Overview of Ski Area
A magnificent ski area straddling the French-Italian border, Via Lattea (Milky Way) boasts almost 400km of beautiful, varied and rewarding runs. There are also 6 superb and inter-connected high altitude resorts, each with their own distinct personality. This makes it an excellent destination for all levels and any winter sport enthusiasts.
Resorts in Via Lattea
MAIN SKI RESORTS IN VIA LATTEA
Sestriere
Overview of Ski Resort
As the 2006 Winter Olympics alpine centre and regular host of the Alpine ski cup, Sestriere is a Mecca for winter sports fans. A great base for exploring the entire region, this resort features excellent runs for all abilities, superb views, and it has a fun village with plenty to keep you entertained away from the slopes.
Best for:
- Intermediate
- Experts
- Snowboarders
- Foodies
Piste Guide
With over 2,500m of pistes spread out over two sectors, Sestriere is never dull and caters to all abilities.
Intermediates can enjoy challenging and rewarding runs at both local sectors, whilst there are also good nursery slopes and easy long runs to progress to for beginners. Advanced skiers will be able to stay occupied, plus there are off-piste possibilities if the snow permits. Although there is unreliable snowfall here, the fantastic snow-making equipment ensures that the slopes are always smooth and accessible.
Sestriere is an ideal base for heading out and exploring the rest of Via Lattea, which can be extremely fun and rewarding with an incredible amount of pistes to conquer.
Facilities
Sestriere has modern fast lifts as their main ones, but many old and slower ones are used to get around. Queues can occur on the main lifts on sunny weekends, whilst it can become congested at M Fraiteve.
Away from the slopes, there are an ice rink, a sports centre with a pool, a fitness centre, shops and even opportunities for dog sledding!
Après
Foodies will adore Sestriere, which has many different restaurants serving international cuisine which you will not find at other Italian resorts. There are also a few places serving delicious local dishes throughout the day. No matter what you are in the mood for, you will find it here. Kandahar, Last Tango, Pinky and Antica Spelonca in Borgata are all popular eateries.
The nightlife can be quiet in comparison to neighbouring resorts, especially during the week, but there is a good selection of bars and clubs which often have live music. A few of the livelier hotspots include Tabata, Black Pepper and Crystal’s hotel du Col.
Sauze d’Oulx
Overview of Ski Resort
One of the bigger and livelier resorts in Via Lattea, Sauze d’Oulx has picturesque surroundings, a mix of open and tree-lined runs and plenty of entertainment spread out over the large village. It is an intermediates’ paradise but caters to all abilities, with plenty of off-piste action also available through the dense woodland.
As a larger resort, it also ensures that you can find the perfect evening – whether you are looking for a quiet meal in one of the tucked away restaurants or want to dance until the early hours of the morning.
Best for:
- Intermediate
- Off-Piste
- Après
- Value for Money
Piste Guide
Sauze d’Oulx is a great place to come if you are an intermediate, with several fun and scenic long descents. This includes the very popular red 11, which is roughly 1,000m and a thrilling ride from start to finish. There are also some incredible runs lower down which twist and turn through the thick woods and are both challenging and extremely rewarding. The runs down to Jouvenceaux are also highly recommended for confident intermediates.
Sauze d’Oulx does suffer from erratic signposting. This is not ideal for beginners, who would be better suited somewhere slightly more organised (although there are nursery slopes for complete beginners). Similarly for advanced skiers – there are black runs, but most do not live up to the qualification and therefore you are better suited elsewhere in the Via Lattea.
Facilities
The resort largely relies on drag lifts and old chairlifts, but things are improving and there are a few fast lifts around. Expect to queue on sunny weekends when the masses flock from Turin, but the slopes are usually quiet during the week.
Aside from the nightlife, Sauze d’Oulx does not have as much to do away from the slopes as other resorts. There are a few shops and a sports hall (without a pool), but many find themselves heading into Turin for off-slope activities.
Après
In the 70’s and 80’s, Sauze d’Oulx had a reputation for being a little too raucous in the evenings and this still deters some skies. However, this is no longer the case and now it is much more pleasant. It is lively and cheap which is ideal for party seekers, with many different options available and plenty of live music.
For late nights and live music, it is worth heading to The Cotton Club, Osteria dei Vagabond and Del Falco. If you are searching for a quieter evening, Miravallino and wine bars Caffe della Seggovia and Enoteca Il Lampione are sophisticated and elegant venues. There are dozens of other fun and welcoming pubs and bars throughout the resort to explore.
How to Get to Resorts in Via Lattea
Reaching any of the resorts in the Via Lattea region is simple due to its close proximity to Turin and the motorways.
For those arriving at Turin Airport (TRN), it will take between an hour and a quarter and 2 hours to arrive depending on the resort you have chosen. This is the most popular travel choice as Turin is easily reached from the UK with major airlines such as BA, Ryanair and easyJet. As an alternative, Chambéry (CMF) airport is also nearby and can be reached from the UK with flights from Jet2.
From either airport, the most efficient way to reach Via Lattea is with a Shuttle Direct transfer. This allows for a quick and easy onwards journey, plus they can transport your ski equipment for free.
About Shuttle Direct
Shuttle Direct is the number one choice for fast, efficient and reliable transfers across Europe, including the Austrian, Italian and French Alps. Their transfer options from Turin and Chambéry can accommodate for all budgets and group sizes, with free transportation of equipment.
Book today and their team of experts will take care of everything.
