The geography of the ski region is made up of wide, panoramic slopes that pass through fragrant forests. The slopes connect traditional villages with quaint Occitan chalets to contemporary resort towns. With over 80% of the ski area situated at a height of over 1,900m, the natural snow at high altitude is backed up temperatures that are conducive to artificial snow production.

The ski area has a huge lift capacity of over 75,000 people per hour which is serviced by 70 ski lifts. The two main gateways to the ski area are Monte Fraiteve, which connects Sestriere to Sauze d’Oulx and San Sicario, and the Monti della Luna, “Mountains of the Moon”, where the slopes of Cesana Torinese, Claviere and Montgenèvre depart.

The Milky Way ski area offers skiers and snowboarders 247 slopes, with 9 green, 70 blue, 134 red, and 34 black pistes. It is a great destination for intermediate skiers who love to travel around the mountains without skiing the same piste twice. There are also two snowparks in Sestriere and Sauze d’Oulx designed for both freestyle and ski cross.

For families with small children, make sure you don’t miss out on the Baby Fun Park of San Sicario and Sauze d’Oulx that are equipped with bouncy inflatables that will let your kids really enjoy the fun of snow on their ski holiday. A ski holiday in Italy is also about enjoying the local cuisine, and with more than 30 mountain restaurants covering the ski area you can discover a new place to eat each lunch time.

Over many years, the Via Lattea ski slopes have also played host to numerous international ski competitions. From 1967 onwards the local ski slopes have been the venue for over 30 visits of the Ski World Cup, and then in 1997, they played host to the Alpine Ski World Championships. They also hosted the 20th Winter Olympic Games of Turin 2006, during which the village of Pragelato was connected to the more famous neighbouring town Sestriere via the brand-new Pattemouche cable car.

Sestriere, the largest of the Milky Way ski resorts, features one red and one white tower that are silhouetted against the skyline and symbolise the spirit of the town. Built in 1930 by the car company FIAT, they were purpose-built to serve as a holiday retreat for their workers at their car plant in Turin. There is a good selection of off-slope diversions here with an ice rink, sports centre, and fitness centre.

The slopes above Sestriere are mainly north-west facing, with a good variety of pistes for all abilities. For any beginner skiers there are good nursery slopes in front of the village centre. The Pattemouche cable car, which departs from the nearby village of Pragelato, connects you into the slopes above Sestriere, and you can return to the village via the red piste No 14.