Description
La Tania sits at 1330m in the middle of the 3 Valleys, between Meribel and Courchevel. The resort is relatively new located in the heart of a pine forest, initially it was built to house the competitors for the 1992 Olympic Games.
La Tania is a quiet village with an attractive collection of accommodation including both chalets and apartments dotted all over the mountainside, due to its location many of the accommodation offers ski in/ski out access. There is one main gondola servicing the resort which takes guests directly up the mountain. At the base of the La Tania gondola there are a few lively bars and restaurants.
La Tania is a popular choice for families who are attracted by the timber clad chalets and relaxed atmosphere, ideal for their children. The resorts is frequently used as a base by groups to explore the 3 Valleys ski area as it allows access to Meribel, Courchevel and Val Thorens at a fraction of a price as actually staying within these resorts.
Getting There
If you haven’t booked a package where flights and transfers are included for you then you will need to think about the best way fo you to get out to resort.
Fly
The most common way to get to resort is to fly. There are four airport possibilities:
Chambery - 95km - 1h30
Geneva- 180km - 2h30
Lyon - 200km- 3h
Grenoble - 125km- 2h45
The closest airport is Chambery but Geneva offers a wider array of departure airports and flights times.
Transfers from the airport
There are several companies which offer both shared and private transfers from the above airports directly to resort. Most transfers companies will drop you off anywhere in resort and can take you directly to your accommodation. It is worth checking out the transfer options before booking flights as shared transfers run less often so you don’t want to be left waiting hours at the airport.
Our recommended transfer companies include:
3VT offers private and shared transfers from Geneva. They do have a limited number of shared transfers going every weekend so you need to be quick to book one. There service is no frills allowing them to offer a very competitive cost.
Snow White Transfers offer shared and private transfers form all the airports mentioned above. They offer refreshments and blankets to all their guests
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Snow Drone offer both shared and private transfers at all times throughout the day. Being one of the larger companies they have the most frequent shared transfers heading in and out of resort. It is essential to book in advance though. They also offer luxury transfers with iPads and TVs to entertain both adults and children alike on longer journeys. They operate out of all the major airports.
If you are looking for a bit more luxury and an even shorter transfer time then Whitetracks Helicopters offer transfers for up to 4 people from any of the above airports and provide a separate vehicle for luggage. Helicopters are susceptible to the weather though, if there is any cancellation vehicles are provided at no extra cost.
Train
The nearest train stations for La Tania is Moutiers which is approximately 30 minutes a way. It is a major French railway station so the Eurostar does stop here, alternatively it is an option to catch the regional TGV from Paris straight to Moutiers. The Eurostar runs from London St Pancreas and Kent Ashford directly to Paris. Although the train takes longer than flying it is more environmentally friendly but also it can be economically friendly too when travelling with lots of luggage as no extra charges are incurred for the quantity and weight of luggage.
Drive
Many people do enjoy driving out to the Alps. If coming from the UK, you can either take the ferry or travel via the Channel Tunnel. The Channel Tunnel departs approximately every 15 minutes from Folkestone and takes 35 minutes. Prices start from £90 each way. To book your crossing head to
Alternatively the ferry runs from Hull to Zeebrugge or Dover to Calais with P&O Ferries. The Hull ferry operates daily and runs overnight arriving in Zeebrugge at 08:45am. The Dover to Calais ferry operates multiple times every day, up to 23 times and takes 90 minutes. To book either of these ferry crossings head to
http://www.poferries.com/en/portal
Upon arrival in France/ Belgium remember to drive on the right hand side of the road! Also note that there will be several tolls along the route to your final destination, these will all be located on the opposite side of the car to the driver, so it is easy to have a passenger ready to make payments and take any receipts. The prices of these tolls will vary on the route that you take, the approximate cost of these tolls will be 75€.
European travel/ vehicle requirements are very strict and on the spot fines can be issued if you do not meet the requirements. The most common of these are headlight converters, GB sticker, warning triangle, spare bulbs, breathalysers, and high viz vests for each passenger in the car.
Although the local municipalities work tirelessly to keep the roads clear, there are times when the roads may become snowy or icy. It is a legal requirement in France to carry snow chains in your vehicle, if you do not, the police will refuse you access on certain mountain roads. When driving in these conditions, slow down when you encounter any snow, use high gears to avoid wheel spin and keep moving when driving up an incline on snow.
It can be useful to have a car whilst you’re in resort if your accommodation is far away from the centre and slopes. There are two car parks just outside the resort and if you would like to reserve a space in a covered car park just contact the Tourist Office directly who will be able to sort it for you.
When to Go
La Tania sits at 1350m, one of the lowest purpose built ski resorts. The resort opens for the winter season mid-December to mid-April and opens again very swiftly afterwards for the increasingly popular hiking and other summer activities.
The 3 Valleys has an excellent snow record in its higher resorts of Val Thorens and Courchevel. Val Thorens even has a glacier to maintain skiing throughout the winter. La Tania is one of the lower resorts that the area has to offer, but it compensates for this with an array of snow-canons. These work tirelessly from November all the way through to the spring. These are especially focused on covering the green and the blue runs back into the village.
Unusually for ski resorts, La Tania struggles with the sun, which often disappears early in the afternoon due to its location on the mountain. This double-edged sword allows preservation of the snow, but also results in some icy patches along the slopes. If the ice is a problem for beginners, there is always the option of riding the La Tania gondola down to the village.
The resort does remain relatively busy throughout the year as it offers such good value for money within the 3 Valleys ski area. As it is quite small and there are limited facilities, it can seem busy at times. However due to the small nature of the resort the queues are never that long and they move quickly so everyone can get up the mountain in no time at all.
Travelling during peak weeks does get relatively expensive. Due to the size of the chalets and the vicinity to the slopes, it is a very popular destination for families and large groups. However it is during these peak weeks that the resort has the most going on.
Where to Stay
La Tania is a relatively small ski village with all the chalets dotted along the mountainside among the trees. Due to the compact nature of the resort, La Tania operates a no- vehicle policy so all the accommodation is in easy walking distance of amenities. There is also no need to worry about carrying equipment very far as nearly all of the accommodation is close to the slopes.
La Tania is split into four main districts; the base of the mountain which is where the village is and the main ski lift heads off from, Quatier des Chalets to the left of the lift, Hameau du Formier and Hameau de la Tagna off to the right near the Troika chairlift and its nursery slope.
Getting around
By Bus
La Tania is a compact resort making it very convenient and easy to get around on foot so there is not bus service around the resort itself. There are frequent bus services to the neighbouring villages of Courchevel and Le Praz.
By Car
La Tania is a pedestrian only resort. It does house two complimentary car parks, the Parking du Saz and Parking du Formier. As it is a vehicle free resort, they have made sure that all the shops and services are located within walking distance.
Ski Lifts
La Tania is serviced by one main gondola and two other lifts. From the top of the gondola, it is simply one short chairlift to the slopes of Meribel and Courchevel 1850. This makes it not only easy to explore both of these resorts, but also very easy and convenient to head back into La Tania at the end of the day. Within the resort itself La Tania offers a drag lift called Troika which services the beginner area.
Taxis
Taxis are an efficient way of getting to the neighbouring resorts of Meribel and Courchevel. Taxis are not as common so it is advised to book in advance.