Vialattea (Milky Way): The Complete Guide

The Vialattea (Milky Way) links five Piedmont resorts - Sestriere, Sauze d'Oulx, Sansicario, Cesana Torinese and Claviere - on one pass and around 400 km of pistes. Here's what each one offers and how to choose.

Sestriere - the highest and most Olympic

Sestriere is Vialattea's original purpose-built resort, sitting at 2,035m - the highest base in the area - with genuine Olympic heritage: it hosted alpine skiing events at the 2006 Turin Winter Games and was one of Europe's first purpose-built ski resorts back in the 1930s. Being the highest base also makes it the most snow-sure of the five, with early- and late-season skiing more reliable here than lower down the valley. Best for: - Reliable snow, especially early and late season - Weekend trips from Turin - Big linked mileage without leaving your own doorstep Read the full Sestriere guide →

Sauze d'Oulx - the liveliest base

Sauze d'Oulx has been popular with British and Irish skiers since the 1970s, and its nightlife is still the strongest in the Vialattea - a dense cluster of bars in the village centre that gets genuinely busy over Christmas, New Year and February half-term. The skiing itself is mostly sheltered, tree-lined red runs, a contrast to Sestriere's open, high-altitude pistes. Best for: - Après-ski and a sociable evening scene - Tree-lined intermediate runs - Weekend trips Read the full Sauze d'Oulx guide →

Sansicario - the quiet, sunny side

Sansicario splits into two parts - the old alpine hamlet of Sansicario Borgo and the purpose-built Sansicario Alto above it - and is best known for its sunny, south-facing pistes through larch forest, plus the Olympic downhill piste on Monte Fraiteve, used for the Women's Downhill and Super-G at the 2006 Turin Games. It's the calmest, most residential of the five bases, with little nightlife but easy lift access into the busier parts of the Vialattea. Best for: - Families and quieter evenings - Sunny, wooded cruising terrain - A residential rather than resort-village feel Read the full Sansicario guide →

Cesana Torinese - the low-cost gateway

Cesana Torinese is the lowest and most affordable of the five bases, a real valley town rather than a resort village, with a gondola linking it up to the slopes around Sansicario. It also carries real Olympic history: the 2006 Games' bobsleigh, luge and skeleton events ran on the Cesana Pariol track, with biathlon at the nearby Cesana San Sicario stadium. It suits visitors happy to ride a gondola each morning in exchange for lower prices and a quieter, more local base. Best for: - Budget-conscious trips - Easy lift access into the wider Vialattea - A quieter, more local atmosphere Read the full Cesana Torinese guide →

Claviere - on the French border

Claviere is the smallest and quietest of the five, sitting right on the Italy-France border with a piste running down directly from Montgenèvre on the French side. It's historically been a customs town on the Montgenèvre pass, and today it's known for gentle, family-friendly terrain and well-kept cross-country trails alongside its downhill pistes - a deliberately low-key alternative to Sauze d'Oulx or Sestriere. Best for: - Families and first-time skiers - Cross-country skiing - Day trips across into France Read the full Claviere guide →

Passes, getting there and when to go

🎫 The pass - A single Vialattea pass covers all five Italian resorts (an international version adds Montgenèvre in France). Daily prices run roughly €17.5-18 for a child and €53-58.5 for an adult, though rates vary by date and season - check current prices before you travel. 🚗 Getting there - Turin Caselle is the closest airport to all five resorts, with Milan Malpensa as a second option. By car, the A32 motorway from Turin runs up towards Oulx, with each resort a short drive further. By train, Oulx-Cesana-Claviere-Sestriere station on the Turin-Bardonecchia line is the shared gateway, with onward buses to each resort. 📅 When to go - The season typically runs from early December to mid-April. Sestriere and Sansicario's higher, sunnier terrain tends to hold snow best; Cesana, the lowest base, is the most weather-dependent. 🧭 Picking a base - If in doubt, Sestriere for snow-sureness and Olympic history, Sauze d'Oulx for nightlife, Sansicario for a quiet sunny base, Cesana for budget and easy access, Claviere for families and the France day trip.