Via Lattea Ski Resort

Sestriere will host the FIS Ski World Cup at February, 22+23 (Women's Giant Slalom and Slalom).

Explore the tremendous ski world of Via Lattea. Via Lattea (english: Milky Way) is a compound of ski resorts in the French-Italian border area. Six ski resorts in Italy (Sestriere, Sauze d´Oulx, Cesana, Sansicario, Pragelato and Claviere) and one ski resort in France (Montgenèvre) form this compound. Via Lattea offers 400 breathtaking kilometers of slopes. The resort became famous worldwide during the Olympic Winter Games, as most of the competitions were held here.

There are 69 lift facilities to bring you up to the slopes, where the skiing fun starts. Countless possibilities to find off-piste descents stir freeriders' blood and two snow parks in the ski resorts compound attract snowboarders from all over Europe. There are 14 ski schools with 800 trained ski and snowboard instructors in the Via Lattea ski area. You can easily check out the other ski resorts in the compound by taking the interconnection slopes. Some of them even take you across the border between France and Italy. This way, you can have a croissant for breakfast and enjoy the original Italian cuisine for dinner. 60 percent of the resort can be artificially covered with snow. 

Sestriere (2,035 meters)

There is no doubt Sestriere is the most famous part of the ski resort, often frequented by celebrities. Its touristic past began in the 1930s. Having such a long and proud tradition in winter tourism, the ski resort came to be one of the most modern tourist centers for skiing. On the mostly intermediate and difficult runs, Ski World Cup races take place regularly. The alpine events during the 2006 Olympic Winter Games also took place here. The finest groomed slopes of all kinds of difficulties are well-provided with the latest snow cannons. Thus, there are no limits to skiing fun. Even nighttime skiing is possible, as the Giovanni Alberto Agnelli slope is lit from dusk until 10 pm. A terrain park can be found at the foot of M. Sises (2,600m). The park stretches over 300 meters and has two lifts.

Sauze d'Oulx (1,509 meters)

Sauze d'Oulx is the second biggest ski resort at the ski resorts compound Vialattea. The wide open slopes offer the opportunity to enjoy an incomparable panoramic view while skiing, while the narrower slopes go through small forests and make high demands to the skiers' abilities. Winter sports fans will find mostly intermediate slopes here, but there is also a kids' area. Experts, too, have more than enough opportunities to show their skills and to polish their techniques. Several opportunities for backcountry skiing are offered here as well. There is also a snow park for snowboarders and freestyle skiers, where they can try some new moves. During the Olympic Winter Games, the freestyle competitions took place here.

Pragelato (1,524 meters)

Pragelato's rise from small village to well-known winter sports area began with the Olympic Winter Games in 2006. During the event, the cross-country and ski jumping competitions were held here. Following the games a gondola was built, connecting Pragelato with the adjacent area of Sestriere. The nearly 50 kilometers of groomed slope in Pragelato offer a special panoaramic view. There are also possibilities for ski mountaineeringn and freeride runs. 

Cesana/Sansicario (1,354/1,700 meters) 

Gondola 39 takes winter sports fans from Cesana to Sansicario and the part of the ski area located there, consisiting of mostly intermediate-level runs. A kids' area with several easy runs is also located there. Of course, these two resorts were also involved in the Winter Games. While Cesana hosted the luge, bobsledding and skeleton competitions, biathlon athletes competed against each other in Sansicario.

Claviere (1,760 meters)

With only 8 chair lifts, Claviere is one of the smaller parts of the resort, but of course you can easily travel to the other parts. The French resort of Montgenèvre is closest to the area, but Cesana is not far away either. Reporters say Claviere has a pleasant, relaxed atmosphere: it is tightly enclosed by wooded slopes and everybody can find slops for every level and taste, with guaranteed snow, even in the scarce periods thanks to the atificial snow making machines.

Montgenèvre (1,854 meters)

Montgenèvre, the only one of the ski resorts on the Frenchside of the border, is situated at an altitude of 1,854 meters. Its beginnings reach back into the early 20th century, making the resort one of the oldest ski destinations in the country. 

Cozy huts serving food and drinks are found all over the ski area of Via Lattea. Besides Italian cuisine and specialties from the Savoie area, you can also find snacks and fast food. In total, visitors can choose between 60 mountain restaurants and ski huts. 

By car

Coming from Turin in the East, follow the E70 towards Bardonecchia/Frejus/Del Moncenisio. Take exit 9 (Oulx) towards Sauze d'Oulx/Cesana/Claviere/SS24/Sestriere. 

Coming from France, follow the A43 which leads you through the Frejus tunnel on the Italian side of the border. After the tunnel, exit the freeway at Oulx.