Italian Alps Ski/Snowboard Trip

Ski and Eat in the Italian Alps

  • Dates and duration

    9 days, 8 nights
    2025-Dates TBD

  • Location

    Sauze D’Oulx, Italy
    Via Lattea ski resort

  • Maximum number of participants

    12

  • Price

    $500 (reservation deposit)
    $3150 (second payment)

Join us on a ski/snowboard trip full of delicious food, high peaks, long runs, superb wine, and wonderful people in the dramatic Italian Alps. The Via Lattea (“Milky Way”) straddles the border between Italy and France and is comprised of 6 interconnected resorts. The Via Lattea is considered one of the most beautiful and unique ski resorts in the Alps and sits 70km West from Turin. These linked resorts make a huge ski resort with more than 400km of ski slopes and over 4500 feet of vertical, all accessed with a single lift ticket. The Via Lattea has a long history of hosting Ski World Cups as well as the Olympic Winter Games in 2006.

***Saveur the Journey takes the COVID-19 pandemic very seriously. Please see our COVID-19 Policies for more information.***

$3,650.00

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Meet Local People

Ski and dine with local Italians who will show us the proper way to twirl pasta and where to find powder stashes.

Beautiful accommodations

Stay in a stunning post and beam luxury chalet modeled after mountain refuges in the Alps.

Traditional cuisine

Eat your way through the traditional dishes and wines of the region, plus much more.

Despite its beauty and storied history, the Via Lattea remains untouched, uncrowded and unbelievably good. Its Italian heritage is felt in the small details: from the delicious food, incredible wines, the afternoon drinks in the sun, to the hospitality and meals enjoyed in mountain chalets. The 6 linked resorts provide a good variety of skiing and enables skiers of all skills and competence to have fun and find challenges. The tree skiing through Larches at Sauze D’Oulx and Sansicario are some of the best in Western Europe. With 400 km of long, winding cruisers of intermediate (red) difficulty alone, the Via Lattea is an excellent choice for intermediate and stronger skiers. For more advanced skiers there are superb freeride & backcountry options in higher reaches of Montgenèvre & Claviere among the Monti delle Luna (Mountains of the Moon). Topping out at over 9000 feet, the area benefits from strong snowfall from moisture delivered from the gulf of Genoa that releases as snow when it hits the Italian Alps, which can result in prolonged periods of intense snowfall. In addition, the Via Lattea has extensive snow making infrastructure, ensuring good coverage and a long season.

Italian food is celebrated and replicated the world over, and the delicious Piedmontese food and wine are reason enough to visit the Via Lattea. After skiing your way through the various resorts, each with their own feel, stop and enjoy excellent salumi (cured meats), fresh pastas, mountain cheeses, polenta, and other hearty dishes paired with Barbera, Nebbiolo, Barolo or a cold, crisp beer.

We will stay in a beautiful and spacious chalet in Oulx, Italy. Here we can return after a day of skiing through the Via Lattea to eat wonderful homecooked hearty meals of traditional Piemontese cuisine and learn about the excellent wines of Piemonte as well. Our host is Monica, a native of Turin who is a graduate of the Slow Food University of Gastronomic Sciences. Monica grew up skiing in the Via Lattea with her father, who is a ski instructor. Monica is passionate about skiing (especially backcountry ski touring) and Italian food and culture. She currently is the manager of a cooking school in Torino. Monica will join forces with Saveur the Journey Owner, Aaron Schorsch, to cook delicious meals at the chalet, find the best slope-side restaurants, and connect with the area’s best ski guides and instructors to find the best snow.

Must be at least an intermediate level skier/snowboarder that is very comfortable with intermediate (blue) slopes and able to ski advanced (black) slopes. Must have a good level of fitness.

Typical days might mean getting up at 7 am so that we can have breakfast and get on the slopes early. In the evening we will have time to relax and experience Italian apres ski before returning to the chalet for delicious dinners. Bedtimes could run late. If you are not comfortable skiing/boarding all day and eating lots of great food all evening then this is not the trip for you. We will have a rest day built in and there will be the option to skip a day of skiing.

Our group will be staying together in the chalet so you must be willing to share common spaces, help out with clean up, and be respectful of each other. For those interested in cooking there will be some opportunities for hands-on learning. This trip is not suitable for vegetarians, vegans, dairy free, or gluten free diets. Speaking some Italian or French is great but not at all required. Please make plans to arrive in Turin on Feb 17, 2023 by the early afternoon (airfare is not included). You can either fly into Turin or Milan and take an easy two-hour shuttle to downtown Turin. Cost for trip is $3650 (based on double occupancy) please add $500 for use of a double room by a single person.

Sample Itinerary, subject to change

Day 1 (Friday)

Arrive in Milan or Turin, Italy. Take train (from Turin airport) or shuttle bus (from Milan Airport) to downtown Turin (Porta Susa/Porta Nuova).
Van to lodging: Hotel in Turin
Rest, relax, and recuperate or visit the city, have a gelato, etc.
Welcome meeting, icebreakers, aperitif.
Hosted dinner by Monica.

Day 2 (Saturday)

Breakfast at Hotel (check out)
Transportation by van to Sauze D’Oulx (1hour) Pick up rental equipment if needed
Ski Via Lattea
Lunch on your own
Check into Chalet in Oulx after skiing
Dinner at chalet

Day 3 (Sunday)

Breakfast at Chalet
Ski Via Lattea
Picnic lunch from local cheese and meat specialties with fresh baguette or slopeside restaurant
Return to Chalet or visit Sauze D’Oulx for “apres ski.”
Dinner at Chalet

Day 4 (Monday)

Breakfast at Chalet
Ski Via Lattea
Small group ski lessons/guiding
Lunch on the slopes
Return to Chalet
Dinner on your own in Oulx

Day 5 (Tuesday)

Breakfast at Chalet
Visit Cheesemaker in Gravere to learn about the local cheese of the area.
Lunch
Visit to Winery to learn about the wines of Piemonte.
Free evening
Return to Chalet for informal cooking class and dinner

Day 6 (Wednesday)

Breakfast at Chalet
Ski Via Lattea with ski instructor guides or backcountry tour
Lunch on your own
Return to Chalet for dinner

Day 7 (Thursday)

Breakfast at Chalet
Ski Via Lattea with Ski Instructors/Guides
Lunch
Return to Chalet
Dinner at Refugio Giamont (accessed by snowmobile transport)

Day 8 (Friday)

Breakfast at Chalet
Ski Via Lattea
Italian ski lunch of local cheeses and cured meats/fresh bread
Farewell dinner out at gourmet restaurant

Day 9 (Saturday)

Breakfast at Chalet. Check out by 10am
Departure for Turin Caselle Airport by van 1.25 hours drive time or downtown Turin for shuttle transfer to Milan Airport

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TRIP PACKAGE INCLUDES

  • All accommodations (double occupancy)
  • Most meals (8 breakfasts, 5 packed lunches, 7 dinners)
  • 6 days of lift tickets for Via Lattea (6 resorts)
  • Day of group ski lessons (intermediate & advanced)
  • Options for guiding by mountain guides/instructors for Sidecountry exploration
  • Transportation by private van
  • All tours and tastings
  • English translations
  • American and Italian guides
  • More amazing food than you can imagine

NOT INCLUDED

  • Airfare (Turin or Milan are the closest airports)
  • Travel insurance (try World Nomads)
  • Rental equipment
  • Alcohol
  • Gratuities for guides (10-20% of trip cost is customary for excellent service)
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FAQ Ski vacation in Italy

Must be at least an intermediate level skier/snowboarder that is very comfortable with intermediate (blue) slopes and able to ski advanced (black) slopes.  Having off piste experience is recommended.

No!  Italian language proficiency is recommended but not required.  Even if the only Italian word you know how to say is “Vino,” you will be fine.  We will help with translations and in ski towns many people speak English.

Accommodations will be in a beautiful mountain Chalet in the mountain town of Oulx, Italy and one day in a hotel in Turin on arrival. There is Wifi at the Chalet and Hotel.

Most meals, lift tickets (6 days), transportation within Italy, tours and tastings, and all accommodations are included.  Airfare, rental equipment, alcohol, gratuities, and travel insurance (highly recommended) are not included.

This trip is not suitable for vegetarians, vegans, dairy free, or gluten free diets.

If you have equipment that you really love and are comfortable with then I would suggest bringing it.  Ski/snowboard rental is quite affordable in Italy (probably around $250 euro for the week).  A good compromise is to bring you own boots if you like them and then rent the rest.

Our groups are relatively small (around 12 people total) but this is usually too large a group to try to keep together on the slopes.  Generally we will break into smaller groups so that we don’t have to wait as much.  We can show you some great spots or you can explore on your own.

The Alps are usually not extremely cold with temperatures usually in the 20-30 degree range.  Of course it can be colder, especially on the higher peaks and with the addition of wind so packing layers is always a good idea.

This trip is focused on skiing so we will be hitting the slopes early with the aim of catching the first chairs. Due to the size of our group we do have some flexibility in our planning so if some people want to take a leisurely morning or only ski half a day that may be an option.

If you need to cancel a trip that you have already booked and it is at least 90 days before the start of the trip your deposit is half refundable.  Final payment for the trip is due 60 days before the start of the trip.  Cancellations between 30 and 59 days before the of start of trip are 50% refundable. Cancellations less than 30 days are non-refundable (100% of booking cost).  For this reason, we recommend you consider purchasing travelers insurance, (try World Nomads) which will cover the cost of your trip in extenuating circumstances.

Gratuities for guides are not included in the price of you trip and are much appreciated. Tipping is at your discretion. Normally average tips for excellent service are around 10%-20% of the trip cost. Tips are pooled together and shared equally among the guides.

More questions?

Contact us

Testimonials

As an avid skier who has skied all over North America, I was looking for a ski trip to Europe that allowed me to do serious skiing, but also experience the local culture. I loved being in a small group, which included local experts in food and skiing, where we cooked, dined and skied together as a family. Aaron is flexible and responsive as a group leader, and was able to help customize transportation, rentals or other needs for the group. Portes du Soleil offers an enormous network of trails and resorts, with beautiful views and plenty of challenging skiing. I highly recommend Saveur The Journey for your next trip!

Our “Saveur the Journey” experience exceeded our expectations. We joined the trip to ski France, Switzerland, and Valle Blanche with someone familiar with the area. In short, the skiing was amazing and the Valle Blanche descent was a once in a life time experience. Aaron and Francois toured us throughout the enormous Portes du Soleil ski resorts knowing where to find the best runs and the terrific lunch stops. Beyond the skiing, we were pleasantly surprised that the off-mountain experiences equaled our skiing adventures. The accommodations, local tours, food, trip organization, and laughter were all reflective of a tour leader who genuinely cares and wants to share his love of France. “Saveur the Journey” is an experience that is reflective of Aaron, his enthusiasm for life, and his fixation on cheese!

The skiing alone is a great reason to join Aaron on a winter trip to the Alps but there is so much more that makes it the trip of a lifetime. The chalet is world class, the food is the delicious cuisine of the region, made by people who live there. Aaron and his French friends’ knowledge of the area, the history and the food culture, help to immerse into life in the French Alps. I can’t wait to do it again!

Our team

Aaron Schorsch

Owner- Saveur the Journey

Aaron Schorsch is the owner of Saveur the Journey where he combines his passions of food, travel, outdoor adventures, and culture. He grew up in rural New Hampshire and has lived and traveled extensively in the US and abroad. Aaron learned to snowboard while teaching English in the French Alps but later took up Telemark Skiing. While he still likes to drop a knee on occasion you are more likely to find him with fixed heels shredding the backcountry or resort in a style he likes to call “joyful abandon.” Aaron is a student of food who has worked throughout the food system from growing seed and farming of vegetables, fruits, and livestock to cooking in high end restaurants and managing farmer’s markets. He loves to talk about, think about, dream about and especially, cook and eat food. He is a member of Slow Food international and has been a US delegate at Terra Madre in Turin, Italy.

Monica Wuthrich

Tour Leader- Piemonte Culinary Adventure/Ski Trip to Italy

Monica Wuthrich is an enthusiastic Italian foodie and a native of Piemonte. She holds a bachelor‘s degree in Food Technology at Slow Foods’ University of Gastronomic Sciences in Pollenzo, Italy. She loves cooking, and enjoys sharing her passion for food & wine with people from all over the world. In addition to being the cooking school manager of Scuola di cucina Lorenzo De’ Medici, she also organizes cooking classes out of her house, in the city of Torino. Her aim is to combine food with the culture, traditions, habits and customs of the Italian way of life.