Via Lattea - Sestriere/Sauze d’Oulx/San Sicario/Claviere/Montgenèvre

In 2006, the Winter Olympic Games in Turin were held at the cross-border Via Lattea (Milky Way) ski resort. The ski region stretches from Sestriere in Italy to Montgenèvre in France.

Sestriere lies at the heart of the Milky Way, which offers almost 400 km of pistes. The resort has a wide choice of runs for all ability levels, starting in the town centre. Another bonus is the modern lift system, which is much faster than neighbouring Sauze! Sestriere is a good base for exploring the Milky Way, but note that some lifts close a little earlier if the wind picks up, and taxis from France are not cheap. The resort itself underwent a small redevelopment ahead of the Olympics, which was beneficial in the long term as it resulted in faster lifts and more attractive buildings. Sestriere has several decent bars where you can have a good time!

Worth knowing

The Via Lattea ski resort has slopes for all ability levels and very beautiful scenery. There are treeless areas around Alma and slopes through pine forests, as well as sections with evergreen trees. Very long runs from the summits to the valleys can be enjoyed in all parts of the ski resort.

Total: 400 km

50% of the slopes have snowmaking

Longest piste

The longest descent here is Monte Fraiteve - Sansicario Pariol, 7 km long with a vertical drop of 1100 m. It is possible to ski the easy and intermediate slopes without stopping from Monte Fraiteve to Pariol, the mid-station of the Cesana Ski Lodge gondola.

Most difficult piste

The most difficult run is Slope 32 La Motta in Sestriere, 0.8 km long with a vertical drop of 320 m. The slope leads from the mountain station to the base station of the La Motta drag lift.

Routes around the resort

Giro della Via Lattea: Either from Sauze d'Oulx OR Pragelato via Monte Fraiteve towards Cesana and Claviere to Montgenèvre, then back by a varied route - the exact route with the necessary pistes and lifts can be found on the back of the trail map. You can also start the tour at other points in the ski resort.

Snowparks

There is no snowpark or fun park.

There is no halfpipe.

Night skiing

Night skiing is available at the ski resort.

The Via Lattea ski resort has a combination of modern chairlifts and gondolas, as well as drag lifts, but there are also older lifts. In particular, on the connecting routes from Sauze d'Oulx to Monte Fraiteve and from Cesana to Monti della Luna, you will encounter fixed-grip two-seater chairlifts.

Getting there

The most convenient way to reach the Via Lattea - Sestriere / Sauze d'Oulx / San Sicario / Claviere / Montgenèvre ski resort is by car from Turin, where the nearest international airport is located. The distance is 109 km and the journey takes 1 h 25 min. You can rent a car at Turin Airport using cars-scanner. The resort can also be reached from Milan, home to the next-closest international airport, Milan Malpensa. The journey takes 2 h 35 min and covers 232 km. You can rent a car at Milan Malpensa Airport here.