Mombasiglio
T08
Level of difficulty
Type
Duration
3 hours 35 minutes
STARTING POINT
Bernardino Viglione Street
Municipality of departure
Mombasiglio
Starting fee
540 m
POINT OF ARRIVAL
Bernardino Viglione Street
Municipality of arrival
Mombasiglio
Arrival fee
540 m
Length of the route
26.4 km
MAXIMUM QUOTE.
804 m
Minimum fee
375 m
Uphill elevation gain
805 m
Downhill gradient
808 m
Charging column
Not present
THE PATH.
Varied loop route linking the lower valle Mongia with Ceva and its plain, encountering several noteworthy historical and cultural emergencies and crossing equally fascinating naturalistic environments.
Running along a mixed surface of dirt, grass, and asphalt, the route begins in the historic center of Mombasiglio, near the imposing castle that overlooks the town, and first makes a nearly 360-degree loop to skirt the archaeological site of Sant’Andrea, then turning eastward to reach Pratolungo before descending toward the center of Ceva, offering a beautiful view of the fort and the historic town center. After turning onto Provincial Road 143 heading south, the route passes near the village of Poggi Santo Spirito before keeping to the left—still on paved road—to cross over to the opposite ridge and reach the village of Scagnello, dominated by the ruins of the ancient tower.
Finally, the return on Mombasiglio is by dirt road to the village center.
Locations and Points of Interest
Mombasiglio Castle
Built in a scenic area around the year 1000 and remodeled several times over the centuries, the manor house served as a base for Napoleon’s troops, led by General Seurener, in 1796. In light of these events, the building—in addition to serving as the headquarters of the GAL Mongioie—houses the Bonaparte Museum, which boasts the largest collection of original prints and engravings by Giuseppe Pietro Bagetti depicting Napoleon’s First Italian Campaign, as well as the Museum of Local Marbles and Stones.
Sant'Andrea Archaeological Site
Probably built in the 11th century and demolished in 1923, the building is mentioned in the “Statutes of Mombasiglio” of 1331 and was listed (between the 13th and 14th centuries) among the possessions of the Abbey of San Dalmazzo di Pedona under the name “Sancti Andree de Montebaxilio.” Featuring a rectangular floor plan with a semicircular, vaulted apse and an altar separated from the choir, the church is now an interesting archaeological site open to tourists, scholars, and researchers.
Fort of Ceva
Perched on the hill overlooking the town and once a strategic stronghold serving the House of Savoy, it has always been an important example of military architecture and the Piedmontese fortification system due to the coexistence of military and religious elements that distinguish it. Demolished by Napoleonic troops in 1801, the Fort of Ceva can still be visited today, with its perimeter and the rooms that have remained intact open to the public.
Tower of Scagnello
Built in a panoramic location and now reduced to ruins, the tower was once part of the adjacent castle, whose existence is attested in a document dated April 20, 1241. Likely destroyed in 1535 by French troops, the castle was part of a larger system of fortifications that connected it to other local structures, such as the castles of Bagnasco and Battifollo.
Local Specialties
Omelet Sandwich: Having gained fame between the 1930s and the 1980s among those who traveled by train from Turin to Liguria and found it for sale on carts along the station platforms, the Ceva Omelet Sandwich is a local specialty that was awarded the Municipal Designation of Origin in 2014. Although there is no single, universally accepted recipe, it remains a valuable culinary specialty for a city that celebrates mushrooms every year at a dedicated trade fair, which will have international status starting in 2026.
Download gps coordinates of the route
All Mongibike tracks are also available on Tabui
