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The Milky Way - or Via Lattea in Italian - is a cross-border ski area linking four Italian resorts with one in France, spread across the mountains west of Turin. It's an area with serious Olympic pedigree - Sestriere and Sauze d'Oulx hosted alpine skiing events at the 2006 Turin Winter Olympics - and a distinctive character that blends Italian food, atmosphere, and easy-going warmth with genuinely extensive skiing.
The area covers 400 km of marked piste served by 70 lifts, sitting between 1,350 m and 2,823 m. There are 249 runs in total: 36 green, 101 blue, 89 red, and 23 black. The season typically runs from early December through to mid-April. Five resorts share a single Via Lattea pass, with lifts linking all of them across the Italian-French border.
Sauze d'Oulx is the liveliest resort, popular with British skiers for its après-ski and Italian charm. Sestriere is the highest and most purpose-built. Sansicario-Cesana is quiet and family-friendly. Claviere sits right on the French border, and Montgenèvre - the only French resort in the network - has a distinctly different feel on the other side. Browse Milky Way ski deals on WeSki to start planning your trip.
Sauze d'Oulx sits at 1,509 m and has long been one of the most popular Italian resorts with British skiers. The old village centre is charming - narrow streets, traditional restaurants, and a handful of lively bars that keep going well into the evening. The skiing fans out above the village across a sunny, west-facing mountainside, with a good spread of blues and reds through the trees. From the top, you can link across to Sestriere and Sansicario, or head up to the ridge and over towards Claviere and Montgenèvre. The atmosphere is sociable and relaxed, with that particular Italian combination of good food, good coffee, and an unhurried approach to the day.
Sestriere is the highest resort in the Milky Way at 2,035 m, sitting on an open mountain pass between two valleys. It hosted the alpine skiing events at the 2006 Winter Olympics, and the Kandahar Giovani Agnelli piste remains one of the area's most demanding runs. The resort is purpose-built and compact - two distinctive cylindrical towers dominate the skyline. The skiing is well connected in both directions: towards Sauze d'Oulx on one side and towards Sansicario and Cesana on the other. The altitude keeps conditions reliable, and the slopes above the village are wide and well-groomed.
Sansicario is a small, purpose-built resort at 1,700 m that's one of the quietest bases in the Milky Way. It's ski-in ski-out, compact, and well-suited to families looking for a peaceful setting. Cesana Torinese, the larger village below at 1,350 m, is a traditional town on the main road to the Montgenèvre pass. Between them, they provide a calm, unhurried alternative to the livelier Italian resorts. The skiing links directly to Sestriere in one direction and Claviere in the other.
Claviere is the last Italian village before the French border, sitting at 1,760 m directly opposite Montgenèvre. It's tiny - a handful of hotels, a few restaurants, and a relaxed, local atmosphere. The skiing connects into Montgenèvre on one side and back towards Cesana and the rest of the Italian network on the other, making it a well-positioned base for exploring both countries. The village gets good afternoon sun and has a distinctly Italian feel despite being right on the frontier.
Montgenèvre is the French resort in the Milky Way network, sitting at 1,860 m on the Col de Montgenèvre pass. It's a small, sunny village with a distinctly different feel from the Italian resorts - French bakeries replace Italian bars, and the slopes have a different character too. The local skiing has a good mix of blues and reds on both sides of the pass, with tree-lined runs down to the village. From here you can ski directly into Claviere and the Italian side. It's also close to Briançon, the highest town in France, which is worth a visit on a rest day.
Montgenèvre and Sansicario are the strongest choices for beginners. Montgenèvre has a gentle nursery area right in the village centre, with wide greens and a sheltered aspect that gets plenty of sun. Sansicario's slopes are calm and well-groomed, with dedicated beginners' terrain separated from faster traffic. Sauze d'Oulx has a nursery area at the base, though the main skiing above is better suited to intermediates. Sestriere has open terrain at altitude that's good for progressing onto blues once you're linking turns.
WeSki does not currently have lessons available in the Milky Way area, but all resorts have local ski schools with English-speaking instructors.
WeSki tip: Montgenèvre's south-facing nursery slopes get sunshine most of the day, which keeps the snow soft and forgiving. For first-timers, that warmth and good visibility makes a bigger difference than you'd expect - it takes the edge off those first few hours on skis.
With 101 blues and 89 reds, intermediates can cover a huge amount of ground. The classic day out is to ski the full Milky Way circuit - from Sauze d'Oulx across to Sestriere, through Sansicario and Cesana to Claviere, over the border into Montgenèvre, and back. It's a full day's skiing that takes you through five resorts and two countries. The reds above Sauze d'Oulx are long and satisfying through the trees, and the blue runs above Montgenèvre are wide, sunny cruisers. The link runs between resorts are enjoyable rather than just functional.
WeSki tip: If you're doing the full circuit, start from the Sauze d'Oulx side heading towards Sestriere early in the morning. The Italian side gets the morning sun first, and you'll arrive in Montgenèvre for a late lunch in the French sunshine before skiing back. Allow a full day - it's around 80 km of skiing.
The 23 blacks are concentrated around Sestriere and the upper slopes above Sauze d'Oulx. The Olympic Kandahar Giovani Agnelli run at Sestriere is the standout - steep, sustained, and fast, with genuine World Cup pedigree. The Sportinia area above Sauze d'Oulx has some challenging terrain off the back of the ridge. Off-piste opportunities are more limited than in higher-altitude French areas, but after fresh snow, the tree skiing above Sauze d'Oulx and the open bowls above Sestriere can be rewarding. A guide is recommended for anything beyond the marked runs.
WeSki tip: The Olympic downhill at Sestriere is open to the public and well worth a run - it gives you a real feel for how steep a World Cup course actually is. Ski it when the grooming is fresh for the full experience.
The Via Lattea ski pass covers all 400 km of piste and 70 lifts across all five resorts in Italy and France on a single ticket. Passes are available from one day up to the full season, with discounted rates for children, teens, and seniors. Individual resort passes are also available if you're planning to stay local - Montgenèvre has its own pass, as does the Italian side. Upgrade options let you switch to the full Via Lattea pass if you change your mind.
You can add the lift pass directly to your WeSki booking, along with ski equipment hire at Sauze d'Oulx, Cesana, Claviere, Montgenèvre, and San Sicario - so everything's sorted before you arrive.
WeSki tip: The Via Lattea pass also includes entry to some of the 2006 Olympic venues and the bobsled track experience at Cesana. Check what's included when you book - it varies by season, and the bobsled ride is a memorable rest-day activity.
Turin is the closest airport for the Italian resorts, around 1 hour 30 minutes' drive via the Fréjus tunnel road. Milan Malpensa is roughly 2 hours 30 minutes. For Montgenèvre on the French side, Grenoble is about 2 hours away, and Lyon roughly 2 hours 30 minutes. By train, the TGV serves Oulx-Cesana station on the Turin-Paris line - from there, Sauze d'Oulx is a 15-minute bus ride and Sestriere about 30 minutes. Free shuttle buses connect the Italian resort villages during the season.
WeSki has private and shared transfers to Sauze d'Oulx, Sestriere, Claviere, and Montgenèvre, plus private transfers to Sansicario-Cesana. Scheduled transfers are available to Montgenèvre. Add them to your booking for a straightforward door-to-door trip.
The season runs from early December to mid-April. There's no glacier skiing, so conditions depend on natural snowfall and snowmaking. Sestriere's position at 2,035 m and the higher slopes above Montgenèvre tend to hold snow best. The area has invested in snowmaking in recent years, and coverage on key runs is good. January to early March typically sees the most reliable conditions across the full linked circuit.
Italian school holidays (late December and throughout February) and UK half-term are the busiest periods. If you've got flexibility, January and the first two weeks of March are quieter while still offering good snow. The Milky Way's sunny, south-facing aspect means late-season spring skiing can be enjoyable on the higher slopes, though lower runs can soften by early afternoon.
Yes. Montgenèvre and Sansicario both have dedicated nursery areas that are sunny, sheltered, and separated from faster traffic. Sestriere has open terrain at altitude that's good for progressing onto blues. WeSki does not currently have lessons available in the Milky Way, but all resorts have local ski schools with English-speaking instructors.
The Milky Way (Via Lattea) covers 400 km of marked piste served by 70 lifts, ranging from 1,350 m to 2,823 m. There are 249 runs in total: 36 green, 101 blue, 89 red, and 23 black. Five resorts in Italy and France share a single lift pass.
Yes. The Milky Way pass covers both countries, and the lift system connects all five resorts. Claviere (Italy) links directly to Montgenèvre (France) by ski lifts, so you can cross the border on the slopes. The full circuit from Sauze d'Oulx through to Montgenèvre and back is a popular day out. No passport is needed for EU and UK citizens.
Sauze d'Oulx is the liveliest, with good après-ski and a traditional Italian village centre. Sestriere is the highest and most purpose-built, with reliable snow and Olympic history. Sansicario is quiet and ski-in ski-out - ideal for families. Claviere is tiny and right on the French border. Montgenèvre is the French resort, with a different atmosphere, good beginner slopes, and proximity to Briançon.
The season typically runs from early December to mid-April. There is no glacier skiing. Sestriere at 2,035 m and the higher slopes above Montgenèvre hold snow best, and snowmaking covers key runs across the area.
For the Italian resorts, fly to Turin (about 1 hr 30 min drive) or Milan Malpensa (2 hr 30 min). For Montgenèvre, fly to Grenoble (2 hr) or Lyon (2 hr 30 min). By train, the TGV stops at Oulx-Cesana station, which is 15 minutes from Sauze d'Oulx. WeSki has private, shared, and scheduled transfers available depending on the resort.
No. The lift system links all five resorts during ski hours, so you can ski the full circuit in a day. Free shuttle buses also run between the Italian villages. The link between Claviere and Montgenèvre is by ski lift, so you can cross into France and back on the mountain.
Yes. Ski equipment hire is available through WeSki at Sauze d'Oulx, Cesana, Claviere, Montgenèvre, and San Sicario. WeSki does not currently have lessons available in the Milky Way area. You can add equipment hire to your booking along with your lift pass and transfers.
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