Tignes (French pronunciation: [tiɲ]) is a commune in the Tarentaise Valley, in the Savoie department in the Rhône-Alpes region in south-eastern France, known for the highest skiable area[3] and the longest ski season[4] in Europe.

The town has however strived to improve its appeal to beginner and intermediate skiers with the introduction of easier runs lower down in the valley towards Tignes-Les-Brévières and upgrading existing chairlifts and installing new ones with smaller elevation gains.

After the second world war, France needed electricity and it was decided to build the hydro-electric Tignes Dam in the Isère valley.

Whilst this was a great achievement for French engineering and was for the greater good of France, it meant that the old village of Tignes was drowned.

Once every 10 years the lake behind the dam (Lac du Chevril) is drained for maintenance work and the remains of the old village becomes visible.

The dam was painted with a fresco of Hercules in 1989 by Jean-Marie Pierret with the help of eight mountain climbers; it was funded by private corporations interested in boosting the Olympic appeal during the winter games of 1992 which took place in nearby Albertville.

After the loss of the old village it was decided to develop a ski resort at the higher lake (Le Lac).

The lifts of Tignes have been managed since 1967 by the company STGM (The Société des Téléphériques de la Grande Motte).

[citation needed] Ski trails in Tignes reach a height of 3456 m, aiding its reputation as one of the best resorts in the Alps for snow sureness.

Tignes and Val-D'isere were the first resorts of their kind to be internationally recognised for their commitment to providing an environmentally friendly skiing area by gaining a GreenGlobe certificate.

The award was given for the towns high quality public transport connectivity and integration as well as its total use of renewable electricity.

In the summer Tignes shifts towards a multi activity resort with particular focus as an altitude training base for athletes.

Designed by the golf architect Philippe Valant, the course features a full 18 hole course running along a 5 km stretch of the mountainside.

Due to a snowstorm and mudslide, the road to Tignes was impassable and so the stage was ended at Col de l'Iseran instead.