Is Sestriere good for beginners?

Yes, for a first or second week on snow. There are wide, gentle slopes directly above the village and ski schools based in the centre. Once you progress to reds, the linked Vialattea opens up quickly.

When is the ski season in Sestriere?

Typically early December to mid-April. Thanks to the 2,035m base and extensive snowmaking, Sestriere usually opens earlier and closes later than lower Piedmont resorts.

How do I get to Sestriere from Turin?

By car it is about 1h30 via the A32 and SS23, or via Val Chisone and Pinerolo. By public transport, take a train to Oulx-Cesana-Claviere-Sestriere and then the bus up to the resort - around 2 hours in total.

Do I need a car in Sestriere?

No. The village is compact and the lifts leave from the centre, so you can ski and eat without driving. A car mainly helps if you want to explore other Val Susa resorts.

Can you ski from Sestriere into France?

Yes. The pistes and lifts continue west through Claviere to Montgenèvre in France. You need the international Vialattea pass, and it is worth carrying ID.

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Sestriere · Torino · Piemonte

Sestriere

Q: What is the Vialattea ski area?

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

Description

Sestriere is a high-altitude ski resort at 2,035 metres in the heart of Piedmont's Vialattea ski area. With 400 km of interconnected pistes across Italy and France, it offers varied skiing for all abilities and a strong Olympic heritage.

Good for

Olympic skiingBig ski areasAprès-skiEasy accessFamiliesFreestyle / snowparkOff-pisteWeekend trips

Terrain by ability

Easy / beginner

~107pistes

The majority of the slopes are blue, with gentle, wide green runs directly above the village and around Borgata, making the area ideal for beginners in their first weeks on snow

Intermediate

~169pistes

The bulk of the terrain: long red cruisers on Monte Sises, Banchetta and Motta, plus easy links towards Sauze d'Oulx.

Advanced

~37pistes

Olympic black runs such as Kandahar Banchetta and Giovanni Alberto Agnelli, plus off-piste and ski-touring in Val Troncea.

Practical Information

Season

Typically early December to mid-April

Snow Reliability

High base altitude plus extensive snowmaking make Sestriere one of Piedmont's most snow-sure resorts.

Linked ski area

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

Lift pass prices

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

How to get to Sestriere

✈️ By air - Turin Caselle (TRN) is the closest airport, roughly 100 km and 1h30 by road. Milan Malpensa (MXP) is around 250 km / 3h. Both have winter transfer services in season.

🚗 By car - From Turin take the A32 towards Oulx then the SS23 over the pass, or the Val Chisone road via Pinerolo and Fenestrelle. Winter tyres or chains are legally required in season, and the final climb is exposed after heavy snow.

🚆 By train + bus - The nearest station is Oulx-Cesana-Claviere-Sestriere on the Turin-Bardonecchia line, with regular buses up to Sestriere in about 40 minutes. Total journey time from Turin Porta Susa is around 2 hours.

🚶 Without a car - The village is small and walkable, and lifts leave from the centre, so a car is not needed once you arrive.

Who Sestriere suits best

Best for

Confident intermediates who want mileage. If you can ski a red comfortably, the linked Vialattea gives you weeks of variety without repeating runs.

Also good for

Early- and late-season trips thanks to the altitude
Strong skiers chasing Olympic-grade blacks
Families wanting short transfers and ski-in ski-out convenience
Weekend visitors from Turin or Milan

Less ideal for

Travellers wanting a picturesque, historic Alpine village
Anyone who prefers sheltered tree skiing in bad weather (base yourself towards Sauze d'Oulx instead)

More about Sestriere

Sestriere was built in the 1930s by the Agnelli family as one of Europe's first purpose-built ski resorts, and it still feels different from the old stone villages elsewhere in the Alps: two landmark cylindrical towers, a compact centre, and lifts leaving from the middle of the village.

Sitting on a high pass at 2,035m between Val Chisone and Val Susa, it is the highest resort in the Vialattea (Milky Way) ski area and the most snow-sure. The 2006 Turin Winter Olympics brought the alpine races here, along with upgraded lifts, snowmaking, and a wide, floodlit finish area.

The skiing itself favours mileage over drama: mostly open, treeless terrain above the pass, long red and blue cruisers linking back to the centre, and a genuine set of Olympic black runs around Borgata for those who want them. From Sestriere you can ski the full Vialattea circuit in a day - through Sansicario to Sauze d'Oulx, or west to Claviere and over the border into France - though it takes an early start and the right pass.

Off the slopes, the compact village centre has a good spread of bars and restaurants, and nightlife picks up noticeably in high season - Christmas, New Year, and February half-term bring a livelier crowd both on the mountain and in the evenings. Outside peak weeks, it's a quieter, more low-key base, in keeping with a resort built primarily for skiing rather than sightseeing.

On-the-ground tips

🎫 Passes - Decide between the Sestriere-only pass and the wider Vialattea pass before you buy; the international version adds Montgenèvre in France, so bring ID.

📅 When to go - January and February are coldest and most reliable; March brings longer, sunnier days and softer afternoon snow. Christmas, New Year and the Italian February half-term are the busiest weeks.

📆 Weekends - Sestriere is a popular day-trip from Turin, so Saturdays and Sundays are noticeably busier than midweek.

🍽️ Restaurants - Mountain restaurants are spread across the linked area rather than concentrated in one bowl.

Location

Sestriere, Val Chisone - Piedmont Alps, on the French border