France

Tignes (Les Brevieres)

Small, charming village resort at the base of the Tignes dam

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Tignes-Les-Brevières resort guide - a general overview

Tignes-Les-Brevières is a delightful village resort at the base of the famous Tignes' dam. It is connected into the huge Espace Killy ski area via a gondola and then a chairlift. These lifts would take you to above Tignes Le Lac from where you can ski down to the main lifts of Tignes and then on to Val d'Isere. Given the location on the extremity of ski system this resort is best used either as a base for experienced skiers, who can cover the ground quickly, or for complete beginners. There is an excellent nursery slope just a few minutes' walk from the centre of the village and located at the foot of the main slopes. This is served by a drag lift.

The old, traditional centre is tucked in a sheltered position within the steep sided Isere valley the village does not get direct sunlight until mid-way through the season when the sun is higher in the sky. However, there is an undeniable charming resort atmosphere (despite the lack of sunlight) and clients return year after year. There are plenty of modern chalets that are strung up the sunny side of the valley situated above the resort centre. These new build chalets are high enough to benefit from direct afternoon sun and the luxury chalets developed by Guerlain Chicherit make full use of their sunlit location.

Photos courtesy of Simon Hoskyns.

Resort stats

300km

1,550m - 3,488m

Level of skiing

Beginners
Intermediates
Experts
Snow sure
Off-piste
Ski area

Qualities

Charm factor
Non-skiers
Nightlife
Resort layout
Fine dining
Short transfer
Resort value

Airports

Chambery
2hrs 30mins
Lyon
3hrs
Geneva
3hrs

Pros and Cons

Pros

  • Charming village atmosphere with a few good restaurants
  • Huge terrain area suitable for all levels
  • One of the best lift systems in the world accessesing huge areas of off piste terrain
  • Good value chalet accommodation - perfect for keen skiers looking for a cheap base

Cons

  • Run to the resort is narrow in places and can get icy in poor snow conditions
  • Long lift links to get into the main Tignes ski area
  • The transfer up the main Tarentaise Valley can be long on peak dates and in bad weather

Restaurants

Tignes (Les Brevieres) Resort Restaurants

Les Brévières has a completely different feel to the higher villages of Tignes; the restaurant scene is centred around long-standing Savoyard restaurants rather than larger modern venues.

L’Armailly, Sachette and L’Etoile des Neiges all remain very good options while Le Bachal is another dependable choice in the centre of the village. Most menus focus on the Savoyard classics such as fondue, raclette and pierre chaude, but the overall standard here is generally very solid.

Unlike Val Claret or Le Lac, Les Brévières feels much more like a proper Alpine village and this is reflected in the restaurants.

Tignes (Les Brevieres) Mountain Restaurants

One of the advantages of staying in Les Brévières is that you can access both the quieter restaurants around the lower part of Tignes as well as the better-known mountain restaurants higher up the ski area.

Lo Soli, Le Panoramic and La Ferme des 3 Capucines are all longstanding favourites.

If you ski further towards Val d’Isère then La Peau de Vache, L’Edelweiss and Le Signal are all good options.

Tignes (Les Brevieres) Apres Ski

Les Brévières has a smaller and more relaxed après ski scene than the main Tignes villages, although it can still get lively, particularly during busier weeks of the season.

Most people tend to gather in the bars around the centre of the village for drinks after skiing and the atmosphere is generally friendly and informal rather than full-scale party.

Tignes (Les Brevieres) Nightlife

For a smaller village, Les Brévières still has a surprisingly decent bar scene. La Moose remains the best-known late-night spot. Dickie’s Bar is another longstanding favourite with a more traditional pub atmosphere.

Nightlife here is never going to compete with Val Claret, but that is largely the appeal.

Tignes (Les Brevieres) Resort Map

Key

  • Funicular
  • Cable Car
  • Gondola
  • Chair lift
  • Drag lift
  • Property