Related Regions: All Italy, Italy, Piemonte, Torino, Via Lattea

Sestriere Overview

3.8
5 Reviews
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Overview
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Sestrière

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One of the world's pioneering ski areas, and certainly Italy's, Sestrière was built by the Fiat car company in 1934. The mountain-top Possetto hotel first opened through the winter a decade earlier and more lifts and hotels opened before 1934. It was one of the earliest and still one of the highest purpose- built ski stations and was established in Valsusa, an area on the French border where downhill skiing was first taught in Italy by a Swiss engineer, Alfredo Kind. Today the resort where those lessons took place a century ago, the border village of Clavière, is linked by lift to Sestrière itself in the huge Milky Way. Also connected are its nearest neighbour, Sauze d'Oulx and a dozen small centres on the way over to Montgenèvre over the border in France. Sitting on a sunny plateau, snow cover is guaranteed thanks to both altitude and one of the world's most extensive snow making operations. At the time of its creation it was one of the first resorts in the world with modern hotels and a ski lift system where it was possible to take a family on a relatively economic ski trip - the model copied by the French purpose built centres of thirty years later. Although a very hi tec and modern ski centre, Sestrière is located in an area of great history and culture, dating back to neolithic sites, but rich in Roman and later remains. Of more interest mid-winter however are the excellent sports, leisure and off-slope facilities this resort offers as well as an excellent lift system and snow conditions made some of the world's best by a combination of altitude and one of the world's largest snow making installations - 900 snow guns in strength. No wonder the resort was selected to stage the Alpine World Championships in 1997 and the 2006 Winter Olympics when it was host to some of the Alpine ski competitions. The resort has a long history of ski racing from the first Kandahar contests of the 1930s through to the world Championships, nearly 100 international world contests have been staged. The list of great racers who have won here over the decades is astonishing and includes Jean-Claude Killy, Ingemar Stenmark, Pirmin Zurbriggen to name but a few. Alberto Tomba won his first ever World Cup race at Sestrière. The World Championship race runs on the Kandahar Slalom and Kandahar Banchetta are open for good recreational downhillers to enjoy.

Elevation

Summit

9318 Ft.
Vertical Drop

4810 Ft.
Base

4452 Ft.

Terrain

Beginner Runs

39%

Intermediate Runs

42%

Advanced Runs

19%

Expert Runs

KM of Nordic Open

N/A

KM Pistes

320.00

Terrain Parks

N/A

KM Night Skiing

N/A

Lifts

Eight Person Lifts: 0
Gondolas & Trams: 3
High Speed Sixes: 0
Quad Chairs: 13
Triple Chairs: 2
Double Chairs: 10
Surface Lifts: 22

Common Misspellings

Sester, Sestiere, Sestre, Sestri, Sestrier, Sestrierre, Sistire

Important Dates

Projected Opening Ski Season:

Projected Closing Ski Season:

Years Open: 78

Sestriere Reviews

by postmanclark Sep 6, 2010
- Overall Rating 4.0
- Family Friendly 5.0
- All Mtn. Terrain 3.0
- Terrain Park 0.0
- Nightlife 2.0
Easter holidays

Pros: Lots of intermediate runs, area access
Cons: Piste conditions during afternoon
by towerman14 Jan 27, 2010
- Overall Rating 4.0
- Family Friendly 4.0
- All Mtn. Terrain 3.0
- Terrain Park 3.0
- Nightlife 1.0
Lift alterations

Pros: hotels close to piste
Cons: lifts close during high winds
by snowjunkie Mar 21, 2009
- Overall Rating 1.0
- Family Friendly 3.0
- All Mtn. Terrain 2.0
- Terrain Park 2.0
- Nightlife 1.0
Don`t Bother

Pros: We had good snow
Cons: Poor skiing and nightlife