Is Sansicario good for beginners?

Yes. Sansicario Alto has gentle, sheltered slopes suited to families and less confident skiers, with easy links into the rest of the Vialattea once you're ready.

When is the ski season in Sansicario?

Typically early December to mid-April, with January and February the most snow-reliable months.

How do I get to Sansicario from Turin?

By car it's about 1h20 via the A32 and SS24 through Cesana Torinese. By public transport, take a train to Oulx-Cesana-Claviere-Sestriere and then a bus onward to Sansicario - around 2 hours in total.

What Olympic events were held in Sansicario?

Sansicario hosted the Women's Downhill and Super-G alpine skiing races at the 2006 Turin Winter Olympics, run on the Pista Olimpica on Monte Fraiteve.

Is Sansicario quiet compared to other Vialattea resorts?

Yes. It's a smaller, more residential base than Sestriere or Sauze d'Oulx, with little nightlife but easy lift access into the busier parts of the ski area.

Explore

Cesana Torinese · Torino · Piemonte

Sansicario

Q: What is the Vialattea ski area?

The Vialattea (Milky Way) is the lift-linked domain joining Sansicario, Cesana, Sestriere, Sauze d'Oulx, Claviere and Montgenèvre in France - around 400 km of pistes on one pass.

Description

Sansicario is a sunny, wooded ski resort at 1,700 metres in Piedmont's Vialattea ski area, split between the old alpine hamlet of Sansicario Borgo and the purpose-built resort of Sansicario Alto above it. It hosted the Women's Downhill and Super-G at the 2006 Turin Olympics, and its south-facing slopes through the larch forest are known for easy, scenic cruising.

Good for

FamiliesBig ski areasEasy accessOff-pisteTree skiingWeekend tripsOlympic skiingBudget skiing

Terrain by ability

Easy / beginner

~107pistes

Gentle, forested runs around Sansicario Alto, well suited to families and less confident skiers, with generally quiet pistes.

Intermediate

~169pistes

Long, sunny red runs through the larch woods, plus easy links east towards Cesana and Sestriere.

Advanced

~37pistes

The Olympic downhill piste on Monte Fraiteve, used for the Women's Downhill and Super-G at the 2006 Turin Games, is the standout test for stronger skiers.

Practical Information

Season

Typically early December to mid-April

Snow Reliability

South-facing and forested, so afternoon sun can soften snow in a mild spell, but the altitude and connections into Sestriere keep conditions reliable through the season.

Linked ski area

Vialattea / Milky Way: Sansicario, Cesana, Sestriere, Sauze d'Oulx, Claviere and Montgenèvre (France)

Lift pass prices

The Vialattea daily skipass price: - Child: €17.5-18 - Adult: €53-58.5

How to get to Sansicario

✈️ By air - Turin Caselle (TRN) is the closest airport, roughly 85 km and around 1h20 by road. Milan Malpensa (MXP) is around 235 km / 2h45. Both have winter transfer services in season.

🚗 By car - From Turin take the A32 towards Oulx, then follow the SS24 through Cesana Torinese up to Sansicario. Winter tyres or chains are legally required in season.

🚆 By train + bus - The nearest station is Oulx-Cesana-Claviere-Sestriere on the Turin-Bardonecchia line, with onward buses to Sansicario in around 25 minutes. Total journey time from Turin Porta Nuova is roughly 2 hours.

🚶 Without a car - Sansicario Alto is compact and pedestrian-friendly, with lifts close to the accommodation, so a car is not needed once you arrive.

Who Sansicario suits best

Best for

Families and skiers who want sunny, sheltered cruising, with the wooded, south-facing pistes around Sansicario Alto are quiet even in high season, with an easy link into the busier parts of the Vialattea.

Also good for

A calmer, more residential base than Sestriere or Sauze d'Oulx
Intermediates who enjoy long, tree-lined red and blue runs
Stronger skiers curious to try the Olympic downhill piste on Monte Fraiteve

Less ideal for

Skiers wanting a lively village centre and nightlife on their doorstep
Anyone who prefers open, high-altitude terrain to wooded slopes

More about Sansicario

Sansicario sits at 1,700m on the sunny side of the upper Val Susa, made up of two distinct parts: Sansicario Borgo, an old alpine hamlet with houses dating back to the 17th century and the small Church of Sant'Atanasio, and Sansicario Alto above it, a purpose-built resort of modern chalets and apartments developed alongside the rest of the Vialattea from the 1970s.

The resort is best known outside Italy for its Olympic history: in 2006, Sansicario hosted the Women's Downhill and Super-G alpine skiing events for the Turin Winter Olympics, run down the Pista Olimpica on the slopes of Monte Fraiteve. The piste remains open to the public and is one of the more serious tests of skiing in the Vialattea.

Away from the Olympic run, the skiing is mostly gentle and scenic: long red and blue pistes wind down through larch forest, catching the sun for most of the day, and lifts link east towards Cesana and on to Sestriere for skiers who want more mileage. Sansicario's own village is quiet and residential rather than a nightlife destination, which suits visitors looking for a calmer base within easy reach of the wider Milky Way circuit.

On-the-ground tips

🎫 Passes - The Vialattea pass covers Sansicario and the rest of the linked area; the international version adds Montgenèvre in France if you plan to cross the border.

📅 When to go - The south-facing slopes get good sun, so mornings tend to ski best; January and February are the most reliable months for snow quality.

📆 Weekends - Quieter than Sestriere or Sauze d'Oulx, though Sansicario still sees day-trippers from Turin and Cesana at weekends.

🏔️ Olympic piste - If you want to try the Women's Downhill course from the 2006 Games, ask locally about conditions on the Pista Olimpica on Monte Fraiteve before setting off.

Location

Sansicario, Val di Susa - Piedmont Alps, above Cesana Torinese