A fresh new music festival in the Alps

TignesFest is the fresh new music festival in the Alps - and it's free! Nominated for the Yourope Best European Festival Award at the UK Festival Awards 2007, and billed as the ‘cool little boutique festival’ by the Sunday Times Style Magazine, TignesFest is a dynamic alpine music event held in one of the top rated (and highest!) ski resorts in the world - Tignes.

Running from 15 -19th April, TignesFest features everything from live bands to DJs and exclusive acoustic sets. It’s also a long weekend of skiing, snowboarding, socialising and sounds for the discerning and curious who like to experience something outside of the norm. Best and most important of all, the event is free.

From as far back as Edith Piaf and Johnny Halliday, France has given rise to some of the most iconic music artists over the years - which now also include Air, Cassius, the mighty Justice and Vanessa Paradis! Using this credible history in the global music stage, TignesFest has continued to forge a strong Anglo-French musical alliance to showcase some of the freshest new talent from the UK, France and Europe.

Success stories from last year’s event included James Yuill, Alex Metric and The Shoes who were all highlighted and featured on Radio 1 and other influential media after their performances at TignesFest. More recently, Kissy Sell Out also presented a documentary on the French Music scene which featured Poney Poney and A Human have since performed at other festivals throughout Europe- in addition to being listed in the ‘Top 6 albums you should own’ (Sunday Times Style) and one of the ‘Top Ten albums of the Year’ (Independent).

“Its the first festival I’ve been to where I want to see every band on... the essence of TignesFest is breaking new music that probably normally wouldn’t get to headline a festival” says Alex Metirc.

TignesFest also creates an environment for upcoming artists to hang out, have fun and forge friendships with other artists and media. Since last year’s event Primary 1 and the Shoes have collaborated on tracks and James Yuill and A Human have worked together proving that TignesFest really is a melting pot for the artists of the future.

Curating the show once again are radio broadcasters from the UK’s 3 top radio stations; Eddy Temple Morris (XFM), Kissy Sell Out (R1) and The Loose Cannons (Kiss FM) respectively, who have pulled in some artists/acts that are sure to excite and intrigue. Last year XFM’s Eddy Temple Morris recorded the live show from TignesFest on Friday 18th April and broadcast back to the UK a week later.

If that wasn’t enough, Base Camp, the Official Travel Partner for the TIgnesFest plans to create a Ski & Snowboard Test for small independent manufacturers and a series of snowsport competitions for seasonaires from resorts within the Savoie, France during the festival.

“We are inviting teams from Val d'Isere, Tignes, Ste Foy, Les Arcs, La Plagne, Courchevel, Meribel and Val Thorens to see who are the true Savoyard champions in disciplines such as moguls, slopestyle, skier cross, boarder cross and big air” said Base Camp Director, Fergie Miller explains.

Tignes is regarded as one of the world’s highest and most snow-sure ski areas for skiers and snowboarders alike. It has pistes to suit all, with the Naturides (ungroomed pistes) and the Spot (Skiing the Powder Of Tignes) zone, a cross between off-piste and a freestyle jumps park, and not forgetting the off piste activities including snowmobiling, paragliding, ice diving, ice skating, horse riding, bowling and the Ice Museum. There are also many spas that offer sauna, Jacuzzi and of course the essential indulgent massage! Log on to tignes.net where you can find information on travel, lessons, lift passes, piste maps, unusual activities & more.

How to get there:
Easyjet, Snowjet, BMI and British Airways fly into Lyon, Geneva, Grenoble, and Chambery. From any of the airports you’ll need to organise transfers to Tignes.

Accommodation & Transfers:
Base Camp is the Official Travel Partner for the event and is offering long weekend packages (prices depend on day of travel and type of accommodation). They are also offering week long holiday packages from Sunday 12th – Sunday 19th April 2009 starting from £395 including 2* studio accommodation, UK coach transfers and lift pass. For more information on how you can travel to TignesFest with Base Camp visit basecampgroup.com/tignesfest-2009.html.