A bunch of us are off to Tignes in 6-10 July. How is the snow melt this year? Last year there were a lot of high up closures early season, but it appears to be melting quicker this year. Any locals like to comment?

Are you taking mountain bikes?

Yes we are. We planned going to Les Arcs, but they delayed lift opening by a week this year, so with fixed dates needed another plan.

Makes sense now! 🙂

Keep an eye on the trail page on the Tignes website, it’s updated daily.

Also, keep an eye on the webcams on the site.

Startline MTB are in the area and seem to running uplifts judging by their instagram.

I’ve been glued to the webcams, watching every bit of snow as it melts, checking the webcam archives for last year!!

It looks to be about 2 weeks ahead of last year, but I’m not sure how that will translate across to trail closures early season – the top trails were definaltely closed 1st week of Jul last year, when we were in LA and looked at a days riding in Tignes.

I’ve organised the trip for 12 of us, and persuaded everyone Tignes would be good, so feeling the pressure for it all to work.

Have you got transport while out there? If so la thuile, pila and others aren’t far away. Les arcs would probably run the funi at the weekends too. There are options if the snow is still bad, some might say with better riding….

I’m the same – I’ve arranged tignes as our start point and will be there from the second. Hadn’t even thought about the snow tbh… it’ll be fine! 😳

Steve H – we are planning on hitting LA & La Varda/Double Header on the Sunday anyway, so even if the top routes are closed we should have enough for 2 days in Tignes, but I really fancy the Val D’Isere Enduro Routes, which are still snow covered.

Nick D – maybe see you out there – fingers crossed. It’s looking warm this week so hopefully lots of melting!!

Still a lot up there, it’s melting but the snow fields that are hidden from the sun are taking time because there has been no rain, also the snow melt leaves rain gulleys which they will need to work on, as the school holidays start 8th July they will be in no rush to get it ready for the 1st week of opening. With the school holidays been late this year it could be why Les Arc is opening later.

Thanks – makes sense.

I am MTBing with my son in Tignes from the 8th-15th July, never even crossed my mind that there would still be snow on the trails!

The trails off Borsatt are the troublesome ones. Toviere and Palafour trails already clear. Tignes is very high altitude – be aware it can be cold up top.

If they are 2 weeks ahead of last year you’ll be fine.

I was there last 2 weeks of July last year and there was a bit of snow about “closing” (not really closed) a couple enduro trails off Borsat.

Where are you staying?

Useful info. I’ve been watching the Transarc webcam at Les Arcs but wasn’t sure how it compared to previous years.

I’m in BsM 29/6 to 13/7, yep we booked end of last year before lift dates were announced… boo. I’m planning to hit La Varda on Sun 11th too, as I understand it that’s the first day the Transarc lift is open?

Ally – yes I think it is, as bizarrely Transarc closed saturdays.

Bill – Chalet Chardons in La Brev.

Chalet Chardons in La Brev.

Excellent choice! Staff their are ace, if Jasmine or Janine are working this season say hello from Dan, Claire and the Boys.
Food is great, wine is great, hot tub after a long day on the bike is great.

You also get to finish your day with a run down Wonderboisses and Forest Bump.

Any questions – give me a shout.

Thanks – chose them after recommendations on here 😀

How many of the red runs have committing gaps/ big drops? Some of the videos seem to suggest a lack of chicken routes.

It’d be a shame if the Borsatt endorsed routes (IW/VBT) were closed – I really fancy them. Wild 10 Nez & Rocky Trip and Wonderboisses look great though.

We have a couple of less experienced riders with us who will be learning on the greens & blues mainly. Is it an easy roll down to Les Brev off wonderboisses? The piste map shows it joining either Conduite Forcee or Forest Bump, but I was hoping there might be an easy option to get home at the end of a long day for them. Maybe roll down the road?

How many of the red runs have committing gaps/ big drops? Some of the videos seem to suggest a lack of chicken routes.

Didn’t do a lot of the red DH trails, stuck mostly to the blues and Enduro trails as I was on my 29er Hardtail. Having said talking to the other riders at Chardons, yeah there are some mandatory drops/jumps.

I was hoping there might be an easy option to get home at the end of a long day for them. Maybe roll down the road?

Yeah, you can drop onto the road at Les Boisses, it’s pretty obvious, and then just roll down. I did this after a long afternoon racing for last lifts over the Val D’Isere side.

Conduit Force and Forest Bump when knackered is interesting…

Once last thing, don’t underestimate how high you are, the first few days you will be blowing out your arse on any little sprint/rise.

Thanks. How did you rate the enduro trails?

Enduro Trails are good raced them in the coupe de France, I find the blues more fun than the reds trails. The trails off the Tignes have more braking bumps than Val so for the guys who are less experienced it would be better for them to head over to Val for the first day.

Try the footpaths down to the Lac du Chevril from the area in Tinges called Le Lavachet too one has a bit of tech ( goes past the water falls) and the other (keep to the right hand path) is more flow and you have to ride in to Val along the river with a narrow path but is all ridable with a bit of exposure.

I can’t think of any reds that have must do lines on – the worst is gypsy there is a very exposed crux line at the top. Walkable though. Definitely no unavoidable jumps etc. The blacks are worse, there are some unavoidable gaps on those. Treat the tovieres blacks with caution.

The enduro routes are very mixed. I think they’re fantastic but depends on your view. You’ve got stuff like ice tignes which is a lot of steps that are pretty unridable purely because of the exposure but fantastic views and riding otherwise, wild nez which is a rock fest and hard to ride, the new one Rocky ride I think it’s called which is essentially riding down de la face the WC ski piste. Then you’ve got fire track runs that aren’t too hard but go right out into the sticks. Some of the footpaths brevieres side are really good.

Agreed the Val side better for the beginners in your group. Just bear in mind the long blue and green down into Val Disere are great for less experienced but they are really long, I’ve seen a few bad crashes at the end of the day due to tiredness.

Give us a shout if you fancy a ride or a beer when your out there, I’ll be roughing it in the camper down at Val disere.

The footpaths Brev side, is that all cheeky off map?

Have a chat with Mark who owns Chardons, he can point out the good footpaths on the Brev side. Get your IGN Map and cross ref to strava heatmap. Do this on the second week though or you’ll die. Not cheeky as it’s France.

The first run I would take beginners down would be Popeye.
My (then 8 year old) son did it on his 20in wheeled islabike but it’s a good introduction.

I walked along Ice Tignes with the wife and kids as it’s actually a footpath. For me it’s better walk than ride.
Into the Wild isn’t super techy but it really gets you “out there”.
Very Bike Trip is quite techy.
Wonderboisses is amazing, as are Conduit Forcee and Forest Bump.
Wild 10 Nez is good fun too.

Great – thanks again – SO looking forward to it!!

We are going out there a week or so later. Struggling to find a decent trail map beyond the one from the tourist info in Tignes. Any suggestions gratefully received.

IGN Bleu maps (you need 2 to cover the area you want), strava heat map and Google Earth are your friends for pre-trip recon.

Luckly that the strava Warriors has not reached the the best trails yet, but I’m sure they will soon, still plenty to explore tho.
I can happily say that what is now called ice Tignes is rideable but not for most, the steps are very sketchy.

there are 3 enduro runs on the brev side, the woods definitely feel a bit less used. Footpaths you’ll need a proper map, and have a day exploring. The strava heat map doesn’t show a lot thankfully it’s not too well known. But it’s pretty easy to follow your nose around the area just keep an eye on the time as the bus back up isn’t as easy to catch as a lift.

In my experience I’ve had more issues with grumpy walkers in tignes than anywhere else in France but bizarrely it’s normally on the enduro trails.

^anyone who can clean ice tignes gets respect from me, I’ve spent weeks there and never had the bottle to ride the really exposed steps, think it’s the 2nd or 3rd lot? Just scares the balls out of me!

Does anyone know which trails were used when the EWS was there?

Also, what’s the capacity of the shuttle bus from Les Brévières?

Capacity is 8. Not sure about EWS, but I have copies of the Enduro2 3 day Enduro routes from last year.

Capacity is 8.

And handily you’ll be getting on it when it empty unlike the poor saps in the campsite.

One tip: The bikeshops aren’t great in Tignes/Val D’Isere, they are basically hire places. Bring all the spares (tyres, brake pads, mech etc), bleed kit(s), tubeless stuff.

I think that goes for any Alps resort.

The MTB piste map for 2017 was released on the Val d’Iseresite a few days ago. Anew log Red from the top of Bellevarde.

Snow melting nicely it seems – this week last year it snowed, I think!

Guys I’m off to Tignes in August. Any tips on which bike to take? I have a BigHit (200mm F&R) and a Knolly Delirium (180/160mm)

Fancy doing a mix of trails.

Any thoughts gratefully received!

I am going in August with a few mates for the third time, I have always taken the Orange Five and it has been amazing and eaten up everything you can throw at it.

I have not ridden any of the big jump lines or anything but otherwise nothing to worry about.

Assuming you can pedal the Knolly a bit easier I’d take that, some of the Enduro trails would be quite hard work on a DH bike.

If you plan on just doing the DH runs, take either/both.

I see snow is forecast for next week 😯

And a 15C drop in temperature! Hopefully with rain this week the snow won’t settle.