Vialattea in brief
Visit Vialattea for skiing in two countries, lively apres-ski, amazing views, championship-standard slopes and forest pistes.
Resort name:
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Vialattea
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Location:
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Piedmont (Italy) & Montgenèvre (France)
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Nearest airport:
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Turin
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Transfer time:
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Ranges from1 hr 30 mins (Turin to Sestriere) to 1 hr 45 mins (Turin to Montgenèvre), by car
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Altitude:
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Ranges from 1,509 m (Sauze d’Oulx) to 2,035 m (Sestriere)
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Total ski runs:
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400 km
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Beginner runs:
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41
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Intermediate runs:
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92
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Advanced runs:
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30
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Activities:
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Alpine skiing, cross-country skiing, heli-skiing, snowboarding, ice skating, sledding, hiking
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Did you know?
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Vialattea hosted alpine skiing, freestyle, bobsleigh and other events at the 2006 Winter Olympics in Turin.
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Skiing in Vialattea
Vialattea (also sometimes known as Via Lattea) is a sprawling ski region that is mainly located in the Italian Alps, but also reaches over the border into France. Its name translates into ‘Milky Way’ and there are an impressive 163 ski courses to try your hand at, as well as 69 ski lifts.
There are six main resorts where you can stay - five in Piedmont in Italy and one in France. The Italian resorts are Sestriere, Sauze d’Oulx, Sansicario, Pragelato and Claviere, while Montgenèvre can be found in the French Alps.
Sestriere is the highest of the resorts and tends to attract affluent skiers looking for a luxury holiday. It has previously hosted Olympic, Paralympic and Alpine World Cup events, making it a haven for those looking for a challenge on the slopes. However, it’s worth checking out some of the other linked slopes in Vialattea to add variety to your ski trip.
Sauze d’Oulx is a large, popular resort with plenty of wide, sunny runs to enjoy, as well as some excellent off-piste skiing and quite a few tree-lined trails. The slopes are generally better suited to intermediate and expert skiers than beginners, and the apres-ski is nice and lively.
Nestled between Sauze d'Oulx and Sestriere is Sansicario, which offers lots of woodland runs for skiers and a couple of quiet, scenic villages - Sansicario Borgo and San Sicario Alto - to explore during your downtime.
Claviere is located closest to the border with France and is perfect for skiers who love to immerse themselves in nature thanks to the forest pistes. There’s also the spectacular view of the 3,31 m high Chaberton mountain to take in. The resort is best for intermediate and advanced skiers.
If you want to really get away from it all, Pragelato is a small resort located away from the villages and offers 50 km of skiing ideal for all skill levels. It has a particularly good set of cross-country trails, too.
Over the border, Montgenèvre is ideally located for both snow and sunshine, thanks to its position in the southern Alps and proximity to the Mediterranean region. You’ll find plenty of tree-lined runs here, as well as some good off-piste skiing.
Photo credit ©Vialattea