Milky Way Ski Holidays

Milky Way Skiing Holidays
The Milky Way is an extensive ski area in the scenic Piedmont region, bordering both France and Italy. It is made up of the areas of Sestriere, Sauze D’Oulx, Sansicario, Cesana, Claviere and Montgenevre and together these resorts offer a combined ski area of 400km covering 140 slopes. The lift system transports skiers around the entire Milky Way and ranges in altitude from 1350m at Cesana right up to a height of 2800m, found at Mount Motta in Sestriere. The Milky Way is characterised by wide open slopes under sunny skies, and is a mecca for intermediate skiers, who come to cruise the long, enjoyable slopes against a stunning backdrop, sample the delicious food and wine and relax in the welcoming Italian hospitality.

Skiing in the Milky Way – The Mountains
The Milky Way was founded back in the 1930’s and has progressed so much that it now has the proud honour of hosting the 2006 Turin Olympic Winter Games. The area is so extensive that it is impossible to explore the whole area in a week, and the towns and villages of the Milky Way vary from quaint and traditional, to large and purpose-built. Sestriere is the highest resort, developed in the ‘60’s, with the most snow sure slopes and the best access to the rest of the Milky Way. The trails here are generally considered to be the most challenging – try the Kandahar piste, a world class downhill racing run, or the expert level off-piste skiing. Sauze d’Oulx is a charming medieval town, with the liveliest après-ski in the Milky Way, full of long winding tree-lined red runs, served by old, fairly slow lifts but serviced by efficient snowmakers. Sansicario lies on a mountain face between these two resorts, its' constantly sunny slopes offering skiing up to 2700m. The Cesana-Claviere region offers more suitable beginners skiing in a quiet traditional setting, and connects to Montgenevre in France.

Skiing in the Milky Way – The Après-ski
The traditional après-ski throughout the Milky Way focuses on fun gatherings and food. Piedmont cuisine is rated highly and counts cheeses, sausages, truffles and chocolate amongst its’ specialities. Pizza can be found everywhere, and the locally grown wine is always popular. There are a huge number of mountain huts throughout the region, and it’s possible to get an incredibly delicious meal up and down most of the mountains. For more boisterous après-ski, head to Sauze D’Oulx with its’ party like atmosphere and bars which are open all night. Throughout the Milky Way, other activities are available such as heliSkiing, ice-skating and bowling.