Head to Tignes on Last Minute Ski Holidays

Last minute ski holidays are a great way to enjoy a winter sports break if you are flexible with your dates and looking to save some cash. There are some excellent deals on last minute ski holidays and most of the big companies offer them every season.

Go Last Minute in Tignes

Tignes is one of the resorts in the Espace Killy ski area in France, and is the highest resort of its kind, at 2100m. Close to the glitzy resort of Val D’Isere, last minute ski holidays to Tignes offer you the chance to ski on the runs leading into both resorts. The Grand Motte stands at 3455m and is the start of the highest piste in Tignes. This glacier is covered in snow all year round and it is also possible to ski here during the summer.

Skiing in Tignes is generally excellent and the ski area is made up of a variety of pistes that suit all levels of skier and snowboarder. There are, in fact, 300km of pistes linking the resorts of the Espace Killy ski area, and because the snow conditions are so good the season is long and reliable. There are some wonderful off-piste areas to ski here too and many of the lifts take you up to some great starting points.

Because Tignes is so high and the snow conditions so great, the resort can sometimes feel a little bleak. It is purpose built and certainly not a "chocolate box" style alpine town by any means, however it offers excellent skiing and has several good bars and restaurants. If you want to make the most of last minute ski holidays and enjoy the opportunity to ski all day and get an early night in preparation for getting up for the first lifts the next day, this resort is ideal. The nightlife is not pumping, so you won’t be too tempted to indulge if you’d really rather not.

Many of the chalets and apartments are located very close to the pistes, so there is plenty off that all-important ski-in, ski-out access. Lifts are efficient and well maintained, and the Val Claret funicular is particularly up to date - getting you to 3000m in no time at all.

Although Tignes does have a ski school and some good nursery slopes, it's really geared up for the advanced or intermediate snow lover. Great off-piste and kilometres of on-piste terrain are just waiting to be explored but as far as après ski goes, many people prefer the buzz of nearby Val D’Isere. If you are a serious skier, however, Tignes is a fantastic destination to choose.

Belinda Smythson works for Ski Amis, a specialist ski travel agency and booking service offering bonded holidays in La Tania and other fantastic locations. If you're looking for last minute ski holidays in catered or self catered chalets, we can help. For a luxury or good-value skiing holiday call Ski Amis.

Writer and Online Marketing Manager in London.