The Sestriere ski slopes extend for over 80 kilometres and are suitable for all skill levels: from the evocative World Cup slopes, which make Sestriere one of Italy’s most renowned alpine skiing resorts, to the ski slopes for beginners, which cover a good part of the ski area.
If you are waiting to get your Vialattea ski pass and you are wondering what the ski slopes in Sestriere are like, keep reading to get useful information and discover a bit of its history.
Sestriere, in the heart of Vialattea: discover the slope best suited for you
Sestriere is one of the resort located in the international ski area of Vialattea: 400 kilometres of ski slopes, 7 locations fully connected “on skis”, with a single ski pass.
These numbers make Vialattea one of the largest and most enjoyable ski areas in Italy and Europe. It is a reference point for ski slopes in the Piedmont region, whose fame has indeed been built around Sestriere, where people started skiing in the early 1930s.
Commissioned by the founder of FIAT, Gianni Agnelli, to entertain employees of the Turin automobile plant, the ski resort opened its doors in the distant 1931/32 winter, the year of the inauguration of its first cable car.
The urban development (represented by the two iconic towers designed by Vittorio Bonadè Bottino), as well as the technical and organisational one, has allowed the ski lifts and ski slopes of Sestriere to grow considerably, gradually becoming part of the international competition circuits and the World Cup programme, and hosting the men’s alpine skiing competitions and women’s slalom and giant slalom of the XX 2006 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games in Turin.
How many ski lifts are there in Sestriere?
There are 19 ski lifts in Sestriere servicing a ski terrain of over 80 kilometres, which includes:
- 12 black slopes for alpine skiing
- 24 slopes for beginners
- 30 red slopes
Immersed in a beautiful and authentic alpine landscape, surrounded by pine forests, the Sestriere ski lifts are linked to the other Vialattea resorts, for a total number of 70 ski lifts, 247 slopes (with an altitude that reaches up to 2,800 metres) and a seasonal average of 10 million rides.
Ski slopes in Sestriere that cannot be missed: from black to blue slopes
- Kandahar Banchetta Giovanni Nasi Black Slope
The World Cup tracks are certainly some of the most evocative ski slopes in Sestriere. The Kandahar Banchetta Giovanni Nasi is a historical downhill slope. It starts from the top of the Motta and Banchetta mountains, at 2,800 metres, then descends with an altitude jump of about 1,000 metres, reaching the 1,800 metres of Borgata Sestriere, with a maximum gradient of over 60% on the starting wall.
Being suitable for the most prepared and demanding skiers, the Kandahar Banchetta ski slope in Sestriere offers great thrills and breathtaking views, especially at high altitudes. The slope twists and turns across the woods, and ends with a final jump at the 2006 Olympic finish line.
For the less experienced, do not worry, you can avoid bends, slanted trails and excessive gradients by taking the Chisonetto-Banchetta chairlift – and not the Motta ski lift, and beginning skiing at a much lower altitude.
- Kandahar Giovanni Alberto Agnelli Slope
Having been the site of many international competitions, this Sestriere ski slope is homologated for the World Cup Special and Giant Slalom for the Men and Women categories. The performances of the champions Deborah Compagnoni and Alberto Tomba on this track in the 1997 edition of the World Ski Championships have gone down in history.
The Kandahar Giovanni Agnelli slope, which is an artificially lit black slope, starts at an altitude of 2,250 metres, has a regular course, does not have any major bends, and sinuously descends towards the valley, ending at the Cit Roc chairlift.
- Baby Slopes
From champions to beginners, everyone can ski in Sestriere. Right at the foot of the Kandahar Giovanni Alberto Agnelli slope, some of the Baby slopes of the Vialattea ski area wind down a gentle slope. Reachable in just a few steps even by non-skiers, they are set in a natural amphitheater where parents can enjoy their little ones’ first ski runs without losing sight of them.
- Pista Pattemouche
The Pattemouche slope was created to allow the “skis on feet” return to Pragelato, and follows the route of the Pattemouche-Anfiteatro cable car. It is a red slope, characterized by changes in gradient and direction, which winds through the forest on the north side of the mountain. The slope is wide, and has an initial section with gentle inclines, which is followed by a more challenging track with a series of sequential semi-parabolic curves, making it more lively for beginners.
The final part becomes easy again, with a final little wall that leads directly to Pattemouche, mountain village located at the mouth of the Val Troncea nature park. The beautiful forest slopes, and the panoramic view of Pragelato that begins to come into view in the last part of the slope, make it one of the most beautiful ski runs in Italy.
Experience the Sestriere ski slopes and live amazing adventures in Vialattea. Click here to get your Vialattea ski pass.
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