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European Gay Ski Week 2009
March 21 – 28, 2009
Tignes, French Alps
From 329 euros / £261 only !
 As springtime arrives, high in the French Alps, Tignes, one of Europe's most renowned Ski and Snowboard Resorts will host The European Gay Ski Week.
The European Gay Ski Week
So for a second year running hundreds of gay men seduced by Tignes' world class ski-ing area, will, descend on this stunning resort from across the continent and around the world.
During the days you will be able to join our exclusive European Gay Ski Week, Ski and 'Boarding' lessons or join one of our Ski / Boarding guides touring the slopes of the ski area 'Espace Killy'. On the final day there will be 'The Snow Gaymes' with races, in which all the European Gay Ski Week guests can compete.
Then there is the Après Ski. Every day from 4pm through to 7pm on the Terrace and in the Bar of Le Coffee which will be hosted by Steve Redant of La Demence
 Once you've done the Après Ski you'll just have time to get out of those thermals, as joining us for the week are, Salvation (London), Trade (London), La Demence (Brussels) Jungle (Lausanne) and several more yet to be confirmed who will be hosting nights in bars and clubs throughout the resort.
The European Gay Ski Week is not just a ski and snowboarding holiday, with an Itinerary like this it's a whole lot more and you really will have to work out just when you're going to sleep.
So whether you're a deadly downhill racer or unsteady beginner; whichever you prefer; ski-ing or 'boarding (and even if you shudder at the very concept of sliding down a mountain)... No matter what you choose to abuse: gravity or sleep; The European Gay Ski Week has it covered.
With affordable self catering apartments to luxury 4 star hotel suites there are packages for all pockets. With prices starting from only £261.00 / €329.00 including 7 nights accommodation, event pass and lift pass and all you need to secure your place is a 25% deposit with the balance payable in February.
The Resort and Ski Area
Tignes overview
  The glacier resort of Tignes in the magnificent Savoie Alps is widely recognised as one of Europe's, if not one of the world's most comprehensive ski destinations. Tignes boasts more diverse slopes than most of its neighbours in the Alps and lies at an altitude of 2,100m. Tignes together with Val D'Isere make up the expansive Espace Killy ski area.. The Espace Killy is one of Europe's largest ski areas, and is certainly one of the most snow-sure resorts in the Alps. Whilst increasingly popular with all nationalities Tignes has at the same time been able to maintain its original French Alpine ambience.
The Ski Area
Tignes is served by the large well linked ski area called L'Espace Killy. Tignes shares the L'Espace Killy with Val d'Isere. With over 300km (190 miles) of pistes, its extensive off-piste with good lift access it is one of Europe's premier resorts.
Also there several snowparks with half pipes and boardercross courses, some great freeriding & the 1992 Olympics downhill course should you be feeling up for it.
Due to its altitude Tignes has a very reliable snow record which, after recent seasons of reduced snowfall, has encouraged people to choose higher mountain resorts. According to 'The good Ski & Snowboarding Guide' Tignes/Val d'Isere is one of only two ski areas in France listed as 'Snow-sure resorts'.
Tignes boasts a fast & efficient lift system 97 lifts including 2 high speed underground trains (funicular railways) one of which transports you from Tignes Val Claret up to 3500m and the Grand Motte Glacier.
The resort is suitable for all standards from absolute beginners to serious off piste snowhounds.
The Village
  The resort of Tignes is split into three main Villages. The European Gay Ski Week is based in Val Claret, the highest village of the resort at 2300m and the most intimate of the three vilages. With this elevated status comes a wealth of shops, restaurants and bars. Set over two levels, the main hub of the village is on the upper level while the ski lifts, main car park and bus route are on the lower level. Take one of the two lifts either end to get between levels or ski down. Val Claret has brilliant ski access with direct links to the Espace Killy, the Grande Motte glacier and the Tignes bowl. Its proximity to the glacier means it's the only village with direct access to summer and winter skiing. This is absolutly snow sure with no residence more than a few hundred metres from the pistes. For the non skiers amoungst you, with over 150 shops,, its cafes and bars, the Lagoon pool and spa complex, the Cinema, the Bowling and many other facilities that Tignes has to offer, you will always find something to entertain you.
The Après Ski
 The resort is full of Bars, Clubs and Restaurants and has a reputation for attracting a lively crowd who are not afraid to party so even without our specially tailored European Gay Ski Week nights and après ski parties, most of which will be within stumbling distance of each other and your accommodation, you would be not have time to get round to them all in a single week.
Event Pass and Lift Pass
The European Gay Ski Week event pass
 This is your passport to pleasure. Giving discounts in shops & restaurants. Free Admission to our parties, free drinks at the après ski and at our club nights. It also qualifies you for reductions on your lift pass, and equipment hire and entitles you to attend exclusive gay ski and snowboard lessons or ski guiding groups.
The benefits which are exclusive to Pass holders are:
• Free admission to the following events :- The Welcome Party, La Demence, Salvation, Jungle, The Party in Le Lagon, Trade and The Snow Gaymes Awards Ceremony.
• Free admission to our Après Ski Parties every day.
• A free welcome drink at the Après Ski every day.
• Free access to all other gay ski week events
• Free entry to the Snow Gaymes' our end of week race day
• Free access to our gay only ski or snowboard Guided groups
• Exclusive Gay only ski or snowboard lessons with a maximum of 6 – 8 people (advance booking required)
• Free welcome drink at each of the parties
• Discounted hire of your Ski and Snowboard equipment (advance booking required)
• For those of you who have your own snowboard or Skis, we have not forgotten you, if you go to our equipment partners shops you will on production of your event pass get a €10.00 discount on a standard Ski or Board service.
Event Pass Costs
(if purchased together with accommodation from our partners or a recommended supplier)
Our recommended suppliers are Crystal Holidays & Thomson Holidays .
If you have booked your accommodation through one of our recommended suppliers, to get your discounted event pass, first book your accommodation, then come to our website, and enter the booking reference provided to you by the recommended supplier in our reservation form. You will then be allowed to purchase a discounted event pass. (When booking your accommodation through one of our recommended suppliers, do not book your equipment hire, lift pass ski school etc. through them as they will be considerably more expensive than if you book them on our site with your event pass.)
•Event pass if booked before midnight on 19th January - €130.00
•Event pass if booked between 20th January and midnight on the 17th March - €150.00
•Event pass if bought in resort - €180.00
Event Pass Costs
(If purchased with Lift Pass but no accommodation)
•Event pass if booked before midnight on 17th March - €150.00
•Event pass if booked in the resort - €180.00
Exclusive events, excursions not to be missed
 Event Pass Only
•Event pass if purchased in advance without accommodation or lift pass or if purchased in the resort - €180.00
Lift Pass Costs
(if purchased in conjunction with your event pass)
•Tignes area lift pass - €159.00
•Espace Killy lift pass - €185.00
Under our booking options you have the ability to choose discounted lift passes from 3 to 8 days duration
The discounted event passes and lift passes can only be obtained by booking them on our website
Equipment and Lessons
We've visited Tignes & selected 'gay friendly' partners who work to the highest standards and who we feel offer both quality and value-for-money.
 Tuition With Evolution 2 Ski School
Evolution 2 one of the most visible ski schools in Tignes will be creating, specifically for the European Gay Ski Week guests, Europe's only gay ski & boarding courses.
• Exclusively gay ski school groups (although we can't make any promises about the instructor...).
• Maximum number of people in each group: 6 - 8 people. This optimises learning time and ensures close attention is paid to all group members. These classes are subject to a minimum of 5 people per class. If there are 4 or less people in a particular ability class you will be transfered to a general ski school class of the same ability or offered a full refund.
• Morning only lessons (excluding beginners) - allowing you time to socialise and enjoy a leisurely lunch on the mountain, prior to sloping off to play with your friends.
• 5 day courses allowing you to join in the race day on Friday
Ski and Snowboard Courses
Beginners Course - mornings and afternoons Sunday - Thursday
(10.30 - 12.30 & 14.30 - 16.30) - €168.00
Non-Beginners Lessons - 3 hours daily x 5 days:
(10.00 - 13.00) - €126.00
Following the sucess of our arrangement last season with Ski Republic, in order to give you the biggest selection of NEW skis and boots, and freestyle / freeride boards, we have come to a global arrangement with most of the Ski and Board equipment shops throughout all three centres of Tignes and across Espace Killy in Val d'Isère. Boots hurting? skis too long? Suffering from a bent pole? Simply pull into one of our partner shops, show your event pass and they will do whatever they can to assist.
Ski & Snowboard Packs - these include skis, Poles, Boots, Crash Helmet and Damage Insurance
 Sports Ski Pack -
(For a range of ski options suitable for beginners through to low intermediates) - € 75.00
Performance skis Pack -
For a range of ski options suitable for moderate intermediates through to advanced skiers
and includes this seasons, top of the range,name brand skis) - € 100.00
Performance Snowboard Pack -
(this includes a range of snowboard options suitable for beginners through to advanced
Boarders and has witthin it this seasons, top of the range, name brand boards) - € 100.00
Snowboard or skis only - Includes Snowboard or skis & Poles, plus Crash Helmet and Damage Insurance
 Sports skis only -
(For a range of skis options suitable for beginners through to low intermediates) - € 60.00
Performance skis only -
For a range of ski options suitable for moderate intermediates through to advanced skiers
and includes this seasons, top of the range,name brand skis) - € 80.00
Performance Snowboard only -
(This includes a range of Snowboard options suitable for beginners through to advanced
Boarders and has within it, this seasons, top of the range, name brand, boards) - € 80.00
The above rates are discounted rates and are only guaranteed if booked in advance via our and the European Gay Ski Week Website and will be subject to availability if booked in the resort.
Getting to Tignes
By Car:
If you are traveling to Tignes from within Europe, probably the simplest method of getting there is to drive. There is plenty of parking available in Tignes including free parking in the valley with a free transfer bus taking you up to Val Claret. If you wish to park in Val Claret the parking is chargable.
 To Fly:
The main airports that serve Tignes are Geneva & Lyon. However the closest airport is Chambery followed by Grenoble.
By Train:
 If you are traveling by train you need to travel to Bourg St Maurice then get a transfer from the train station up to Tignes.
By Coach:
If you are travelling by coach and your coach does not go directly to Tignes you need to travel to Bourg St Maurice coach station which is next to the train station then get a transfer from there up to Tignes.
Transfers from Bourg St Maurice:
The transfer service from Bourg St Maurice to Tignes is run by Transdev Martin. For the timetables and to book please follow this link - Transdev Martin online booking from Bourg St Maurice
Transfers from the local Airports:
There are two options for transfers from any of the airports
 Option 1. - Probably the most economical (if there is more than one of you), but a little complicated, method of getting to and from the resort is to book one way car hires (start of week - Airport to Bourg St Maurice, end of week - Bourg St Maurice to Airport) from Europcar You drive to Tignes drop of your bags then take the car back to Bourg St Maurice, drop it off then catch the bus back up to Tignes. Then for your return to the airport do the same thing in reverse. The one way Car hire is approx £50 and the bus fare approx €26 return. Total cost of your transfers to & from the resort, for as many people as you can fit in the car around £130.
Option 2. - The more conventional method of transfer to and from Tignes is the Coach Transfer. These services run from all the airports mentioned above. For Geneva and Chambery use Altibus. For Lyon use Satobus. For Grenoble use AG Bus to Bourg St Maurice then you change to Altibus for Bourg St Maurice to Tignes. The costs are approx €60 - €100 return depending on which airport you are flying to and from.
With all transfer methods please bear in mind the following:
• Schedule - There are only a 3 - 6 buses a day to/from the airports + a few more to Bourg St Maurice. So you need to check the timetables and make sure you allow enough time to get through customs on your way out and on your return journey, for checking in once you are at the airport / train station / Car hire.
• Drop-off and Pick-up - The bus will drop you at and collect you from a central point in Tignes Le Lac, Tignes Le Claret & Tignes Le Lavachet, not at your accommodation so make sure you alight in the right in the correct centre for your accommodation.
• Lateness - The bus will not wait either in resort or at the airport/ train station, waiting on the next one could mean a long wait or even missing your flight or train.
Traveling from the UK
Option 1:
You can book a package inclusive of your travel and transfers through our recommended suppliers, please go to the Crystal Holidays & Thomson Holidays webpages for further information.
Option 2:
Please find below information which may assist if you if you are traveling independently to the European Gay Ski week.
Flying:
The main airports are Geneva and Lyon however the closest airports are Chambery and Grenoble, SnowJet flys into Chambery and Ryanair flys into Grenoble, below are links to the majority of airlines that fly into all the airports that serve Tignes from the UK.
Train from the UK:
With the Eurostar and the TGV if you leave on Friday 20th March and travel overnight then catch the transfer bus from Bourg St Maurice you can arrive in Tignes in time to Ski all day on Saturday 21st giving you an extra day skiing.
There are two ways to book, you can book your entire journey with the Eurostar or book the legs separatley using the Eurostar to book to Paris then the TGV site to book your journey to Bourg St Maurice. If you book the legs of the journey separately, depending upon availability, it is possible to save up to £100 on the basic £235 fares offered by Eurostar Journey. All rail options at Rail Europe
 website.
Coach from the UK:
Eurolines, National Express's European coach service has a service leaving Victoria Coach station on Friday 28th March at 18.00 which arrives in Tignes - Val Claret at 13.00 on the 29th March and returns, departing from Tignes at 16.30 on the 5th April arriving in London Victoria Coach station at 10.30am on the 6th April. The standard return fare is £109.00, some special offers may be available, check the Eurolines website for further details.
Driving from the UK:
With The tunnel and the Ferries it is remarkably easy to get across the channel. Once in France it should take around 9 hours to drive the 615 miles to Tignes from Calais if you are using the Autoroutes. If you want to avoid the toll roads, get an early crossing arriving in Calais by 7am and you should still be able to drive the 675 miles and arrive in Tignes by 8pm on the 29th. Once you are there free parking is available with a shuttle bus taking you to the centre of the resort in around 10 minutes. Return Fares on the Ferries start at approx £60.00 for a car with 4 passengers. The toll charges are around €50 each way.
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