Snowsure: 3.8
- Occasionally gets enough snow for skiing
- Is often closed due to a lack of snow
- Occasionally suffers from a lack of snow
- Rarely suffers from a lack of snow
- Sauze d'Oulx (Vialattea) is snowsure even in the poorest seasons
Visitor reviews for Sauze d'Oulx (Vialattea) Ski Resort
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(NOTE: Reviews may be edited by our content team for the purposes of ensuring accurate and relevant information)
Latest
March 30, 2004
A Jones from
United Kingdom
A Jones from
United Kingdom
Just been to Sauze for a week. Was pleasantly suprised especially as a friend had said it was the Bendorm of ski resorts. The town is small but nice, especially the old town which has retained some of its character. There's plenty to do at night and if you're not into UK-style pubs abroad (which I personally think are sh*te) there's some places that are pretty cool - like the Derby Bar, just off the main square.
Skiing is good - there are loads of runs in the Sauze/Sportina area, as well as the adjoiing areas of Sansicaria and Sestriere. Some of the lifts are old and slow so moving between and around the different areas can be a bit time consuming (which also means you freeze your arse off). Runs are mostly red and intermediate, but if you're confident and not a complete beginner the skiing is great. There's a few nice tree-lined runs for those 'scenic' descents.
Not sure what the conditions are normally like but the runs were hard and icey for most of the week (Mar 21st to 28th). There was a 6 inch snow fall over the thursday and friday, which was great for the first half of the day but once everyone had skiied it the ice was showing through again so the skiing got pretty hairy in places. I get the impression that Italian piste-bashers are laid back as they didn't bother getting the bashers out at all in most places after the snow fall, which was a shame as this would have made the pistes much better. There's some great off-piste skiing to be had, especially of you're a boarder.
All in, a good resort with great skiing as long as the conditions are ok. I'd recommend checking the snow reports before booking. Oh yeah, and don't stay in the Hotel Syanara. It was dreary, the beds were like old camp beds and the hotel manager was the most miserable woman I've met in a long time (it was only 2 star, but still...).
November 08, 2003
Ady Keeble from
United Kingdom
Ady Keeble from
United Kingdom
I have visited this resort several times over the last ten years and have to say that, in good conditions, it ranks right up there with some of the bigger French resorts. The one major drawback, however, is that good conditions are not always that easy to find. I have been to the Milky Way when there has been over three metres of the white stuff (1997 I think), but equally I have spent 7 days skiing on rocks and ice.
The problem is that Sauze, along with the southern French Alps, gets its weather from fronts that move in from the south rather than across mainland Europe. As such, it is possible to sit outside a sunny Italian bar watching a huge dump fall in France whilst not a flake lands in the Milky Way! The region seems to have to rely on infrequent major dumps of snow for a good season, and these are often several weeks apart. Still, time it right, keep an eye on the snow and take a late deal and you will be in for a treat.
It is fair to say that Sauze is not a great beginners resort. Not only are the resort level slopes a bit on the steep side, but some of the key links, most notably above Clotes, are prone to ice in the afternoon making the run home tricky on tired legs. But for anyone above the level of timid intermediate the possibilities are endless.
Once you have negotiated the rather out-dated lift system to the main meeting area at Sportina, the mountain opens out before you. Get in and out of Sportina early, as the bowl here is the meeting place for ski school and can get very busy, especially at high season and weekends. This is compounded by the fact that the only route up from here is via two excritiatingly slow 2-man chairs.
Once out of Sportina, the world is your oyster! There are some sweeping reds which lead down into the bowl beneath the Sestriere gondola, and the whole area tends to be less crowded until midweek when the ski schools start to venture farther afield. From here you can take a steep dogleg drag over to Sansicario, where I have enjoyed wide open motorway cruising on some of the best tree lined reds I have found anywhere. There are also great lunchtime possibilities here with one particular bar enjoying spectacular views across the valley into France. Be warned, though - the route back from Sansicario is via a steep black (to date still the only possible way back to Sauze) which I would not recommend to anyone lacking confidence or stamina.
Another great day can be had at Sestriere, perhaps best done early in the week before ski schools clog up the gondola there and back. Keep one eye on the weather, however, as the link is prone to closure when the wind gets up and taxis back are not cheap!
At the weekend Sauze gets invaded by the locals from Turin, who all seem to head for Sportina particularly when the sun is out. My advice would be to steer well clear of Sportina on Saturday, taking the Clotes lift instead and skiing the Genevris sector - I have always found this area deserted when Sportina is packed.
The resort itself has always had a reputation for rowdy behaviour, stemming from a couple of high profile lager induced incidents in the late 1980's, and whilst Sauze is still lively in the evening it in no way justifies the label still attached to it. There are bars which are tailored to suit most tastes - I prefer 'relaxed' and Moncrons and The Derby fit the bill perfectly. Accomodation wise there is loads to choose from, but my advice would be to try for a hotel as close to the top of the resort as you can find - the morning walk up the hill to the lifts can be a real pain otherwise. The Stella Alpina is ideally located about 50 yards from the Clotes lift.
All in all, a great place to ski in good weather. The Milky Way still lags behind other areas this size in terms of uplift capacity - the lift system in parts is positively pre-historic - but if you come knowing what to expect you will be in for a fantastic time.
November 05, 2003
Steve Moore from
United Kingdom
Steve Moore from
United Kingdom
As a novice I found the terrain of Sauze D'oulx very challenging. Its not a great place if you are a complete beginner but with a couple of weeks under your belt its fantastic with vast endless terrain and gondolas linking several resort areas. The food was good and not too expensive.
Didnt have any problems with long queue's but we did go mid March which is late season. The town itself is lively with plenty of bars and restaurants, and its only an hour and a half from the airport which is a major bonus.
Only downside was the accomadation in the Gran Trun(First Choice Holidays) It was terrible and noisy with live music in the bar below untill three or four AM each night.
I would definitely recommend Sauze, In fact Im going again in February!!!
Steve
October 23, 2003
Andy McVey from
United Kingdom
Andy McVey from
United Kingdom
To be avoided on Sunday due to influx of Italians and the queues are huge. During the week, access to Sestriere, Clavier and San Secario make it all worth it. Off piste powder can be found and in the trees can be excellent, Snowboarders may have to contend with long flat sections, so be prepared to walk a lot. Good place if you have had some experience on ski's, but the pistes are very mixed steep then shallow, which can be scarry to beginers. There are also numerous bottlenecks, both with lifts and on piste. On the whole, it is cheap, not so well though out, but not nasty, the range on the ground is vast considering all linked resorts. The main problem to me is the inadequate feeder lift system which can take an hour and a half to get you to the top on a busy day.
The town is mixed old Alp and modern. There are plenty of pubs and restaurants and great night life, predominated by British holiday makers. In general I like it a lot, but then I live near so its only an hours drive up the road.
It can take more than an hour to arrive at the top. The skiing is only really for intermediates. The
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