Monti: Mountain Trails, Forest and Culture

Sentiero delle Carbonaie and Big Bench del Pian

The Sentiero delle Carbonaie leads from Monti at 1,200 metres to Col Cialmetta at 1,303 metres. The trail has an elevation gain of approximately 120 metres, takes about one hour, is rated difficulty level E and bears trail marker 204A. For visitors looking for a hike of manageable duration with a clearly defined destination, the trail offers a clearly outlined mountain stage.

The Big Bench del Pian is located on mountain meadows covered with rhododendrons typical of this mountain region. The Big Bench del Pian is easily reached via a 15–20-minute walk. The short approach leads to a specific destination in a mountain meadow landscape shaped by the rhododendrons. For a stay that is intended to include shorter outings alongside longer routes, the walk remains manageable in terms of time.

Forest Trail and Remembrance Culture

The Sentiero dei Laghetti is an easy walking trail through cool, shady beech and larch forests. At suitable times of year, the forests are home to abundant mushrooms. The Sentiero dei Laghetti begins below the chapel of Monti beside an impressive monument commemorating the acts of resistance in the surrounding area. The forest section, the easy rating and the connection to the memory of the acts of resistance give the trail a distinctive character among Monti’s excursion destinations.

At the entrance to the hamlet of Monti stands the Chiesa della Beata Vergine Assunta in a commanding position. The Chiesa della Beata Vergine Assunta can be reached via a staircase branching off from the road. The church is a typical example of the shepherds’ chapels built in the Valli di Lanzo between 1600 and 1700. Its location at the entrance to the hamlet and access via the staircase make the church a clearly defined cultural destination whose architectural form can be placed within the history of the Valli di Lanzo.

Uja di Calcante: Climbing, Plant and Mining History

The ridge between Uja di Calcante and nearby Punta Lunelle (1,384 m) is a historic climbing area for mountaineers from Turin. The spatial relationship between the ridge, Uja di Calcante and Punta Lunelle forms part of Monti’s distinctive mountain profile. The reference to mountaineers from Turin also gives the climbing area a clear regional connection, without equating the ridge with another mountain destination.

On the slopes of Uja di Calcante, one of the very few known occurrences of Euphorbia gibelliana can be found. This endemic plant occurs exclusively in the Graian Alps. The botanical feature adds a special characteristic to the mountain landscape, with a distribution limited to the Graian Alps. For visitors interested in natural history, Uja di Calcante therefore offers a second, independent point of interest alongside the climbing area.

On the slopes of Uja di Calcante, several shafts and a former mule supply track bear witness to past mining activities. The former mining activities were discontinued towards the end of the 19th century. The shafts and mule track therefore represent traces of a completed mining history, not an active mining operation.

Short Cycling Training Route

Monti–Rangirot is one of the short training routes in the vicinity of Mezzenile.

Further destinations: Exilles, Beaulard, Cuorgnè, Sestriere, Bardonecchia, Torre Pellice, Sauze D'oulx, Giaveno

To the overarching travel overview: Turin.