Don't forget your passport!
Anyone booking a skiing holiday to Claviere ski resort (Italy) or Montgenèvre ski resort (France) can enjoy the almost James Bond-esque experience of crossing and international border... on skis! These two small, yet excellent resorts straddle the border between the Hautes-Alpes in France and the Italian Alps. Together they form part of one of the best ski areas in Europe- the Via Lattea (Milky Way).
This immense ski area which links the resorts of Claviere, Montgenèvre, Sestriere, Sauza d'Oulx, Oulx, Cesana, San Sicario and Pragelato form what in Italian has been aptly named Via Lattea- due to the far stretching fields and mountain tops of white snow that cover this beautiful corner of the Alps. A Via Lattea ski provides access to more than 400 kilometres of pistes, through incredible panoramas linking modern resorts with traditional Alpine villages.
Olypmic Pedigree
What's more, you will have the chance to ski Olympic pistes. The slopes surrounding Sestriere formed the basis for the 2006 Turin Winter Olympics, for which the area, the lifts, the restaurants and the hotels were totally re-vamped. This is modern, European skiing at its very best. The area is so vast and the range of skiing from on-piste to the more adventurous off-piste so extensive, that the Via Lattea ski experience satisfies both beginners and experts alike.
The advantages of a ski holiday to either of these two resorts are numerous. Both Claviere and Montgenèvre are smaller, still relatively unspoilt mountain villages. Yet they are big enough to offer plenty of accommodation, restaurants, entertainment for the whole family and thanks to their altitudes (Montgenèvre ski resort 1860m - 2450m and Claviere ski resort 1800m - 2600m) you are virtually guaranteed good snow cover.
No Security Check?
Of course, what makes the resort truly special, though perhaps not unique (there are other European resorts which offer a similar border-crossing opportunity) is the breathtaking home run back across the border down the Colletto Verde (Green Hill) red graded piste which links these two great skiing nations. The ridge with the flags of France and Italy often beautifully set against a clear blue sky in this very sunny area, provides a great photo-stop as you straddle the border on skis. All that's missing is someone to stamp your passport.
Skiing from France down into Italy with the prospect of a great Italian mountain lunch washed down with a Barbaresco or Barolo red wine, the only security to speak of is a self-imposed speed check as the long red piste snakes its way down the mountain. Returning on the other side of the road in the afternoon, is equally breath-taking, the Col de L'Alpet providing a stunning springboard from which to descend to partake of the famous French 'apres ski'.
Merging Traditions With The Future
Both villages take skiing very seriously. Some of the very first ski 'competitions' were organised in these mountains as early as the dawn of the 20th Century. Things have come along way since then. Yearly there are improvements to the lifts, new runs created, lift-passes made available for on-line purchase and so on.
Recent years have seen irregular snowfall in the European Alps and complaints of prices increases and over crowded slopes. Yet Claviere and Montgenèvre are two ski resorts which are bucking the trend. Snow reliability has been good, thanks to the altitude, and the Via Lattea, famous for its sunny days, can even in busy February weeks still make you feel like you virtually have the place to yourself.
Access and Further Information
How to Get There - Most of the Via Lattea ski area is in Piedmont, Italy, North of Turin. As such the nearest airport is 'S Pertini Airport' (Turin) which is serviced by several international flights daily. From here it is roughly one hours' drive to the Italian border resort of Claviere.
Montgenèvre, on the French side, is easiest to reach using the same airport or alternatively by train into the nearby town of Briancon. Certain transfers are also available from Grenoble or Lyon airports.
Web Site (including lift pass details )- Claviere Ski Resort
Web Site (including lift pass details) - Montgenèvre Ski Resort
Piste Map - Via Lattea Ski
