Skiing the Torino Region – The Essential Guide

“El diau, el diau!” “The devil! The devil!” cried the mountain people on seeing a red faced man with long white beard gliding eerily down the mountain towards them. This was Adolf Kind arriving in 1897 on the first wooden skis seen in Italy.  

Since then Skiing in the Torino region has grown to become a major part of life. There are now 1500km of ski slopes designed for all ages and abilities and visitors can also take part in a number of other winter sports.  With three main resorts – Sauze d’Oulx, Courmayeur and Sestriere – there are plenty of options for the winter sports enthusiast.

Getting to Torino

Reaching the region is fairly easy.  If you are arriving at Turin-Caselle airport then it is advisable to hire a car or use a private transfer company.  For public transport you will need to travel via Turin.

Getting to Sauze d’Oulx takes just an hour by car if you arrive at Caselle-Turin, but a bus can take you into Turin where you can then get a train out to the town of Oulx, then on to the resort by bus.  If you are heading to Courmayeur you will need around one hour and 40 minutes from the airport to the resort if travelling by car.  For the public transport option you will need to go to Turin Central Station and then opt for a train out to Aosta where you can then get a bus to Courmayeur.  Sestriere can be reached via public transport by travelling to Turin Central Station from the airport and then taking a train to Oulx.  The bus from Oulx to Sestriere takes around 45 minutes.

Within the resorts themselves you can easily reach the chair lifts on foot, but there are buses if your accommodation means you are staying outside the towns.  Those lucky enough to be visiting Courmayeur and Sestriere will find that the public transport is either free or very cheap.  There are taxi services in all three resorts should you need them.

More about the Torino Region

This is an historic part of the country and there are abbeys and monasteries dotted around the area, some of which date back as far as medieval times.  There are also plenty of castles around the region including the Forte di Exiles.

The local cuisine is also important and there are many quality ingredients that originate in the region including cheeses, chocolate, wines and liqueurs.  Local restaurants use a lot of local produce in their dishes.

The Resorts – Sauze d’Oulx

This resort is known as the birthplace of skiing in Italy and once played host to the Winter Olympics.  The village itself has remained small and traditional but it is linked to a number of other skiing towns in Italy as well as the French town of Montgenèvre.  One of the town’s most famous residents was Piero Gros, an Olympic medallist.  The resort is also famous for its natural beauty; nearby is the Great Forest where there is plenty of wildlife to be seen.

The linked ski towns in the area (known as the Via Lattea – the Milky Way) offer more than 200 ski runs for all abilities as well as 78 lifts that can take you up to 2800 metres.  Sauze d’Oulx offers one of the two snow parks in the area.  You can opt for a one-day ticket or a pass for several days.  The resort has schools for those who want to learn skiing and other winter sports.  Equipment for skiing can be hired in the town.

You can buy a one day ticket, a multi-day pass, e.g. a 2-day card or a weekly card.

The Resorts – Courmayeur

Courmayeur sits in the Aosta Valley and is also a very traditional village.  As with Sauze d’Oulx, there are slopes here for all levels but you can also take the time to indulge in some other activities such as snowshoe walking, ice-skating or visiting one of the many cultural attractions.  The restaurants here are also considered to be some of the finest of any ski resort.

There are more than 100km of slopes, and the main section is Plan Checrouit where most skiers go after they have finished with the beginners’ runs.  Advanced skiers can head for the Cresta d’Arp but there are also opportunities for spending time in Chamonix or on the glacier.  You can get ski passes that range from one day to a fortnight and some can be used in other resorts.

Ski passes are available from 1 day to 14 days. All passes valid for 6 to 10 consecutive days may be used for 2 days in one of the other ski resorts

The Resorts – Sestriere

Sestriere is set at a high altitude and you are almost guaranteed good snow coverage here.  This resort dates back to the 1930s and is one of the main resorts in the Via Lattea.  The combined ski area is 400km and there are around 140 slopes covering all abilities.  Other winter sports here include heli-skiing, ice skating and winter hikes.  The resort itself is also known for après-ski, with plenty of restaurants and other evening entertainment options as well as cultural attractions to visit.

Sestriere has some of the best slopes in the Via Lattea including plenty of black runs for expert skiers.  With 20 lifts, reaching the slopes you want is easy.  You can get ski passes for anything from one day to 15 days and a number of these will cover more than one of the resorts in the Via Lattea.  It is also possible to get an international pass if you are heading to nearby resorts in France.  There are several ski schools in the region for those who want to learn or improve existing skills.  Getting the equipment and clothing you need is also easy as there are plenty of suppliers in the area where the necessary items can be bought or hired as required.

Ski passes range from 1 day to 15 days. The Via Lattea 1 day pass includes access to the resorts of Sestriere, Sauze d’Oulx, Sansicario, Cesana, Claviere. International passes are also available.

By Will Smith