Sansicario?

A snowHead

Thinking about going to to Sansicario at New Year. Any one been? Will be 2 adults and a 9yo. Thanks Smile

A snowHead

Hello Gattabianca, I have been three times in Sestriere , I enjoy the Milky Way there are some really lovely runs but I think the area is best suited to intermediates , if it s your first time I would go somewhere else.
last time we went there was little snow and they kept all the side piste closed (marked 79, 71 and 21 ). To reach s sicario the only way was via the ladies Olympic downhill, it is not very difficult but my friend really struggled. They only opened those runs on Saturday, had to be honest we were a bit disappointed. Never stayed in actual s sicario so cannot comment on the resort itself

Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?

Sansicario was built for the Turin Olympics, and the bobsleigh run and luge, rumour has it that there was a lot of brown envelopes involved, as to why would you build the bobsleigh course in such a position that gets the sun nigh on all day?

That said when the snow is good we drive up there to it as it's a great way to get into the runs of Sestrierre and Oulx without too much faff of a drive.

But as for staying there, it's very very quiet and no ambience at all, the runs are not too bad for beginners/intermediates, and like anywhere with good snow cover there are a lot of options.

But hand on heart would have to say that there are better places to go to for a week, Claviere for instance?

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Thanks both Very Happy

We can all ski reds no problem, including 9yo. Don’t need much(any) nightlife as would stay hb and won’t be out late with kid.
Lack of snow may be an issue, and wondered how shy, non-Italian-speaking 9 yo will get on in ski school/hotel club as unclear if they are English speaking? Any ski school recs for kids welcome. Tia Very Happy

Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.

@Gattabianca, how would you be getting there, would you have a car?

If so and the roads are clear then you could drive down to Cesana if you need to go out, but as you know it's New Year and it will be busy, so that said Sanscario will not be quiet.

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We are flying so no car - have read less queues for lifts vs nearby resorts but not sure if this applies at new year or covid impact on this. Sounds like mostly Italians in resort so possibly really busy over holidays

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It's a miserable place with an abandoned air to it. I'd choose anywhere else in the area.

After all it is free

Sansicario is very quiet. I've only stayed at Rio Envers, which is ski in/out, but there are lots of SC apartments in the centre/ front de neige. It does feel slightly deserted but if you don't mind the resort being tiny, the skiing is quite nice. The resort is basically a ski shop, a tiny mini market, a bar and a card shop. Piste wise, there are some scenic gentle blue cruises through trees and some wide, rolling reds /easy blacks including the downhill run. The position of sansicario makes it easy to pop into sauze d'oulx or sestriere for the day. Italians tend to be fair weather skiers, and take long lunches, so there may be queues on peak days but only at certain times. Early morning, later afternoon and lunchtime are quieter. Even when there are queues, I've never waited more than 10 or 15 minutes at bottle neck lifts.
While mostly Italian clientele, the ski school are used to English school ski groups, especially at half term and Easter, so there will be plenty of instructors who can speak for English. In fact, I've been impressed by the quality of the local ski school.

I’ve never stayed in Sansicario itself but have been to Sauze d’Oulx 4 or 5 times, I think the Sansicario ski area is probably about my favourite of the Milky Way. Plenty of nice wide motorway reds through the trees, the small number of black runs are groomed and very nice indeed (not very steep IMO). And plenty of gentle off-piste areas just to the sides of the slopes too. Sansicario is a decent location for getting about to the other areas of the Milky Way (though the lifts up from Cesana towards Montgenevre are a pain in the behind and the lower run(s) back down often closed and worth avoiding even when open).

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Agree, having skiied based in Sestriere I thought some of the nicest runs were in Sansicario. But there didn't seem to be much of a village. Also one New Year there was no snow other than artificial, I don't know whether that was highly unusual or a regular risk in those parts.

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The great thing about Italy is that it's empty compared to France at high season Feb half term, hence why we use to drive to Sansicario from Serre Che as we had a 5 free days in the Milky Way as part of our season pass which is no longer the case Sad

However, New Year's is bonkers busy as it is still close to Turin.

I once drove to Tignes and back on New Year's Eve to get my daughter (don't ask why I forget) and to break up the journey we stopped off at Bardonechia near the railway station one stop up from Oulx and every train that stopped was discorging hundreds of people.

So it will be busy, and as I mentioned earlier the slopes are predominantly South facing

But good skiing to be had, plus Cessna at the bottom is really good for bars n'cafes

snow reports

Thanks all - lots of useful info. Very Happy

Slow old lifts everywhere...otherwise nice..

You know it makes sense.

We stayed in the only Crystal hotel in Sansicario several years ago, never again.
The village is deserted and it's just apartment blocks. Speaking to the bar tender he said that Italians come up at weekend having bought their supplies down in the valley and don't use the local shops. They closed pretty quickly.

Help!!

Sansicario?

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