In my previous two posts on our family summer experience in Tignes, I told you about the advantages of getting a Sportignes card, and what activities included with it we enjoyed most.

In this post I will give tips on how to reach Tignes, and where to stay, if you want to consider it as the destination for your family summer vacation.

Transport to Tignes

Now, what’s the most convenient way to reach Tignes? It’s by air to Geneve or Grenoble, and then shuttle to Tignes. EasyJet for example offers a lot of cheap flights (as low as 50-60 EUR return!) to Geneve and Grenoble from many European cities. But even non low-lost companies, when booked 5-6 months in advance, offer fair pricing.

How about airport transfers from Geneve/Grenoble Tignes? There are many shuttle options, most cost around 90-100 EUR return, and give group discounts. Check this option for example.

So, even if air+shuttle might be a bit of a hassle to book, and requires planning well in advance to reduce costs, it’s still the better option to reach Tignes. Compared to travelling by car, where you have to pay a lot of road and tunnel tolls, and drive the narrow mountain roads – it might be way cheaper, faster, and much less tiring.

Accommodation in Tignes

To benefit from the free Sportignes card described here, you should stay with any Tignes accommodation. What options you may consider:

* Residence apartments
Very convenient option for family with kids and fairly inexpensive too (start from 200 EUR per week for 4 people depending on the type of apartment you need, and booking period). The apartments have a small kitchen with everything needed to cook, wash the dishes, etc, have a terrace (and you can get one facing the lake), are mostly centrally positioned, well-furnished and maintained. And very cosy by the way. In the winter the residence apartments come in ski-pass packages, and are definitely our choice for a week’s stay. In the summer however they seem to offer less value for money, especially if you come for just a few days and not a whole week (price per day get steeper for shorter than a week’s stay, less choice of apartments, etc).

To book such apartments check http://www.tignesreservation.net, Agence Gestignes, Agence Roc Blanc (these are booking agents we have previously used, and can recommend)

* Campsites
There aren’t many campsites in Tignes, perhaps because of the high altitude (gets cold ~5-10 degrees Celsius even in the summer). The one approx 8-10 km from Tignes center is Tignes Les Brevieres – positioned at 1700 m altitude, plenty of space, kids area, great facilities and host. Cost: 17 EUR (cheapest campsite I’ve ever stayed at!). You could order hot croissants and baguettes delivered right next to your tent in the morning! Just make sure you have good quality sleeping bags with you. Some pics from the campsite and the les Brevieres below.

* Hotels
For around 80-100EUR per night you get a decent double room + breakfast for two in the center of Le Lac/Val Claret, but nothing special. Family apartments cost 20-40 EUR more.

* Hotel le Melezes, les Boisses (5 km from Tignes center, free bus to Tignes available)
Now, why do I put it separately here? Because, compared to all other hotels we’ve been to and checked in Tignes, this one offered twice less the price, twice more the hospitality and many extras. Among them: free books & magazines (in english), tens of games (not computer ones, but good old games) to take in your room, free tennis rackets, free computer room (wireless net was available everywhere), amazing terraces with great view, a really quiet area, plenty of parking space around. We got a free upgrade to a triple room. The price per double room in the summer? 39 EUR. Very comfortable (though fairly basic) accommodation, great hosts. Recommended for a family stay in the summer.

So, having the transport and accommodation tips, consider planning your next summer vacation in Tignes not later than Feb-March next year, to take advantage of the best pricing and places to stay. You, and your kids, will definitely enjoy the stay!