Discover Montalenghe

Montalenghe lies at the foot of the hill that marks the southern boundary of the Ivrea Morainic Amphitheatre. The municipality’s terrain ranges from its lowest point, at 280 metres, to the hilltop at 436 metres. Its south-facing position offers views across the plain as far as the city of Turin. Those interested in the landscape will therefore find a variety of features here: different elevations, far-reaching views and a distinctive geological formation.

The Ivrea Morainic Amphitheatre is a glacial landform. It was formed by deposits of rock and soil left behind by a Baltic glacier. This explains the morainic character of the landscape surrounding Montalenghe, which cannot be reduced to a single viewpoint or a single route.

Trails through the moraine landscape

The Sentiero delle Pietre Bianche consists of interconnected loops. Together, they pass through the territories of eleven municipalities in the provinces of Turin and Vercelli, covering more than 50 kilometres of marked trails. For an individual hike, the CAI loop “Da Candia e Montalenghe sul sentiero delle Pietre Bianche” offers specific points of comparison: it is about 18 kilometres long, has around 300 metres of elevation gain and is rated difficulty level T. When choosing a route, you can consider distance, elevation gain and this difficulty rating as separate criteria.

In the area of the moraine forests, the Sentiero delle Pietre Bianche highlights Montalenghe’s medieval castle, known as Castelvecchio. The Pietra del Vais is another feature mentioned along the route. This erratic boulder lies in the forest on the moraine hill north of the town. For many generations, children have used it as a natural slide; it is also a place to rest in the forest of Montalenghe.

Other natural features include three lakes in the Montalenghe area, in the Gogliasso zone in the south of the territory. They are fed mainly by spring water. Il Cedro di Montalenghe, a monumental tree, also stands within the municipality.

Historical traces and buildings

Roman finds have been discovered on the hill of Castelvecchio. The first records of the “Castrum Montalengarum” date from 1181. Taken together, the finds and the early mention point to different historical traces on the same hill; the 1181 record is the date of the first documented mention of the Castrum, not a date assigned to the Roman finds.

The Chiesa di San Pietro is a 13th-century cemetery church. Three plates on its façade indicate that the building served as a stop for passing pilgrims, who could find refreshments there. The Priorato San Carlo complex includes a church and a theatre. The Vasca del Broi adds a rural water structure to the picture: the basin has a stone spring and was used to water animals and draw water for agricultural irrigation.

Nature spots, places to rest and local cuisine

The Antica Fonte di Lussana is a place to stop and relax for those walking the Sentiero delle Pietre Bianche. The spring is not currently flowing. The Antica Fonte is difficult to access for people with mobility impairments. These conditions are relevant when choosing this place to rest and distinguish it from a water source whose flow you could rely on.

Local food culture is another of Montalenghe’s notable features: at Fungalenghe, porcini mushrooms are prepared according to traditional recipes. A festival speciality is fried mushrooms. This adds a culinary occasion to the area’s landscape and history, without implying that it is a specific feature of any particular accommodation.

Discover more destinations

Discover more destinations: Salassa, Volpiano, Rollieres, Torre Pellice, Bruzolo, Robassomero, Vidracco, Villareggia.

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