For those that have been coming to Sauze for many a year, you’ll be glad to know that finally the old, or should that be very old chair lift that takes you out of Sportinia is finally getting replaced. My first season in Sauze was €88-€89 and since then a constant for me in the resort has been the pair of 2 man chair lifts taking skiers out of Sportinia at a rather sedate pace. This is indeed welcome news although my initial reaction was slightly dampened by the news that it isn’t getting replaced by a brand new one, they are simple moving lifts around.

The triplex lift that was seen to the left of the 2 man lift as you went up is being dismantled and moved across to become the successor of the 2 man lift. Not only will this double the potential capacity out of Sportinia it will also cut the journey time from an agonising 20 (ish) minutes to just under 10 minutes.

This is not the only change that’s happening to the lift system over the summer. The Pian della rocca lift, which is at the top of the Clotes lift, is being swung round to finish at the famous Chalet Mollino just above Sportinia which I am reliable informed will open as a restaurant next winter.

Now, my initial reaction was ‘why dont they simply put a new lift in Sportinia and leave the others as they are?’
This slips off the tongue rather easily when it’s not you having to sign the contract and pay for the works.
My main concern was that if you wanted to venture further afield to Sestriere or San Sicario then you have no option but to go through Sportinia. This however with the increased speed and capacity that the changes will bring shouldn’t really cause any issues. Another reason why this makes sense is that the triplex lift finished on an exposed ridge which meant that it was often closed when the winds picked up. The drop off point at the top of Sportinia is slightly more sheltered and therefore wont be as susceptible to closing.

No runs will be lost with the changes and in fact some of my favourite runs around Sauze will now become quicker to access. There is now doubt that something had to done and I’m glad that things are finally happening. Roll on next winter!