17
Do
These Alps’ immense valleys offer a touristic experience that is boundless in opportunity, winter to summer, spring to fall. Winter sees the Val di Susa in all its ski glory, with hundreds of miles of slopes that brings atlete from all over Europe; here they practice a variety of winter sports and disciplines, e.g. downhill, snowboard, long-distance, Ski Mountaineering, and heliskiing.
The Valley’s pristine sceneries are also the backdrop for summertime rock-climbing, and any type of excursion that allows for the discovery of not only its exquisite natural formations, but also for its historical-artistic attributes. And of course the area does not lack for internationally-famous ski-tourism resorts like Sestriere, Bardonecchia and Sauzed'Oulx; forerunners in the latest and most unique ideas for leisure and recreation these resorts feature nothing but excellent lodging and ski structures, and host important cultural events.
As in all of Piedmont, golf courses are easy to find among these Alpine summits, particularly in Bardonecchia, Sestriere and Claviere. That in Sestriere’s greens are the highest-altitude in Europe.
Once taking a few swings at the links, head to Avigliana, where you will find the gorgeous and evocative Avigliana Lakes, Lake Grande and Lake Piccolo, ideal for a peaceful stroll through the surrounding woods and meadows. Not to be forgotten among the numerous places worth visiting in Alta Val Di Susa is Bardonecchia, highly-appreciated resort in both winter and summer, in part due to its Alpine passages of rare beauty and its avantgarde ski system (theatre for the 2006 Winter Olympics snowboard competition).
The most difficult of the zone’s trekking routes, then, run through the Grande TraversatadelleAlpi (GTA), long-distance hiking trail that unites the entire western Alpine arc of the Region with the Balcony Path or the SentieroBalcone connecting 14 municipalities in the Valle Susa Mountain Community, and the SentierodeiFranchi that traces the route tread by Charlemagne and his troops to bypass the Longobard army in 773.
Don’t Miss
Cycle enthusiasts will want to try out one or two of the Valley's many Bike Parks, particularly those in the Community of Montana Alta Valle Susa, in Bardonecchia, Sauzed'Oulx, and in San Sicario. Together, the Parks make for a paradise of mountain-biking, downhill, free ride and cross country terrain.
By italia.it