How do you pronounce all these resort names?

Guys,

Ok, so i haven't been skiing long and have yet to visit many resorts so i haven't picked up all the names properly yet.
Any chance you guys can tell me how i am supposed to pronounce some of the most popular resort names correctly? I am sure it will save me (and maybe others) looking a little silly sometime.

If you could just add names to the thread with a short description it would be great.

EG:

1. Tignes - My assumption is that this is pronounced 'Teens' as in teenagers.....

IS THIS CORRECT?

2. How about La Plagne ? Is this 'La Plan' ---- like plan/map?

Thanks all

jon

Snapzzz,
As far as I know, the correct French pronunciation of Tignes doesn't include the 's', but otherwise I think you are correct.

This whole issue is clouded by the fact that lots of British people pronounce the French resort names wrong, so that they have in fact become the correct British way to pronounce them (and I think the British way has the 's' in Tignes). Plus, I rather think the French themselves pronounce them in different ways, according to where they live, like Shrewsbury, and well, Shrewsbury ... :lol:

It took me 2 ski holidays to learn how to pronounce Val Thorens correctly, the French way. It is rather strange, because in this case they seem to sound the 's'. And I'm not at all sure I can think of a way of telling you how to say it. The Val is easy, because it's like the name Val, short for Valerie. But I don't think we have a word that rhymes with the Tho because it's pronounced almost like 'top' without the 'p'. And the 'rens' is something like the 'ranc' in rancid (or at least it is the way I say it - I suppose we all have different English accents to begin with).

The only way I have been able to learn the correct pronunciation is by going to the resort and listening to the locals.

Best of luck with your mini-project :D

Ally

Tignes is pronounced Teenye.

And similarly La Plagne is La Planye.

Thanks Ally, i think some are easier to guess at than others.
Your explanation of VT is pretty much what i would have guessed at.

Brucie, its hard to understand what you mean.

Do you mean like Teen ya and plan ya with the 'ya' sounding like the way way you teach infants the letter Y?

Hi Snapzzz,
I googled it and found this site, but I don't know how reliable it is:

http://www.takemeskiing.co.uk/Pronunciation.aspx

I notice they don't put the 's' on the end of Val Thorens, but I think this may be a French variable thing.

They also don't put the 'y' on the end of La Plagne, but from what I remember of train announcements Brucie is right and they do say 'y' (as at the beginning of 'yes'), although I didn't notice them doing it for Tignes but I was mostly with British people there and it may have slipped my notice. I will be back there in October and I will listen out very carefully for the 'y' at the end :lol:

The hardest ski resort I have had to learn how to pronounce is Sauze d'Ouix in Italy, which, as far as I remember (I was only 8 at the time) is like 'Saudi' the country with the 'z' replacing the 'd' followed by douze as like the French number 12.

If you get too clever with your pronunciation you may find some of the British travel agents (who haven't been there) can't understand you :D

Ally

Thanks again Ally, that site is really useful....kinda answers my questions.

Ta

I've thought of an analogy!!!

La Plagne sounds like Lasagne!!!! :lol:

You hungry Brucie??