Related Regions: Via Lattea, Italy, Torino, Italy Int., Piemonte, The Milky Way

Sestrière Overview

3.9
5 Reviews
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Overview
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Sestrière

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

9317ft
Vertical Drop

4809ft
Base

4452ft

Terrain

Beginner Runs

Intermediate Runs

25%

Advanced Runs

56%

Expert Runs

18%

Runs

199 MILES

Terrain Parks

Longest Run

5 MILES

Lifts

Total Number Of Lifts: 67
Gondolas & Trams: 6
Eight Person Lifts: 0
High Speed Sixes: 0
High Speed Quads: 0
Quad Chairs: 28
Triple Chairs: 0
Double Chairs: 4
Surface Lifts: 29

Tourist Office

Corso Novara 96, 10152 Torino

I 10058 Torino

Italy

Phone: 39 122 755444

ticketing@torino2006.it

Important Dates

Projected Opening Ski Season: 12/01/2012

Projected Closing Ski Season: 04/14/2013

Years Open: 79

Sestrière Reviews

by postmanclark 6th September 2010
- Overall Rating 4
- Family Friendly 5
- All Mtn. Terrain 3
- Terrain Park 0
- Nightlife 2
Easter holidays

Pros: Lots of intermediate runs, area access
Cons: Piste conditions during afternoon
by towerman14 27th January 2010
- Overall Rating 4
- Family Friendly 4
- All Mtn. Terrain 3
- Terrain Park 3
- Nightlife 1
Lift alterations

Pros: hotels close to piste
Cons: lifts close during high winds
by snowjunkie 21st March 2009
- Overall Rating 1
- Family Friendly 3
- All Mtn. Terrain 2
- Terrain Park 2
- Nightlife 1
Don`t Bother

Pros: We had good snow
Cons: Poor skiing and nightlife
by jimyoung2001 25th January 2009
- Overall Rating 4
- Family Friendly 4
- All Mtn. Terrain 5
- Terrain Park 4
- Nightlife 2
Sestriere Review

Pros: World cup ski runs
Cons: Quiet night life

See All Sestrière Reviews

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Sestriere, Via Lattea, Piemonte - Fresh snow Jan. 23 2013

Via Lattea, Piemonte - Fresh snow Jan 2013

Common Misspellings

Sestrieras, Sestre, Sestrierre, Sestri, Sistire, Sester, Sestrier, Sestiere, Sestriera, Sestieres

Current Conditions

at Sestrière

Latest Snowfall

Last 24 Hr

Last 48 Hr

Last 72 Hr

Current Weather

May 18

24°F

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Ski And Stay In Sestriere

Special hotel and ski pass packages are available at Sestriere, ciovering all levels of accommodation, before Christmas week and later in the season. More