Claviere - slopes
The local lift pass covers Claviere and nearby Cesana plus one day’s skiing in both Montgenèvre and the Milky Way’s other Italian resorts. The Milky Way pass includes all lifts on the Italian side and one day in Montgenèvre. There’s now also a two-country pass covering Claviere and Montgenèvre plus one day on the rest of the Milky Way.
Ski highlights for all levels
Beginners: the small nursery area is near the centre of the resort and benefits from good snow. Enthusiastic beginners soon graduate to the 4-man La Coche chair, from where a long and broad blue piste winds back to the village through the trees.
Intermediates: from the top of Claviere, coast down the pistes back down to the village. We love the adrenalin fillip of playing in and off piste down the little path winding through the trees.
Head off towards Sansicario and the whole Via Lattea is spread before you. This is wonderful free-flowing terrain while you gain confidence for more difficult runs.
Experts: we like the fast black 99 from the top of the Col Boeuf 4-man chair above Claviere – and from here you can cut across to Montgenèvre. For a bit of a physical surge, head for the challenging blacks of Fraiteve and Moncrons above Sansicario in the Italian sector.
Off-piste
There’s plenty to inspire and it is rarely skied out. Powder hounds should seek out the area between Sagnalonga and La Montanina on the Italian side. Around Montgenèvre the bowl on the Chalvet side beyond the Col de l’Alpet can be superbly challenging.
Ski schools and guides
The Scuola Italiana Sci Claviere (00 39 012 287 88 18) is the main school. One of Italy’s first schools, it offers good service, especially to beginners and children. Generally, instructors’ English is good — with patience to match.
Lift system
The home resort has seven chairs and five drag lifts and there is now just as easy access to Montgenèvre as to the Milky Way’s Italian resorts.
Snow reliability and snowmaking
The local slopes are north facing and a strong snow-sure record. For assurance there are also 250 snow cannons in the area and the long blue from the Col de l’Alpet towards Claviere now benefits from snowmaking.
Terrain park
Nearby Sagnalonga now has a mini board park – but for more variety take some French leave to Montgenèvre.