Car Parking in Tignes
Discover & book Tignes car-parks
In summer you'll probably find it easier to find a space to park your car in Tignes. In winter, a covered or underground parking spot is the ideal place to leave your vehicle as it will save you all the hassle of digging it out after a snowfall, scraping your windows and trying to start a frozen car. However, parking in ski resorts can be tight and so you’ll more than likely end up leaving your car outside.
Things to remember:
Traffic wardens or “Police Municipal” are regularly seen patrolling the streets on the look out for illegally parked vehicles. Parking in ski resorts can be very problematic especially during high season, so it is always worth reserving a parking space in advance wherever possible to ensure you have a suitable spot to leave your car. Foreign plates do not give you 'diplomatic immunity' from parking fines, so if you do leave your car in an inappropriate spot then you should expect to be ticketed or even towed away and impounded.
Parking fines vary from €11 to €135, with €45 being then norm. If you receive a fine through the post you have three options: throw it away (although the French authorities are cracking down on non-payment of penalties by foreign drivers), pay it, or contest it. If you decide to pay it then the sooner the better as the fine is lowered if paid within 15 days. You can do so either by buying a “timbre amende” from a tabac or tax office, attach it to the ticket and send it off; or by credit card on this website. Should you choose to contest it, then you need to complete the form attached to the fine and send it off to the Police Municipal.
Always pay attention to signs placed around parking areas in resort that may indicate a market or snow clearing taking place the following day. When there is snow to clear, ploughs show very little respect for things in their way and on more than one occasion have been known to scrape up the sides of errant vehicles causing significant damage. If you don’t move your car it will be towed and left elsewhere in resort, generally on the outskirts of town.
A few tips for parking your vehicle:
- Park facing downhill and turn your wheels towards the kerb to act as a brake.
- Leave your car in gear with the handbrake off as it can freeze and you can snap the cabling.
- Lift the windscreen wipers away from the window so that they don’t stick to the glass and get damaged. If there has been heavy snowfall, clear the snow from your windscreen by hand rather that with your wipers – the weight of the snow can be deceptive and you’ll probably just end up burning out your wiper motor. You certainly don’t want to be without functioning windscreen wipers in winter with all the salt from the roads that sprays over your car.
- Remember where you parked. This sounds stupid, but it can be very hard to identify your car under a metre of snow.
Car parks
Parking is taken rather seriously in Tignes. Car parking permits are compulsory and can be paid and booked direct with the tourist office. Any cars left on the streets are consistently and diligently towed.
There are over 3,000 parking places in Tignes, spread over five covered and one uncovered car parks. Parking is free for the first two hours after which you must pay. You can book your parking space online.
Please check times, dates and fees at the time of parking as these might change.
For those of you driving an electric car to resort, you'll find charging stations at the following locations:
- Parking du Lavachet - two charging points
- Parking du lac 3 - two charging points
- Cinema/mini golf - two charging points
Enquire with your accommodation provider at the time of booking as some hotels and chalets have charging points installed for guests to use.
Free parking
In winter the higher Tignes resorts do not have any free car parks, the streets are pedestrianised and there is a free shuttle bus service. The lower Tignes resorts are where you will find the free parking. In Tignes 1800 and Tignes les Brévières you will find a number of free outdoor car parks where you can leave your car without having to pay any charges. As this free parking is outside it is always best to make sure you have a shovel in the car ready for those heavy snowfall days when you might have to dig your car out.
There is plenty of space in the free parking areas at les Boisses and les Brévières. Since legal parking is only available in these designated areas and private garages, the 24-hour bus system between Tignes Le Lavachet and Val Claret Grande Motte is usually your best way to get around. Don't forget and get caught out, the local Police Municipal are very diligent with their towing for unauthorised parking.
Free car parks can be found on the resort map for Tignes 1800 and Tignes Les Brévières. The car parks in Tignes 1800 have connections to the resort via shuttles. Do not be tempted to park your car on road sides as it may get snowed on, or worse still, towed away. You'll find the most spaces are available on Saturdays and Sundays as people come and go from the resort.
All the car parks in Tignes are free in the summer.
Please check times, dates and fees at the time of parking as these might change.
Indoor / Covered parking
It is worth checking with your accommodation if they have designated garages, if not, Tignes has a number of paid indoor parking areas where your car will be covered and protected from heavy snowfall.
Underground paid car parks can be located on the resort map by a blue P:
| Tignes Car Parks | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Car Park | Location | Places | Notes |
| Tignes le Lac | Place des Drapeaux (D4, C4) | 1,255 | Spread over three separate indoor car parks, open 24h every day during winter |
| Tignes Val Claret | Rue du Val Claret (J3) | 945 | Open 24h every day during winter |
| Tignes le Lavachet | Route de Lavachet (B3) | 325 | Open 24h every day during winter |
All car parks are free in the summer. Book your car park space for next winter starting early September.
Please check times, dates and fees at the time of parking as these might change.
Outdoor parking
Outdoor parking in Tignes is regulated for the convenience of pedestrians and with a free shuttle bus to take you around resorts, cars are not needed. There are very few parking spaces on the streets and most of the outdoor parking is restricted to paid car parks.
Short stops are authorised in front of most accommodations to allow you to unload your luggage, but otherwise cars must be parked in designated areas.
It is worth checking with your accommodation if they have designated parking, if not, Tignes has a few outdoor car parks where you can park your car. Be sure to have a shovel in the back of your car for those heavy snowfall days when you might just have to dig your car out.
Paid outdoor car parks can be found on the resort map for Tignes Val Claret/Le Lac by the yellow P.
Please check times, dates and fees at the time of parking as these might change.
Disabled parking
There are a few spots of disabled access parking in and around the Tignes. They are predominantly found close to the ski lifts, the main public car parks and tourist information centres.
In most of the indoor car parks there will be a few reserved disabled parking spots; however some do not have the best access so it is best to check before parking there.
Have a look at the resort map to find out where the most convenient and accessible parking is for you. It is always best to check the accessibility and where the disabled spots are before heading off to resort, contact SAEML who run the public parking in Tignes. Alternatively there are two car park reception desks open during the week and nonstop over weekends, located at La Maison de Tignes Le Lac and the Grande Motte car Park.
Motorhome parking
During the winter the upper resorts of Tignes do not allow the parking of camper vans or motor homes in the car parks, however, there are good camping and motor home facilities in the lower resort of Tignes Les Brévières. Outside of the winter, an "aire" is available near the Grande Motte cable car for up to 72h.
Please check times, dates and fees at the time of parking as these might change.
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