Turin city proper wasn’t the only thing onstage at the O2006 Winter Olympic Games; the majestic white-capped Alps beyond also got their fair share of TV time. While they made an occasional pretty backdrop for the TV cameras in town for the Games, they have always been woven into the fabric of Torinese life. The Via Lattea ski area (}0122 79 94 11; www.vialattea.it), or “Milky Way,” hosted Olympic Alpine and cross-country skiing and ski jumping events. Visitors to Turin can bust out their less Olympian ski poles on its over 400km of skiable runs, 80 of which have snowmaking capabilities. The resort runs more than 80 lifts from a number of villages (Lift tickets about €34). The village of Sestriere, just 17km from the French border, hosted Alpine skiing at the Games and got most of the press attention. No surprise, as it was home to the mountainside media village. It also has Europe’s highest 18-hole golf course in the summer months, a 4828 yd., par-65course with stunning mountain vistas. Teeing off here, gullible golfers will come to believe that hundred-foot drop-offs make for great hazards (}012 27 62 43 in summer months; www.vialattea.it/it/show/102/Il Club~Open June-Sept.) The resort most convenient to and popular among Turin residents is Sauze d’Oulx,[/b> once a destination for the city’s aristocracy. In 2006, it was the place for freestyle ski events—those are the intense acrobatic runs. Saul d’Oulx and Sestriere combined have 30 lifts. Though the slopes from the games remain, keep in mind that there’s not much “style,” free or otherwise, in going for the triple jump (to impress the boy or girl in the cute goggles) if you land flat on your face. On the other hand, that could be a strategy to meet a hunky ski patroller. Sadem has buses to Sauze d’Oulx and Sestriere in winter (}011 30 00 611; www.sadem.it).
Farther away, outside of the long Olympic reach, is Alagna (}0163 92 29 22; www.freerideparadise.it) in the Monte Rosa region. This place is known for its 1200m vertical drop, expert-only trails, and wide open pistes that allow skiers to chart their own path down (Lift tickets €36, discounts for seniors.) Knowledgeable skiers and boarders call it amazing, but those in over their heads will probably find that riding down on their butt isn’t all that fun. Nearby is the lower-altitude Wold area designed for youngsters and beginners (1 trip down €3, daily pass €20).
The Piedmont Region tourism office (}011 43 21 504; www.piemontefeel.it) in Turin provides abundant information about planning a ski trip in the area.