Val di Susa is the gateway to the Torino Alps, a wide, sun-drenched valley that stretches towards the French border, offering an extraordinary mix of history, nature and sport. The 2006 Winter Olympics took place here, and the infrastructure built for the Games left a legacy of facilities and venues that are still perfectly functional today.
Bardonecchia and Sestriere are the most famous ski resorts. In winter, the Via Lattea ski areas (Sestriere, Sauze d'Oulx, Cesana, Claviere and Montgenèvre in France) offer over 400 kilometres of interconnected slopes, making it one of the largest ski domains in the Alps. In summer, the same mountains turn into paradises for trekking, mountain biking and climbing.
The Sacra di San Michele, at the entrance to the valley, is the symbolic monument of Piedmont: a thousand-year-old abbey perched on a rocky spur at 960 metres of altitude, reached via an evocative route that ends at the Scalone dei Morti. The view from the terrace stretches across the entire Torino plain to the hills of the Langhe.
The Forte di Exilles, along the road to Monginevro, is an imposing military fortress that has dominated the valley for centuries. The Man in the Iron Mask is said to have been imprisoned here. Today it is a museum that can be visited, with permanent exhibitions on Alpine military history.
For those looking for an active experience starting from Torino, the valley also offers rafting on the Dora Riparia, e-bike trails and via ferrata routes for all levels. And on returning to the city, after a day in the mountains, a royal aperitivo at Palazzo Reale is the perfect contrast between Alpine adventure and Savoyard elegance.