Croce di Envie is the highest point of the Mombracco, a symbolic mountain for the Saluzzo territory, which rises from the plain reaching 1307 meters of altitude. Leonardo da Vinci already spoke about this mountain, which in one of its codes (now preserved in Paris) describes the position and characteristics of the extracted stone: Monbracco above Saluzzo above the certosa one mile at the foot of Monviso to a petrified stone quarry that is white like the carrara marble without stains with the hardness of the porphyry ... the stone mentioned by Leonardo is quartzite, a very resistant yellow rock, still used today in construction. The Mombracco, despite its modest altitude, offers hikers a priceless panorama of the Alps and the Cuneo plain, as well as of the Monviso pyramid.
Road access: From Turin’s ring road, near the Orbassano exit, take the expressway to Pinerolo. At Pinerolo follow the signs for Cavour and then for Barge. Once in Barge, just past the village and in the Mondarello hamlet, turn left (there are signs for the "Locanda della Trappa") on the uphill road that passes alongside deposits and companies of stone materials. Go up the road for a few kilometres until reaching the former Trappa convent in the San Giacomo hamlet. You can park your car in the parking lot in front of the Inn.
Route: Continue on the initially paved road. Leaving the downhill road to the right, you enter a chestnut and beech forest. After a few tens of minutes there is a hairpin bend and the houses of the Belvedere village; continue to climb to a very scenic view of Monviso. When you reach a crossroads, take the road to the right that leads to the Mulatero lodge and take the path on the left indicated with a sign towards Croce. Continuing, you reach a clearing with an area of firs from where, going uphill, in a few minutes you get to the summit chapel and a magnificent panorama. Continuing for about twenty meters beyond the chapel, you reach the cross at 1307 m positioned on a rock slab, where you should pay attention in case of heavy snow: the last stretch is in fact characterised by a passage that in the presence of abundant snow could be exposed. Return through the same itinerary.
