Four snowboarders dead after avalanche in French ski resort Tignes

The victims of the avalanche at Tignes were reported to be a

• 48-year-old French man,
• his 15-year-old son and the teenager’s
• 19-year-old half-brother, according to the emergency services.

The fourth, an Ecole du Ski Français snowboard instructor was named as Laurent Ruiz, 59, an experienced mountain professional.

The resort was developed largely during the 1960s and the building style reflects what was regarded as good building design at that time. In recent years the town has worked to improve the look of the new villages with some success.

The lifts of Tignes have been managed since 1967 by the company STGM (The Société des Téléphériques de la Grande Motte). Many lifts are fast 6 or 8 person chairlifts and there are 113 snow cannons which produce 450,000 m2 of artificial snow each year.

 The ski area is linked with the resort of Val-d'Isère and the entire ski area is called Espace Killy. At 4.2 km, Tignes boasts the 4th longest funicular in the world.

 Ski trails in Tignes reach a height of 3456 m making it the perfect choice for snow sure skiing.