Lac de Tignes

The Lac de Tignes is a natural lake 'nestled in the heart of the resort at 2100 metres', whose waters 'come straight down from the Grande Motte glacier'. Not to be confused with the Lac du Chevril, the great EDF reservoir downstream — which the fishing federation indeed calls 'Lac de Tignes (Le Chevril)'; this page covers the natural lake of Tignes-le-Lac.

Swimming is banned by a permanent municipal decree. The town hall states its reasons verbatim: 'the lake presents very low water temperatures, rapid level variations and silted beds', and 'this regulation also protects the animal and plant species present in the lake'. On the exact temperature, the resort's pages vary — about 9 °C on average in summer per one, 10 to 15 °C per another — and we report both. The water is therefore enjoyed under supervision: Acroland's diving boards (wetsuit provided), paddleboard, pedal boat, canoe and kayak at the Promenade de Tovière water-sports base.

Summer (base open daily, roughly 20 June to 6 September) for the water, trout fishing (fishing chalet 15 June to 4 October, 07:00 to 09:00; adult day €14.50, child €8, season €103) and the easy lake-loop walk facing the Grande Motte, the Grande Sassière and the Tufs massif — not forgetting the 'Soirée Barge', concerts played from a floating stage 'every Monday and Thursday of the summer season'. In winter the frozen lake becomes another world: walking across between the resort's quarters, dog sledding, Ice Floating, under-ice diving.