 Poster: A snowHead
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Hi all
I'm thinking of Montgenevre this winter for our main skiiing holiday and can't get a straight answer from the chalet operator on how easy it is to get from Montgenevre to the rest of the Milky way resort  . Has anybody been to this resort and any resent experience of lifts runs etc
Cheers
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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It's very easy to get from Montgenevre to Claviere down a red or black from the Cletto Verde or a green run along the valley alongside the road which was part of the x-country circuit when the olympics were there in 2006. It's slightly more painful to get from Claviere to the rest of the Milkyway - especially when snow is thin. There's great skiing all over the massive area though and it's worth while.
Getting back to Montgenevre from Claviere involves a tight red run, which has been known to scare early beginners, and the use of 2 lifts.
Having said that, i've been to Claviere 5 times now and only used our passes to go away from Claviere or Montgenevre once! There's lots and lots of excellent skiing of all different types on the Montgenevre/Claviere (known as the monts de lunas area i think) pass and it's cheaper and comes with a free day at Serre Chevalier too.
http://www.vialattea.it/en
It's a great area to ski and the different cultures on either side of the border are very apparent.
I'd say go for it.
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Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
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Getting from Montgenevre to either Sestriere or Sauze d'Oulx is a full day trip and by the time you have arrived you won't have much time until you need to head back.
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If the goal is the Milky Way then it is a bad decision to stay at one end of it and not in the middle of Milky Way so that you can go in either directions on different days to cut down the travelling time.
It is possible but not practical to start from Montgeneve to ski the rest of Milky Way everyday. If the snow is thin the lifties would allow skiers to use the chairlifts to get down the last station but the route is really long from Montgenevre to places like Sestriere and Sauze ODulx. Remember you should be at the other extreme by half day in order to have the rest of the day to travel back and grab a lunch too!
From memory one side between the link Montgenvre with Claviere is pretty flat and involves quite a bit of walking in one direction. The other direction is OK.
The link between Claviere and Sanscicario is crossing the road on foot.
If there is local buses then taking the bus would be a sensible bet to other parts of Milky Way.
Last time we were there we in Briancon and drove to Sestriere, Sansccario and Mongenvre to cover the Milky Way. On a windy day the link from Sansccario to Sestriere and Sauze O'Dulx could be closed.
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Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
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saikee, I don't believe there are local buses. However the tour operator will most probably lay a bus trip to Sestriere os Serre Chevalier for a day, which is worth taking. Although you would have to pay for that.
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Just to reitterate the warning about getting back.
If you miss the last lift and end up in the wrong place it is a very expensive taxi journey as it is a long way round.
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I was doubtful about the ski buses too because from Claviere to Sansicario it is a steep mountain pass in the Italian side. Going to the French side to Briancon/Serre Chevalier is OK though.
I didn't manage Sauze D'Oulx as the link was closed but Sanscicario, with its modern Olympic facilities stood out one of the nicest resorts I visited. Sestriere has also Olympic runs and its terrian is well organised.
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The easiest way to explore the whole Via Lattea is to hire a car and I'd drive to Sauze d'Oulx for a day, Sestriere for a few days and possibly Serre Chevalier for a day if I was staying in Montgenevre.
saikee, I don't think the lack of buses is due to the Col de Montgenevre as the Briancon to Oulx bus uses it frequently and so do lorries. I reckon its more down to either disorganisation or lack of demand.
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You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
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A wonderful place.
It is very easy to get to Claviere (I usually went over the back of the Rocher de l"Aigle, requiring 2 lifts - the piste has a very steep start which you can avoid by taking the track to the left which skirts the peak, but also some off piste possibilities) and then part way to Claviere, if you wish, one more lift takes you to a long descent to Cesana. The Montgenevre / Claviere area is the Monts de La Lune (French version of name) and there is plenty of skiing there (and loads of very good off-piste) see http://www.montgenevre.com/fileadmin/HIVER/img/Montgenevre-225.09-PPhteDef.jpg.
However the difficulty is the hinge between that and the rest of the Milky way, which is at Cesana. When there isn't much snow you may have to go down the short bottom lift to make the connection, but last year when I was there, there was easily enough. The lift up the other side is very close - you just have to cross the bridge over the river. It isn't all that far to this point.
For a map of the whole area see http://www.montgenevre.com/fileadmin/HIVER/photos_tn/2_station/domaine/vialattea/FA_07_08/via_lattea_zoom.pdf (a bit schematic but at least it is big).
Last edited by You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net. on Thu 2-09-10 16:21; edited 1 time in total
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For some reasons Milky Way doesn't attract visitors as other mega resorts. It does have 400km fully linked piste which is more than 300km piste of Tignes/Val D and comparable to 425km of Paradiski (Les Arcs/La Plagne).
I suppose that might have something to do with the majority of Milky Way are Italian. Terrain wise the areas are well spread out and not grouped together. This makes one-week skiing holiday hard to cover the full extent of the facilities. The British seem to prefer the French resorts of the nearby Serre Chevalier. L2A and LDH are not far away and are in the same valley too with the mecca-status La Grave in the mid valley.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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I agree that the total area perhaps isn't as good as some of the other mega-resorts you mention. However Montgenevre has the best terrain (in my opinion) and snow record of the milky way area. The first time I went we also visited Serre Chevalier and Puis St Vincent, since our guide had a van. However the snow was not nearly as good there. The second time snow was again better where we were, so despite intending to go further afield in the end we didn't.
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And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
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We went to montgenevre this year and had a wonderful holiday. We had to pick the children up from ski school at lunchtime so only had time to ski to claviere do a few runs there and back within the 2 1/2 hr time slot. We then skiied in montgenevre in the afternoons with the children. We found there was enough skiing in montgenevre and claviere to keep us happy for a week. The snowcover in montgenevre was brilliant at the end of march/early april when we went. I think if you want to visit other milky way resorts you'd have to hire a car as others have suggested. However I don't know if you can hire a car in montgenevre itself. I'd imagine the nearest car hire places would be Oulx or Briancon.
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The milky way is a great ski area!!
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You know it makes sense.
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THe Milky way Is doable form Montgenevre - but is a lot of lifts. I one day last January we Managed to ski in all of the Milky Way resorts, but you were constantly on the move and working out the route for your next link and in particular not missing last lifts down to Cesana and up to CLaviere.
Quite an experience for a day, but I would not want to do it daily!
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Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
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We've always stayed in Sauze, aapres is so much better than the other resorts (and by apres I mean a few beers and a cracking meal at Del Falco or Del Borgo) and maybe a couple of drinks on the way home 
But, best if you have wheels, we have skied Montgenevre and Serre Che but drove up, and we would prob drive to Sestriere if we go back, it's a trek even to there and if the wind picks up you can get stuck.
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Poster: A snowHead
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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The Assietta.
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Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
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Skiing to Sauze d'Oux and Sestriere from Montgenevre mean being on the first lift to get the best of the day. You need to get all the way down to Cesana from Claviere and then back up the other side (SanSicario) before you reach to top and ski down onto Sauze d'Oux and Sestriere.
If you have access to a car, starting at SanSicario at 9am gives you MUCH more time and no need to clock watch for the last lift.
I really depends on your level and the size of the group on how much you can accomplish. Two fast skiers can cover a LOT of ground. A slower group can ski to Sauze d'Oux Sportina for lunch and then back again. We regularly take mixed ability groups out on day trips.
Claviere and Montgenevre should be counted as one big ski area. There are three ways across (but only one way back) suitable for most levels.
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
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Can confirm the tour op do a trip to Serre Chavlier on the Friday i think, as its included on your lift pass.
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Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
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Unless it's changed (and it's over five years since I did it) it's not so much the 'ease' as the 'speed' that is the issue. Over subscribed and slow link lifts. A real pain.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
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Nickski,
Don't think the terrain can be altered as there is only one longish link between Montgenvre/Claviere and Sansicario/Sestriere/Sauze d'Olux. Everybody has to pass through the bottle neck at Cesana and most of them don't bother judging from the popularity of its use.
Also if the snow is less perfect the run down from Claviere to Cesana will be broken and it is common for the skiers to ride the chairlift down (or told to use it by the lifties).
I am going back to Milky Way in beginning of Feb and have booked 5 nights staying in Briancon. In the past I would drive to Cesana, the bottleneck, and ski from there. In this trip I plan to ski those ones I haven't visited before which include Put St Vincent, Risoul and Sauze d'Olux.
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Bumping a super vintage thread (thanks Google) because it sounds like having a car is the best way to truly get around from resort to resort unless you're just referring to Montgenevre/Claviere. We'll have one so that's covered as we'll be based in Montgenevre.
Any updates on connections between resorts based on the 2018/2019 season? Are there any upgrades announced or planned over the summer?
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If my memory serves me correctly there is a very easy 10 minute bus ride between Montgenevre and Claviere. We've done it after a day's skiing when we've left it too late to ski home.
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You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
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@Paul Hough, I was in the area this year and stayed in Cesana Torinese which is in the middle of the Via Lattea, so we skied all over the domain and IMHO by far the nicest area to ski was Montgenevre. It would be a schlep to get over to ski Sestriere or Sauze on ski's but it's achievable but not sure just how much you would actually ski in each resort.
You will down load into Cesana both ways, one way on a two man rickety old chair(from Claviere) and in a bubble from San Sicario. No real hard ship really and there is no walk across a road as previously mentioned although there is an old piste where this road crossing would occur if the piste was still in use?
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FAQ
went as far as sestriere for a little fun in the snow park but that took me all day of skiing round. (had to make sure i could get back in time for apres ski 
