Fiat has confirmed that it has signed a letter of intent to sell subsidiary company Sestriere Spa which manages the 'Via Lattea' ski resort complex that includes winter sport facilities in Sestriere, Sauze d'Oulx, Sansicario, Cesana and Claviere. Fiat Group-owned Sestriere Spa's main asset is a 50 percent stake in the Via Lattea (Milky Way) ski resort business, along with some other winter sports related property assets.

The famous Sestriere ski resort and surrounding winter sports complexes played a major role in the XX Winter Olympics which were based in Turin and held in February of this year. Fiat regard the company as being a non-core asset and it is now being disposed of, reportedly to be bought by a group of Turin businessmen for a price in the region of 25-30 million euros.

Via Lattea

The Vialattea is an international skiing area consisting of 5 Piedmontese resorts, Sestriere, Sauze d'Oulx, Sansicario, Cesana, Claviere and Montgenevre in France. It offers more than 214 skiing-connected runs, for a total linear extent3 of 400 km There are 89 lifts that range from an altitude of 1350m in Cesana to 2800m at Mount Motta, a peak that gives a magnificent view of the surrounding mountains allowing skiers to appreciate the vastness and beauty of the area. Vialattea means huge spaces, sunny snowy expanses, panoramic runs that connect ancient and traditional villages with modern towns that provide all comforts and entertainment.
 

The vastness and variety of the area satisfies the most demanding skiers, thanks to long and difficult runs, as well as those that are approaching this world of skiing for the first time.

There are 120 km of snowmaking facilities throughout various resorts. In Sestriere there is also the possibility to ski at night on the floodlit run where many ski champions have battled it out in World Cup competitions. There is a snowpark for those with an adventurous streak, situated in central Sestriere. Lovers of good Italian cooking will also feel at home here in the various mountain restaurants. In fact they will find over thirty places that welcome skiers who prefer to stay on the snow covered slopes all day without sacrificing a well earned break in front of a meal that's a speciality of the area.

Having the XX Winter Games Torino 2006 assigned to the area was the greatest recognition of how much potential this area has. After having organised numerous international sporting events like Alpine World Cup Events (since 1967) and Snowboard World Cup Events and the Alpine World Championships of '97, Torino 2006, held in February, was the ultimate event to be staged in the region.