Ski & Snowboard
Espace Killy
The Espace Killy ski area, in the Tarentaise area of the Northern Alps, is the combined ski area for Val d'Isere and Tignes. The area has over 300km of pisted skiing and some of the best snow coverage in Europe. The highest lift will take you to 3450m, and the lowest piste down to 1550m.
Espace Killy annually holds the first European event of the Ski Racing World Cup, and the Tignes Airwaves competition. This year, it will also be home to the European X Games. Espace Killy has previously hosted the 1992 Albertville Olympics and 2009 Ski World Championships.
Runs, Parks & Lifts
Espace Killy includes: 50 black runs, 92 red runs, 122 blue runs, and 44 green runs. In addition to over 300km of downhill pistes there are also 44km of cross country trails, and vast areas of off-piste to explore. Try Lac du Chardonnet, Pramacou, Grande Balme and Vallon du Sache for great off-piste runs.
For beginners Val d'Isere offers two large nursery areas, in the centre of the resort and in La Daille. There are also plenty of steady runs to progress to once you’re feeling more confident.
Snowparks are available for boarders and free-style skiers. The Val Park contains a boarder cross and half-pipe, as well as a wide variety of rails and jumps suitable for all levels. Another large park in Tignes Val Claret includes two large half-pipes.
The Espace Killy area contains over 90 lifts, providing easy access to every run. Most lifts are rapid and steep, giving you long runs down after just a short ride up the hill. The area is also popular with boarders as there are relatively few drag lifts.
Ski Areas
La Daille provides great cruising runs and a link over to the Tignes ski area. The Orange piste here plays host to the Criterium de Neige – the first Ski Racing World Cup event of the winter. La Daille also has some excellent off-piste skiing. The Mickey’s Ears run is great for powder and takes you from the top of the Toviere down to the Lac du Chevril. From here you’ll need to take a helicopter ride out!
Bellevarde is home of the ‘Face’, one of the steepest black runs in the world. This was also the run for the 2009 Men’s World Championships and the downhill run for the 1992 Albertville Olympics. The Bellevarde area also contains the Santons run (blue), which will take you through a gully and back to the Hundred Hills chalet.
Solaise is a large plateau above Val d'Isere, on the opposite side of the valley to the Bellevarde. It provides a mixture of rolling blue, red and black runs, and access to La Fornet. Solaise also includes the Rhone Alpes piste, which was the run for the 2009 Women’s World Championship.
Le Fornet is topped by a glacier, with skiing up to 3400m and great access to off-piste runs. You can ski from here all the way down to Le Fornet village.
Tignes is easily accessible from La Daille, via the extensive lift network. It has 3 major ski areas to explore – Val Claret, Le Lac and Les Brevieres. The area stretches from the Grand Motte glacier at 3500m, down to Les Brevieres at 1500m. There is a massive range of pistes here, for all tastes and abilities.