Discovering Tignes
A historic village before it became a world-renowned ski resort, discover the recent and cultural heritage that has made Tignes what it is today.
A sporting and Olympic heritage
Tignes has forged an important link with top-level sport. Today, the resort is the training ground for many professional sportsmen and women in both winter and summer, but it also has a strong history with the Olympic movement.
In 1992, during the Albertville Winter Olympics Games, Tignes hosted the three freestyle skiing events: the acroski or ballet, the freestyle jumping demonstration and the unprecedented moguls event (Frenchmen Edgar Grospiron and Olivier Allamand won gold and silver respectively in this discipline). Some traces of this Olympic welcome remain, such as the cauldron of the flame visible to the right of the Tichot chairlift and the acroski and acrobatic jump slopes in the Tignes Val Claret sector.
Today, the Olympic adventure continues in Tignes, as evidenced by the fact that the resort was awarded the Terre de Jeux 2024 label in November 2020, making it a host venue for delegations and a training ground for top-level athletes in preparation for the Paris 2024 Olympic Games.
Bonus
Here’s a sneak preview of the acroski or ballet event (a now-forgotten discipline that nonetheless earned France a gold and a silver medal, won respectively by Fabrice Becket and Cathy Féchoz) : see it
Also visible in Val Claret, to the right of the start of the Lanches chairlift: the old halfpipe preform built in 2009 for the SuperPipe events at the Winter X Games Europe (2010 to 2013), which unfortunately can no longer be used in its current state.
A cultural heritage
Each church and chapel bears witness to the history of the resort and its major periods of development. The Church of the Transfiguration of Christ on the Mountain, or Church of the Lake, stands out from the other churches with its contemporary style, reflecting the transformation of the resort.
Built between 1959 and 1972, the design of this church pitted two men with different convictions against each other: architect Raymond Pantz (Catholic) and his apprentice Claude Fay (Protestant). Fay described the project as a ‘bastard church’, the result of their two visions and the compromises they made. The style of the church was inspired by the school of Le Corbusier, a visionary and influential architect of the time.
A natural heritage
As you stand by the lake, take a moment to look up at the peaks that surround you… Magnificent, aren’t they? Can you recognise the three ‘Grandes Dames’ of Tignes?
You’ll be able to make out the Grande Motte (3,656 metres), famous for its glacier (and incidentally the resort’s logo), and its neighbour the Grande Casse (3,855 metres) with its ridge line and much steeper walls. Behind you, the Grande Sassière, the highest summit in France accessible without equipment in summer: a hike that will take you to an altitude of 3,747 metres!
Vous pourrez distinguer la Grande Motte (3 656 mètres), célèbre par son glacier (et accessoirement logo de la station), et sa voisine la Grande Casse (3 855 mètres) avec sa ligne de crête et ses parois beaucoup plus abruptes. Derrière vous, la Grande Sassière, qui est le sommet le plus haut de France accessible sans matériel en été : une randonnée qui vous amènera à 3 747 mètres d’altitude !
If you want to get a better look at the peaks and find yourself right in the heart of Tignes’ natural stadium, there’s nothing better than boarding the funicular and panoramic cable car (terrace only accessible in summer). It’s a unique experience, with views of other iconic peaks such as Mont Pourri and the majestic Mont Blanc. In summer, you can enjoy our Altitude Experience, a fun and educational tour. Come and see us in summer and enjoy our green, flower-filled mountains.
If the crossing of the frozen lake is open, dare to venture out over the water! Don’t worry, the ice can be up to 90 cm thick in winter! Probably surrounded by the laughter of children and sled dogs, from the lake you can also admire a rather spectacular geological formation… Looking westwards, you can see the famous Aiguille Percée, a must-see spot for skiers and hikers in winter and summer alike.
Safety first and foremost
In a more or less discreet way, various devices ensure the safety of the ski area, the road and people. Among the most visible from the resort are the avalanche racks. Positioned along a level line, their purpose is to hold back accumulated snow.
As you wander around the ski area, you’re likely to see large metal pipes: GAZEXs. These are avalanche triggers, with the advantage of being able to secure hard-to-reach places and to be triggered remotely. You may also hear about CATEX, the cables used to transport explosive charges to sites.
Securing the slopes requires very rigorous organisation to guarantee the safety of the rescuers, and is highly dependent on the weather conditions. So if you hear detonations during your stay, don’t worry! They’re there for your safety!
The church of Tignes 1800
Located in Tignes 1800, the Church of Saint Jacques de Tarentaise, named after the patron saint of Tignes (also depicted on the façade), is a monument of great significance to the people of Tignes.
Although the current church was built between 1950 and 1952, it takes our residents back to earlier times. In fact, it is an exact copy of the Romanesque church in the old village of Tignes, now covered by the waters of Lac du Chevril. There’s no point in looking for the bell tower on the surface of the lake: the church was destroyed before the dam was filled with water in 1952. Thanks to the solidarity of the people of Tignard, a large part of the original furnishings and religious buildings were saved, allowing them to return to an almost identical place of assembly and prayer. Only the old paintings on the vault and walls have not been reproduced.
While the church is Romanesque in style, its altarpieces, sculpted, polychromed and gilded with gold leaf, are Baroque from the 17th and 18th centuries. Thanks to its altarpieces, the church of Saint Jacques de Tarentaise is part of the Baroque Route, a historic itinerary in Savoie.
The dam
A historic symbol of Tignes, the dam marks a turning point in the lives of the people of Tignes, forcing them to leave the historic village to spread out across the valley and rebuild the new village higher up, at Les Boisses.
The Chevril dam is 180 metres high, 300 metres long and 43 metres wide! Construction began in 1941 and the dam was impounded in 1952, flooding the old village of Tignes with 230 million m3 of water.
In the summer of 1989, Jean-Pierre Pierret began work on a huge 12,000 m² fresco on the vault of the dam, depicting a Hercules (the giant of Tignes was born). Today, of the 6 tonnes of paint used, almost nothing remains of this ephemeral fresco, but the most discerning eyes will still be able to make out the giant’s features.
If you’re more curious, don’t hesitate to visit the bookshops in Tignes, where you’ll find books on this subject and on the history of the valley in general.
The church at Tignes les Brévières
Located in Tignes les Brévières, at an altitude of 1,500 metres, the church of Saint-Pierre aux Liens, built in 1727, is part of Tignes’ Baroque religious heritage. Its construction was made possible by the denarii (the basic currency of the Roman monetary system) of Pierre-Henri Martin, a wealthy merchant from Turin. Its bulbous bell tower bears witness to the Germanic inspiration of the local migrations.
