Via Lattea – Sestriere

The Via Lattea is the largest ski resort in Piedmont and one of the most extensive in Italy, with a historical distinction no other Italian resort can claim: it was the first ski resort built from scratch in the country, commissioned directly by the Agnelli family in the 1930s.

Sestriere: The City of Skiing

Sestriere was born in 1934 from Giovanni Agnelli’s visionary project to found a “city of skiing” from nothing on the heights of the Val Chisone — before the very concept of a ski resort had spread across the western Alps. The result was a settlement designed around the mountain, with the two original cylindrical towers of the Fiat village that still stand on the village skyline today as unmistakable architectural landmarks. The idea was simple and radical: bring the mountains within reach of Fiat workers and create a centre of sporting excellence that would reflect the brand’s prestige. The operation succeeded beyond expectations, and the name Sestriere consolidated over time as synonymous with quality Italian skiing.

The 2006 Olympics

The Olympic chapter gave Sestriere definitive international visibility. At the Turin 2006 Winter Games, the Sestriere slopes hosted the giant slalom and slalom events, with global television coverage and tens of thousands of spectators on the grandstands. The Olympic legacy is still visible today in the infrastructure: upgraded lifts, one of the most extensive artificial snowmaking networks in the Alpine arc, and FIS-certified timing systems. The pistes remain homologated for international competition and are regularly used for circuit races.

The Extent of the Resort

The Via Lattea is not Sestriere: it is a system. The resort aggregates Sestriere, Sauze d’Oulx, Sansicario, Claviere and Cesana Torinese on the Italian side, for a total of around 400 km of pistes and 70 lifts. The variety is genuine: wide, fast pistes for expert skiers, well-signposted intermediate runs, children’s areas in the lower resorts. The elevation difference between the valley floor and the highest points — up to 2,823 metres — guarantees a broad snowmaking window extending from late November through to Easter in most seasons.

The French Side

One of the most interesting elements of the Via Lattea is the international connection. Through Claviere — Italy’s westernmost municipality in the Alps — you cross the border without any physical barrier and enter directly into the Montgenevre resort, an integral part of the French “Voie Lactee”. The international skipass, purchasable directly at the Italian ticket offices, allows skiing on both sides without formality: descend the piste, cross into France, ascend from the other side. For a mountain resort this kind of cross-border permeability is a concrete value, not a brochure detail.

Value for Money

The Via Lattea deliberately positions itself on a more accessible price tier than premium resorts like Courmayeur or Cortina d’Ampezzo. The daily skipass stays under sixty euros for most of the season, and the accommodation offer in the resort’s villages — Sauze d’Oulx in particular — covers every budget level. For intermediate skiers seeking kilometres, piste variety and good organisation without paying the luxury brand premium, the Via Lattea is one of the most rational choices in the western Alps.

Access

From Turin take the A32 motorway towards Frejus to the Sestriere exit: approximately 1 hour 20 minutes under normal conditions. From the French side, arrive via the A43 from Lyon and Grenoble. From Genoa the route via A26 and the Turin motorway ring takes approximately 2 hours 30 minutes.