As the gateway to the Via Lattea / Milky Way, the Sauze d’Oulx ski area connects to four other resorts – Sestriere, San Sicario, Claviere and the French resort of Montgenèvre. With over 400km of piste in total, there’s something here to suit every skier and snowboarder.

In Sauze, you’ll inevitably find yourself returning again and again to the plateau at the top of the Sportinia lift. This is where you’ll find the beginner area and magic carpet and almost all ski school lessons start from this point. But don’t be afraid to go further afield. Purchasing a 6-day lift pass in Sauze will give you total access to all the Italian areas and includes two days on the French side. You’ll want to make the most of those two days in France, where the snow conditions are usually the best in the Via Lattea. However, to ski or snowboard from Sauze to Montgenevre involves lots of lifts and gondolas, and can take around three hours each way, even for those with decent experience. The best way to get there? Hire a car from Turin Airport or jump on one of our coaches, drive for 30-40 minutes, and spend at least one whole day of your holiday over on the French side.

Sauze d’Oulx can sometimes suffer from high winds and closed connections, so plan accordingly. If it’s great weather with no wind, plan to get out early and spend the day in the other areas. If conditions aren’t looking great, stay closer to home where the tree-lined skiing and lower altitude can protect you from high winds and low visibility.

The most popular lift pass, and the one we’d recommend to almost everyone on a one week holiday, is the 6 day Via Lattea pass. With the Via Lattea pass, you get unlimited to all the Italian areas:

• Sauze d’Oulx
• Sestriere • Cesana
• Claviere
• Sansicario
•  Montgenèvre (in France)* – Access for up to 2 days with a 6 day Via Lattea lift pass

*Via Lattea lift passes purchased for less than 6 days do not include skiing in Montgenèvre.

The French border starts once you scan through the Col Boeuf Lift (Number 47 on the Piste Map), and although it’s still technically in Claviere, it will count as one of your days in France. There are several other lift passes that offer different combinations of access across the five areas, but if you’re staying in Sauze, it’s almost certainly the Via Lattea pass that you’ll want.

The other pass worth mentioning is the Via Lattea International, which gives you access to the whole ski area, including Montgenevre, every day. It is only available for 6 days and is around €50 more – but if we’re honest, there are very few people will make the most of this lift pass, as skiing 2-3 hours to Montgenèvre and back every day is quite a feat.

For the non-skiers in the group, walkers can purchase an ‘Ascent & Descent’ pass for €18. You can go up all three lifts in Sauze as a walker (Clotes, Sportinia & Jovenceaux), although you can’t come back down the Jovenceaux lift, and should instead come down the Sportinia lift. The other types of lift pass provide access to just a specific area and only a few chair lifts.

Lift passes can be purchased online through the Via Lattea website or directly at the cash desks at the bottom of the lifts. Lift pass prices vary depending on your age and whether it is high / low season – you can find the full price list here 

The Via Lattea ski area has 3 snow parks and one additional boarder cross. However, it’s worth noting that the parks are not always open and depend on the snow conditions and weather forecast.

Sauze d’Oulx
You don’t have to go far to get to the closest park. The Sauze park is accessed via the Rocce Nere lift (8), from the top of Sportinia (7). It’s got a rolling boarder cross, some smaller jumps and a couple of rails and obstacles that will give you an appetite for more. If you only want to lap the park, you can buy a cheaper, daily lift pass that gives you access to only the Jovenceaux, Rocce Nere and Sportinia lifts.

Sestriere
Sestriere is home to the park with the biggest jumps in the Via Lattea, although none of them are massive compared to Europe’s most famous snow parks. But the bonus is, it caters nicely for those who are new to freestyle. There’s a variety of rails and boxes, providing ample opportunities for riders to hone their skills and try out new tricks. It’s easily accessible from drag lifts 26 & 27, and can therefore be lapped easily.

Montgenèvre
On the French side of the Via Lattea, Montgenèvre has the longest and best-maintained park, that caters to all levels of experience. Whether you’re trying your first jump or getting ready to send it, the park runs parallel to the green run, Sagnes, so you can make sure your mates get some great footage of you trying out tricks. It’s also incredibly easy to access, with a drag lift taking you from bottom to top. Check out a video of the Montgenèvre park here.

Additional Features & Details
There’s another boardercross on the right side of the Montgenèvre area, accessed via the Serre Tibaud lift (87) and plenty of other natural features throughouth the whole Via Lattea.

The Via Lattea area has some great opportunities for off piste skiing and snowboarding when conditions allow. Sauze, itself, doesn’t hold the snow as well as other parts of the area, so some seasons you’ll have to venture further afield to find a stable snow pack and enough coverage to enjoy the off piste.

That being said, when the snow pack is good, the route from Sportinia to Prariond is a technical, gorgeous route through dense forest. There’s quite a bit of off piste from Fraiteve, but even experienced guides warn about the tricky terrain here. If it’s not been a great season for snow, the most popular off piste areas are over in Sestriere, Claviere, and Montgenevre. If you’re looking for some much less technical off piste in Sauze then we suggested heading to the ‘bowl’ – you’ll find this area from the top of the Rocce Nere lift (8) and you can ski/snowboard down to the right of the Boulevard piste, making your way down to the bottom of chairlift 11 & 12. As this is a pretty mellow area it can get tracked out quickly.

In Sestriere, you’ll find steep couloirs easily accessible from the higher lifts on Motta and Motta Rossa.

Up at the Montgenèvre pass, there are lots of open bowls that are accessible from the lifts. Out the back of Sestriere, towards Pragelato, you’ll find the Pitre d’Aigle, a firm favourite with those who prefer wide, open off piste that’s not too steep. Expect to get the skins on and hike for around an hour, but this one is well worth the effort.

Needless to say, if you’re here for the off-piste, employing the services of a guide is essential, no ifs or buts. Without their expertise and the proper kit, you’re putting yourself and others at risk. The information shared above is purely informational and if you choose to follow any of the routes you do so in the knowledge that skiing or snowboard off piste can have fatal consequences, even with proper training and equipment. Monsguide accepts no liability and cannot guarantee the accuracy of the routes described above due to the ever-changing conditions. It is illegal to ski off-piste in Italy without full avalanche safety equipment.

Yes, that’s right. In Sauze d’Oulx, you have the possibility to take a helicopter to a pristine, otherwise inaccessible mountain slope and make first tracks in balls-deep powder. Quite literally the stuff dreams are made of.

However, dreams don’t come cheap and it definitely won’t be for everyone. But, you get you a helicopter ride, a highly qualified alpine guide and the required avalanche safety equipment and there aren’t that many places that you can heli-ski anymore so… when in Rome? For full details check out the Pure Ski website here.