HAVE you ever dreamed of becoming a famous Olympian?
It might be out of reach for most of us mere mortals.
But at one resort in Italy, you can feel pretty close to it — especially if you’re skiing alongside one of Britain’s greatest Olympic snowboarders.
I joined two-time Winter Games star and World Cup winner Jamie Nicholls on the slopes of the dreamily named Milky Way (Via Lattea) ski area in the Italian Alps.
The snowy realm played host to the stars of the Turin Winter Olympics in 2006 and you can feel like a hero as you ski off from the original starting huts of the giant slalom or downhill black runs.
Remnants of the Games can be seen everywhere from the former bobsled track — a giant concrete cobra now disused and frozen in time — to the vertigo-inducing ski jump, as well as the downhill slopes.
The main athletes’ village — now a four-star hotel — dominates the village of Sestriere, from where more than 400km of pistes stretch all the way to Montgenevre in France.
I was staying at a smaller former athletes village in Pragelato, which is now owned and run by the all-inclusive holiday giant, Club Med.
It is the company’s only village concept, with the many chalets housing 350 rooms and surrounding a main hotel building to give it a cosy feel.
Club Med celebrated its 75th anniversary last year and the mantra from its founder, Belgian Gerard Blitz, is: “The purpose of life is to be happy. The place to be happy is here. The time to be happy is now.”
The always smiling, helpful and friendly staff try their best to make this true every day.
Every evening, a show including music, dancing and theatre is performed for both children and adults in the main bar, and the partying goes on long into the night.
Club Med was the original all-inclusive holiday company and packages include ski passes, ski lessons and all food and drink from a main buffet restaurant serving delicious local pasta, meats and cheeses, as well as a pizza trattoria and a fine dining option.
And what is exceptional about Club Med Pragelato is that it also has four restaurants on the mountain where you can eat out and drink for free as part of your package.
This means you can make the most of your day’s skiing as you don’t have to trek back to your hotel for lunch.
Olympian Jamie is a convert and regularly takes his family — wife Jenny and their two young daughters, Lily and Rosie.
He said: “It’s just very easy. You don’t have to think — everything is done for you.
“You drop the kids off at the kids’ club, they get them dressed, they get their ski boots on, they get them off to ski school . . . it’s no faff for you.
“They really put the kids at ease. They’re very energetic, very fun, so it takes their mind off them leaving their parents.
“My eldest has always been a bit scared of doing stuff on her own, but they are really good at making sure that they feel happy and OK.
“They’re very flexible in terms of when you want to pick your kids up after ski school.
“You can go and eat lunch with them and then bring them back, or you could just leave them there the whole day at the kids’ club.
“For family holidays I’ve not experienced a better one.”
Access to the slopes is also simple — just a one-minute walk to the cable car up the mountain. The skiing at Pragelato offers everything from beginners to the most hardcore advanced.
Avalanche kits are also available for those who want to do some of the endless back-country woodland routes and mountain-top off-piste adventures.
Ski lessons are included for free and there is a kids’ club all day and in the evening so you can enjoy supper in peace.
And while the children are being entertained, the adults can slip off to the spa for a massage and to chill and repair tired limbs in the hammam steam bath and sauna.
With so much included, the price is definitely not cheap.
In fact, you might need some of that Olympic gold and silver to afford a family holiday here.
However, if you value the stress-free convenience, it’s definitely worth it.
Some of that Olympian spirit could even rub off on you and who knows, your dreams of becoming an Olympian might just come true.
GO: ITALIAN ALPS
GETTING / STAYING THERE: Seven nights all-inclusive at Club Med Pragelato Sestriere is from £2,005pp including all-inclusive food and drink, lift pass and ski lessons as well as flights from Gatwick on January 10, 2027 and transfers.
To book, go to clubmed.co.uk/r/pregelato-sestriere/w or call 03453 676767.