Via Lattea, Alpine ski area between Sestriere and Montgenèvre, France and Italy
Via Lattea is a cross-border ski area linking France and Italy, connecting several resorts between Sestriere and Montgenèvre. The slopes reach up to about 2,800 meters (9,200 feet) at their highest point and are served by a network of roughly 71 lifts.
The area around Sestriere was developed in the 1930s as one of the first planned ski resorts in the Alps. The 2006 Winter Olympics in Turin brought the area to a global audience when Sestriere hosted several alpine competitions.
Via Lattea means "Milky Way" in Italian, and the name reflects how the runs spread across the mountains like stars in the night sky. In the mountain huts on both sides of the border, you find dishes from the Piedmont region and the French Alps sitting side by side on the same menu.
The season generally runs from December through April, though snow conditions vary depending on which resort and which elevation you are at. Anyone planning to move between the connected resorts should check the trail links in advance, as some crossings require following a specific route.
At the junction between Montgenèvre and Claviere, you can slide from France into Italy during a single run without stopping. The border between the two countries runs right across the slope, making this one of the few places in Europe where you cross from one country to another on skis.
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