Italy’s Val Susa is home to two of Europe’s biggest and best ski areas, but that’s only half the story. Along with endless ski and boarding, you’ll find modern lifts, great food, fun-packed après–ski, and spectacular scenery from the region’s six mountain villages, all famed for their hospitality too!
The resorts of Bardonecchia, Cesana- San Sicario, Claviere, Pragelato, Sauze d’Oulx and Sestriere were hosts of the Torino 2006 Winter Olympics, and have since got together to offer the best of all worlds between them. Five of the villages are interconnected with one another in the giant Milky Way (Via Vallea (Milky Way)) circuit, one of the world’s largest ski areas with 400km of runs spilling over the border into France. The sixth, Bardonecchia, is a resort with more than a century of tradition and more than 100km of snow-covered slopes over a 1500m vertical, and up to a snowsure 2800m. Host to snowboarding events, its freestyle facilities are without equal in Europe, with the Olympic half- pipe there to enjoy. Altogether, the Alps of Alta Val Susa offer 500km of runs.
In the Milky Way, the twin resorts of Cesana and higher San Sicario offer contrasting experiences with Cesana a quaint, traditional, small Alpine town set amidst pristine forests, and San Sicario a modern purpose-built centre, which hosted the exciting biathlon events at the Olympics. Nearby, Claviere is one of Italy’s original ski centres, located at altitude right on the French border, with great views of imposing Mount Chaberton. The spa centre has offered skiing for more than a century, but remains quite small and unspoilt. Sestriere is one of Europe’s original purpose-built centres, dating from the 1930s, and built above 2000m, before the first French centres were conceived. It has extensive snowmaking, and a reputation for staging world-class events before and after the Olympics.
Renowned as the“balcony of the Alps” because of its scenic position, party town Sauze d’Oulx offers wonderful skiing on groomed pistes through larch and fir woods, as well as great off-slope facilities, including spas, saunas, Turkish bath, swimming pool, solarium, and a sports hall with five-a-side football, volleyball and basketball facilities.
Pragelato has been connected to the Milky Way by a long gondola lift, since shortly before the 2006 Olympics. It was the Nordic centre for the Games, and is home to very high-quality accommodation, complete with spas, saunas, Turkish bath, swimming pool, Jacuzzi and gym, as well as an ice driving track.
The Slopes
The vast ski area has something for all levels of skier from beginner to expert, on and off the slopes. Off-piste can be accessed from many lifts if you don’t want to hike up, and the region’s guides will take you safely to the best routes.
Heli-skiing is also popular in the region, providing access to designated skiable areas with a vertical drop from 700 to 1600m. All participants will be accompanied by one or two guides, and will be equipped with ARVA safety gear.
Cross-country skiing is popular here too, particularly in Pragelato, which has legendary loops in the Val Troncea Natural Park, but you’ll also find well-kept tracks in Bardonecchia, Claviere, Cesana-San Sicario, and Sestriere. Snowshoeing is also popular across the area, and most areas offer tubing or other on-snow activities, such as dog sledding at Sestriere.
Families
The region works hard to offer great facili- ties for children, including ski schools with specialised instructors, ski clubs and easy- to-ride “conveyor” lifts. There are also fun activities like horseriding on the snow, ar- chery with targets in the shape of animals blending in perfectly with the woods, and even volleyball and five-a-side soccer on snow-covered playing fields. Entertain- ment comes in the form of fun parks, kindergartens, and various adventure playgrounds, including one that has a re- production Native American village.
Evenings
For après-ski Sauze d’Oulx has a longstanding reputation as one of Europe’s leading winter party towns, and bars outnumber restaurants two-to-one here, with more than 50 to choose from, along with several throbbing nightclubs. Bardonecchia is another of Italy’s top venues with more than 60 bars and restaurants to relax in, as well as a cinema, nightclub, swimming pool, saunas and ice rink. Cross-country and snowshoeing are also popular.
The wines of Piemonte are among the best in the world. Val Susa and Val Chisone boast some excellent DOC wines, such as Avana and Ramie, while regional wines include Barolo, Barbaresco and Erbaluce di Caluso. To keep warm during the long winter nights, you should not miss the delectable liqueurs of the area, made with mountain herbs, such as genepi and serpoul, whose secret ingredients are passed on generation after generation.
Diners have hundreds of restaurants to choose from, spread between the villages and the local Piemonte region, of which Alta Val Susa is a part. The region is justly renowned for its fine food made with the freshest local ingredients. The most famous Alpine dish is polenta (maize porridge), usually served with game stew or tasty mountain cheeses, like the violet-scented plaisentif. Also not to be missed: glara and cajette (both made of potatoes), wholemeal bread soup, and gofri (traditional waffles).
Wherever you stay in the Alps of Alta Val Susa, and whether you are with a group of friends wanting to ski all day, or with non-skiers looking for other activities, with family, or visiting as a couple, you’re sure of a warm welcome – the area has a very proud tradition of hospitality.