You put on the extremely effective suits and gloves, get the instructions, then you're off. If you've seen Luc Besson's film The Big Blue, you might (or might not, you're probably quivering with fear) recognize the site and the ice; the lake in the middle of Tignes was used for the film. You're in the capable hands of Davide and Pierre who run the Evolution 2 ski school, which is reassuring. Plunging through a hole in the thick ice is not for the faint-hearted or claustrophobic. But it's very safe and is ideal for everyone from beginners to experts.
Once through your hole and in the water, it's a magical, silent world. You learn to move slowly, directed by the instructors and holding onto a rope (and there are ropes dangling through various safety holes). Look up and the world is magical; on a sunny day the beams of sunlight dance through the holes and the light is a strange blue as you swim slowly under the giant ceiling of ice. And you can do the same at night, for a different, ghostly effect.Ecole Evolution 2
Tignes le Lac, Rue de la Poste
Tignes
Tel.: 00 33 (0)4 79 06 43 78
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