Sestriere was built for snow – high, with north-west-facing slopes – and it has very extensive snowmaking, too. So even if you are let down by the notoriously erratic snowfalls in this corner of Italy, you should be fairly safe here – certainly safer than in Sauze d’Oulx, over the hill.
Sestriere is a high-altitude purpose built resort popular with British skiers. The resort is part of the Milky Way, the area of 92 lifts linking five major Italian resorts with the French border town of Montgenèvre and so has a huge ski area. Sestriere was Europe’s first purpose built resort and charm was not in the plans. The height makes it pretty snow secure as well as providing great views though, so the accommodation areas’ lack of material beauty can be forgiven.
Restaurants are good value and the variety is reasonable too, with more than just cheap pasta and pizza available. Nights out are spent amongst Brits and an international crowd, and weekends in particular are lively and great for partying the night away. Kids lift passes are a pretty good deal with no charge until they are eight years old, but off of the slopes there is not a huge amount for families to do – there are the traditional ice rinks and swimming pools and older kids may enjoy the snowshoeing too.
What's New
The gondola to Col Basset, the original link with Sauze, was removed in 2009; the blue piste back remains, but access to and from Sauze is now via M Fraiteve. The terrain park was relocated above the double nursery draglifts.
