I'm in 2 minds about Val d'Isere. I've just returned from my second trip there and while I had a great time, for some reason it just doesn't stack up against other resorts for my kind of skier. I ski on and off-piste but haven't been ski-touring. I suspect it's terrific for touring and saw several groups in the distance, clearly on big trips into the wild.

For lift served off-piste I prefer La Plagne. There, I've said it. Essentially, because it has bags of terrain like Espace Killy but unlike EK it takes all week to get tracked out. It's probably marginally better than 3 Vallees for this though.

For pistes, I think it has some great runs, e.g. Face early in the morning is great and Trolles into Tignes is a fast, flattering run that's really only like an easy wide red. The blues below the Grand Motte feel pleasantly remote too. But a lot of pistes are quite short, a bit samey and not that scenic. It's nothing like as well connected as the 3 Vallees with some really obvious places where an upgrade is needed, e.g. the slow chairs above Les Boisses/Les Brevieres and the inexplicable slow Grand Huit chair. In fairness to Val, these are all in Tignes but they're a key part of the area and really slow you down. In our week the trees at La Daille were much appreciated as the clouds closed in at times. For a high resort, this area is a real bonus.

The village itself is generally quite attractive with shops, restaurants and bars to suit all tastes. The bar scene is about as good as any ski resort, i.e. a bit pants compared to any decent town back home. But it's good enough for a week. The buses were very good from town to La Daille.

Final point, I also had 3 days in Tignes in the summer as altitude training for some climbing. I had a great time and skiing the Grande Motte for a morning was actually great fun. The atmosphere in summer is entirely different and I really enjoyed that trip.

Would I go again? I reckon I would if my group insisted on it. But I'd prefer 3 Vallees, La Plagne or St Anton.