Sauze d'Oulx — The Via Lattea Party Town That Also Has Great Skiing

Sauze d'Oulx — or "Sow-zee" as the Brits have called it since the 1970s — sits at the heart of the Via Lattea (Milky Way), a massive 400km ski area straddling the Italian-French border. It's got a reputation as a party town, and that's earned, but there's far more substance here than people give it credit for. The skiing is genuinely excellent, the food is proper Piemontese, and the prices make the French Alps look like daylight robbery.

Getting There

Turin airport (TRN) is just 90 minutes away by road. Budget airlines from the UK serve Turin year-round (Ryanair from Stansted, easyJet from Gatwick). There's also a train station at Oulx — 10 minutes from the resort — with direct TGV connections from Paris and regular trains from Turin Porta Nuova.

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Where to Stay

The village centre clusters around Piazza Assietta — most hotels, bars, and restaurants are within a 5-minute walk. For ski convenience, stay near the Clotes or Sportinia lifts. Self-catering apartments offer incredible value — a week in a 4-person flat in January can be under €400 total.

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On the Mountain

The Via Lattea links Sauze d'Oulx, Sestriere, Sansicario, Cesana, Claviere, and even Montgenèvre in France. That's 400km of connected piste — more than the Three Valleys. The terrain above Sauze is ideal for intermediates: wide, rolling reds through pine forests with excellent snow cover on the higher Sportinia sector (up to 2,500m).

Beginners should head to the gentle slopes around Sportinia's mid-station. Advanced skiers will enjoy the steep runs into Sestriere and the long descent from the French border at Col de Montgenèvre. The Via Lattea circuit — skiing from Sauze through to France and back — is a full-day adventure that covers about 80km.

Where to Eat

• Il Capricorno — Fine dining in a 17th-century stone farmhouse. Worth dressing up for. Their truffle pasta is legendary in the valley.
• Osteria dei Vagabondi — Rustic mountain food, massive portions, local wines at supermarket prices. The tajarin pasta with butter and sage is perfection.
• Ciao Pais — Classic Piemontese cuisine. The bagna cauda (warm anchovy dip with raw vegetables) is a must-try if you haven't had it before.

Local Insider Tips

• The Sauze–Sestriere connection via Sportinia opens terrain that most day-trippers never reach. Take the chair to the top and traverse right for empty powder stashes in the trees.
• Thursday is karaoke night at several bars around the piazza — it sounds cheesy but it's genuinely one of the best nights out in any ski resort, anywhere.
• The free shuttle bus to Oulx station is useful for day trips to Turin. The city is stunning and criminally underrated — you can be there in an hour by train.
• Snow cover on the lower runs (below 1,800m) can be patchy in late season. If visiting after mid-March, stick to the Sportinia sector for the best conditions.
• Wine is shockingly cheap. A bottle of excellent Barbera or Nebbiolo in the supermarket costs €5–8. In the French Alps that same quality is €15+.

Budget Breakdown (7 days, per person)