It was one of the best moments of the week the first time I was able to ski all the way down without stopping from our practice slope to the bar/restaurant that had adopted us. We went skiing for the very first time in January this year and it didn’t get off to the best of starts thanks to the ineptitude of our tour operator (Crystal). We were dumped on the side of a snowy road and the very friendly staff at Le Brasero fed and watered us and stored our cases while we waited and waited and waited for the rep. The Crystal service got worse all week, but Le Brasero got better and better: it has great beer, vin chaud and hot chocolate; happy hours, sky sports, decent food and excellent low key live music which we even managed to get involved with (one of our party helped out on guitar). The atmosphere was great and we happily stopped there every evening to refuel with a jug (or two) of Hoegarden. And we could ski out (wobbling for a different reason!) home to our apartment too.

www.brasero.co.uk/
www.lavachet.com/

Google map: tinyurl.com/yggzwgy

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The vast majority of skiers and snowboarders travel by air. Typicaly, that means getting up in the middle of the night to get a charter flight from a crowded airport. But Tignes is one of many resorts that can easily be reached by train - a journey that is comfortable, easy, good value and surprisingly quick. You'll be able to find more information about these train journeys at a new website, www.snowcarbon.co.uk.

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This is a brilliant bar decked out Aborigne style - think great log benches, animal furs on the walls (fake, I hope) and a really charismatic hosts. He plays digeridoo music and it's low lighting and cave-like atmosphere make it really cool place to hang out.

Really don't expect a bar like it in a modern resort like Tignes.

Val Claret

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I have several tips for 'Brevs'! We stayed in Chalet Chardon which I highly recommend - the atmosphere is really friendly, everyone eats together and the bar underneath (The Underground) makes for much late night chalet bonding ... for better or worse! There's an amazing bit of off piste at the top of Grand Huit chairlift - trek up the steep slope opposite and over the other side is pristine powdery magic. And if that isn't enough at the bottom of the piste leading into Les Breviere there's an amazing mulled wine stall - a few euros gets you a mug full and a fast track to après ski table dancing! Oh and one last thing - if you are like me and not the best at the coordination thing, bum pads come in handy!

Chalet chardon - www.chaletchardons.com/skiing-resort.html
The Underground bar is below Chardon.
Mulled wine - from outside L'Armailly restaurant.
Bum pads - available in most good ski shops such as Snow and Rock.

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Nice little pizzeria/ Italian restaurant in Val Claret. The food isn't anything out of this world but the staff are brilliant and it's good value for money. Really good atmosphere and I wouldn't hesitate recommending it.

Val Claret in the parade of shops next to Black Cat snowboarding

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Chalet Le Dome is a friendly chalet hotel run by Clare, brother Adrian and the rest of their young British team.

The great thing (one of many!) about Le Dome is that you can start your holiday on any day of the week and stay for as long as you like (3 nights minimum). We stayed for 8 nights Saturday-Sunday, giving us 7 days' skiing without eating up more holiday.

Another great 'thing' is the chef, Luke, who puts thought and talent into every menu. The food is excellent - even the vegetarian options, a rarity in the Alps.

There are 38 beds available in 15 rooms, in various configurations. Eight of the rooms have their own shower/wc facilities, and the ratio of bathrooms for the rest of the rooms is good.

Tignes Les Boisses is a small hamlet at a lower altitude than the main resort but (the third great thing!) you can ski to the back door of the chalet and only have to cross the road to ski to the first lift straight up to the main area.

We'll definitely be going back - with some decaffeinated tea for Clare!

www.tignes.co.uk/catered.htm
ledome@tignes.co.uk
0870 034 4500

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If you want to learn to ski off-piste or you already love it, head to Tignes this winter. As well as having tons of different routes of varying difficulty, Tignes also has an area dedicated to teaching people how to use their transceivers and probes. The SPOT area (bottom of Grattalu/ Col des Ves lifts) is constantly manned so you can ask questions and try your new knowledge out on the different levels of off-piste near the hut. A thumbs-up to Tignes for providing this free service.

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If you find yourself out in Tignes during the school holidays (which in France means the whole of Feb), structure your day so you eat lunch at 11am or 3pm and use the lunch hours to ski. While all the families are queuing to feed their little ones, you can make the most out of empty pistes.

Tignes, Savoie.

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