At a glance it appears to be just another beautiful alpine valley: rising from the Piedmont plain of Northwest Italy, Valle Pellice is physically not unlike many of the other steep-walled, narrow valleys that wind their way to the French border. Yet there is a lot more to this place then one might think; the ostensibly typical valley has in fact witnessed an extraordinary history. Foremost it saw the establishment of one of Europe's earliest Protestant communities, founded by the Waldenses who crossed over from France in the 13th century. Valle Pellice never grew to the importance of nearby Valle Susa in terms of commerce, as the mountain passes to France are easier to cross from the latter, more open valley. But Valle Pellice did experience a renascence in the later 19th century, during which time its capitol city, Torre Pellice, was dubbed the "Italian Geneva". Currently the valley is undergoing a new phase of development and (hopefully) prosperity. The impetus behind this new growth is the 2006 Winter Olympics, which will be hosted by the nearby city of Torino. Torre Pellice, at the beginning of Valle Pellice, will one of the Olympic Sites.

The Waldenses chose wisely in their escape from France: Valle Pellice is surrounded by spectacular mountains, glacier-blue lakes, deep forest and the occasional cluster of old farm buildings. Hopefully the Olympians will have some free time to look around. Walkers, meanwhile, delight in the excellent array of trails that skirt the valley, which lies in the shadow of Monviso, at 3,841m the highest, most impressive mountain for kilometers. A magnificent three-day tour circumnavigates the peak; those looking for more adventure could cross any of the numerous passes into France to the lovely Queyras Natural Park. Experienced backcountry skiers also have many routes to choose from.