Ferme

Included in the Michelin Guide for 2014, this cosy French restaurant translates to “farm,” as it is adjacent to their working farm. An open log fire crackles in the corner to add to the already warm alpine atmosphere and patrons dine on fondues and wheels of melting cheese. All the food is locally sourced from their farm next door and it is definitely worth a visit during your stay. Bookings recommended. 

WHERE TO APRES-SKI

You are spoilt for choice for places to enjoy après-ski in the Tignes and Val D’isere area. I was usually so exhausted after eight hours of skiing as it is much more an active holiday rather than a drinking holiday for me. But I did manage a glass of champagne at these two bars:

La Folie Deux

Accessible only by skiing, this open air bar kicks off from 2.30pm. You can hear the loud beats of the live DJ’s as you ski down the Val D’isere mountain side. Every afternoon DJs, singers, dancers and musicians carry the crowd away on an après ski adventure in the outdoor club on the slopes. There’s dancing on tables, lots of singing and lots of drinking. The last lift from La Folie Deux back to Tignes closes at 5pm so make sure you leave plenty of time to ski home.

Veuve Clicquot

For a more chilled out option, the Veuve Clicquot bar sits at the top of the Solaise Express lift in Val D’isere. Sip on a glass of champagne, bask in the winter sun and listen to some laid-back tunes. There are beanbags and sun chairs as well as two restaurants if you choose to stay and dine.

GET A SKI LESSON

Even though I’ve spent over 200 days on the slopes after two full ski seasons in America, I still like to brush up on my skiing technique. The ski school in Tignes caters for all levels and offers half day or full day group or private lessons. I opted for a private lesson with my girlfriend Sarah to correct some of our bad habits and it was definitely worth the investment. Thank you Jeremy for the tips!

CHALLENGE YOURSELF

On the last day of the trip, I swapped my skis for a snowboard and headed for the baby slopes. I always love a new challenge and boy did I get challenged. I was so sore from this one day of snowboarding that my body paid for it for the rest of the week. But I managed to link my turns all the way down on the last run. I know I will never be able to attack the mountain on a snowboard like I can on skis, but I did love switching it up for a bit of fun.

HOW TO GET THERE

From London, the best airport to fly into is Lyon. From the airport, it’s approximately a 3 hour drive to the Tignes Le Lac resort. Rent a car from the airport or book a group transfer.

As the Tignes and Val D’isere ski resort region has some of the highest peaks in Europe, you can continue to ski until late April. And spring skiing is delightful – blue skies and empty slopes. I would love to sneak one more cheeky ski weekend in this season!

A big shout out to our whole ski patrol – Alex, Amy, Sarah, Scott and Oli. Your skiing holiday is only as good as your crew so thanks for making it a memorable experience.

Are you a skiier? Where is your favourite ski town in Europe? I’m planning on a Wood and Luxe ski and yoga adventure next year so stay tuned.

X

Phoebe