Ski school in Tignes, from the Grande Motte glacier to the reds above Le Lac

In brief

Your level

every level, from absolute beginner to advanced skier, children and adults

Format

private (1 person) or small group (up to 6)

Length

full days, from a single day to a whole week

Terrain

Tignes and Val d'Isère, the 300 km of the Espace Killy

Meeting point

Val d'Isère, or Tignes at the same rate

Taught by

a qualified instructor, an off-piste specialist

Price

from €600 a day for 1 to 4 people

Season

December to the end of April, snow depending

Ski lessons in Tignes, with an instructor from Val d'Isère

Our school is based in Val d'Isère, on Avenue Olympique, and for more than twenty years, in every weather, we have been taking skiers across to Tignes. The two resorts share the 300 km of the Espace Killy, linked by the lifts and covered by one lift pass, so your ski lessons in Tignes can begin wherever the day suits you best: from Val d'Isère, crossing over via Tovière and the Col de Fresse or by the Solaise summits, or in Tignes itself, where we can meet you at the same rate.

Which side we ski depends on the snow. On a warm week we head up to the Grande Motte glacier, at 3,456 m, for its cold snow. On a day made for mileage, the rolling reds above Le Lac let you string turn after turn and rack up the kilometres. Your instructor reads the conditions each morning and chooses where the day goes.

A ski instructor in Tignes who has known your skiing since the first run

With a ski instructor in Tignes who has been with you since the morning, the lesson picks up exactly where you left it. Your instructor has watched your first turns on firm snow, seen where your weight drifts back as the slope steepens, and carries all of that across the col with you. One day can take in both sides of the Espace Killy: the morning in Val d'Isère to settle a movement, the afternoon in Tignes to put it to work, or the other way round.

Before you come, our Tignes piste map shows every sector of the resort, and the Espace Killy piste map shows how the two resorts fit together.

Every level welcome, from first turns to long reds

We take every level, from the complete beginner to the advanced skier, children and adults alike. In a private lesson the day moves at your pace, or your family's; in a small group of up to six you share it with skiers of a like standard. A beginner learns the weight of a ski and the confidence to let a little speed run, while an intermediate usually comes to shed a habit years in the making.

Our page on ski lessons in Val d'Isère tells you more about how we teach the piste. If you already ski a red with confidence, our private ski lessons in Val d'Isère take you further.

Off-piste, when you're ready

Even on a groomed red, your instructor talks you through the snow: firm at first light, softer by lunch, crusted wherever a chairlift casts its shadow. Then comes a day when a red run goes cleanly, edges set, upper body quiet, eyes well down the slope. From that day, we can take you off-piste, with the avalanche airbag pack, transceiver, shovel and probe provided. Many of our powder skiers began with a piste lesson two or three seasons ago. If the idea already tempts you, see our page on off-piste skiing in Val d'Isère.

Our ski lessons in Tignes follow the school's price list, by the day and per group, the same as in Val d'Isère.

• 1 to 4 people · €600 a day outside school holidays · €650 a day in school holidays
• 5 to 6 people · €700 a day outside school holidays · €750 a day in school holidays

Included: a qualified instructor who specialises in off-piste, and the full safety kit as soon as we leave the pistes. Extras: lift passes, ski equipment, transfers, meals, insurance.

The full detail is on our prices page.

One lift pass, two resorts

Val d'Isère and Tignes make up the Espace Killy, linked by the lifts and covered by one lift pass. Ski equipment and lift passes are yours to arrange: the Val d'Isère tourist office and the Tignes tourist office both have the details for their side of the area.

The avalanche bulletin each morning, the kit for everyone

Even on the piste, we keep our professional habits. Your instructor reads the Météo-France avalanche bulletin every morning and points out through the day which sectors tend to slide and which are holding. Your lessons are taught by a qualified instructor who specialises in off-piste.

What to wear, what to bring

For a piste lesson, your usual alpine skis are fine. We'd advise sharp, freshly waxed skis: a keen edge makes all the difference in a carving lesson. Helmet recommended, sunglasses or goggles depending on the light, a spare layer in your pack: the Espace Killy weather turns quickly. The safety kit is ours, as soon as we leave the groomed runs.

The practical side of the day

• Meet at 8 am near the tourist office, Avenue Olympique, in Val d'Isère.
• If it suits you better, we can meet you in Tignes, at the same rate.
• A typical day runs until around 5 pm, breaks included.
• By the full day or the whole week, at the same daily rate.
• We can be reached Monday to Saturday, 9 am – 5 pm.
• We reply to every request within 24 hours.

A word from the founder

For more than twenty years, in every weather, we've been taking skiers across to Tignes.

Boris Malesset, founder of PowderWeGo, off-piste ski professional since 2001 · Meet the team

Before every outing that leaves the groomed runs, we fit the avalanche airbag packs and check everyone's transceiver, shovel and probe. The snowpack and the weather are followed daily, the avalanche bulletin read every morning. When conditions call for it, we turn back or choose other terrain: knowing when to turn back is as much a part of the craft as the skiing itself.

FAQ

Is your ski school based in Tignes?

Our school is based in Val d'Isère, on Avenue Olympique. Val d'Isère and Tignes share the Espace Killy, so we take you skiing in Tignes from Val d'Isère, or we can meet you in Tignes, at the same rate.

Can I keep the same ski instructor in Tignes and Val d'Isère?

Yes. Your instructor stays with you all day, from one resort to the other, and one day can take in both sides of the Espace Killy. Our Tignes piste map shows every sector.

Are your ski lessons in Tignes open to every level?

Yes. We take every level, from the complete beginner to the advanced skier, children and adults alike, in a private lesson or a small group of up to six.

How much does a day of lessons in Tignes cost?

€600 a day for one to four people outside school holidays, €650 in school holidays; €700 and €750 for five or six. The price is by the day and for the whole group. Lift passes and ski equipment are yours to arrange. Details on our prices page.

Can I book a half-day?

No: we teach by the full day or the week, at the same daily rate. A full day leaves time to cross to the side where the snow is best, and still enjoy it once you're there.

Tell us when you're coming and how many of you there are, and we'll reply within 24 hours.