Via Lattea, Alpine ski area between Sestriere and Montgenèvre, France and Italy
Via Lattea is a ski area connecting multiple resorts across about 400 kilometers of slopes between France and Italy. The highest point reaches about 2,800 meters (9,200 feet) at Mont Motta, with roughly 71 lifts and about 900 snow machines spread across all the resorts.
The area gained international attention when it hosted several winter sports competitions during the 2006 Winter Olympics in Turin, particularly in Sestriere. These Games brought worldwide recognition and helped establish it as an international destination.
The region blends French and Italian mountain traditions, where visitors encounter local food and customs from both sides of the border. You notice this mix especially in the mountain huts, where recipes from each country appear side by side on menus.
The skiing season typically runs from December through April, with conditions depending on elevation and snowfall. Visitors should prepare for varying difficulty levels across the different slopes and plan routes between the connected resorts.
Skiers can freely move between French and Italian terrain at the Montgenèvre-Claviere junction. The special thing about this is experiencing two countries and their different skiing areas during a single run.
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