Mountains dominate the environment and landscape of Piedmont . The region is located at the foot of the Alpine region, Piedmont literally means foot of the mountains range with peaks of extraordinary beauty including Monte Rosa, which is the second highest mountain in Europe, Monviso and the Gran Paradiso massif.
Marvellous peaks and wide valleys characterize the landscape, in the summer the high meadows are covered in wild flowers and lush grass ideal for grazing as well as larch and fir tree forests, and in the winter are blanketed in snow.
Piedmont is the ideal base to discover the Alps. These mountains, specifically the ones surrounding Turin (Susa, Sangone and Pinerolo valleys, as well as the Chisone, Germanasca and Pellice), hosted the Winter Olympic Games, and were the headquarters par excellence of the Olympic passion.
Marvellous Snow-capped peaks, slopes, mountain passes and tunnels…there are more than 400 kilometres of mountains surrounding Torino, from the Maritime Alps to Monte Rosa.
This is the Olympic District, with the famous Via Lattea ski resort surrounded by the Susa, Sangone, Chisone, Germanasca and Pellice valleys and Pinerolo. With a total of almost 600 kilometres of piste and 91 ski lifts, skiers can enjoy the breath-taking slopes in places like Pragelato, San Sicario, Cesana, and Sestriere.
The variety in the landscape offers alpine activities for experts and beginners alike, such as dog sledding, frozen waterfall climbing, free riding, heli-skiing, and cross-country skiing.
The peaceful Lanzo Valley, dominated by a Gothic archway known as the “Devil’s Bridge”, is best visited on snowshoes trekking across the panoramic Colle del Lys, Usseglio and Pian della Mussa.
Snowboard and freestyle enthusiasts will be certain to appreciate the Olympic Half-pipe and the Bardonecchia Snow Park in, where the 2006 Olympic Winter Games snowboard competitions where stages.
Along with other venues in the area, Bardonecchia was the headquarters of the 2007 Torino Winter Universiade, a sporting event in which student athletes and would-be champions challenge each other.
The snow of the Province of Torino conceals a heritage awaiting to be discovered all year round.