cyclable rice paddies n. 5 – the grange itinerary

Route Description

From the Vercelli station, follow the Viale Garibaldi bike path, Via Paggi and Via Trino to leave the city in the direction of Crescentino, passing through the village of Casalrosso. Then continue on the Strada delle Grange (lit. Granaries), which takes its name from the ancient housing units that arose on uncultivated and forest-covered land on which the Cistercian monks carried out reclamation works to turn them into productive areas. The Grange rise out of the water like small islands, and it is to one of the most fascinating Grange that one arrives just past the crossroads to Darola: the Principality of Lucedio and the Abbey of Santa Maria built in 1123. Honorable mention deserves the Principality, since in the first half of the 15th century it was the Cistercians of Lucedio who first introduced rice cultivation to Italy. Having passed the sanctuary of Madonna delle Vigne and its sinister atmosphere, we continue to the village of Montarolo, skirting the Bosco delle Sorti forest of the Partecipanza di Trino,

a rare example of a lowland forest, which gives us a previously unseen image of the Po Valley in days gone by. When you then reach Montarolo, you can shorten the route by 25 km by continuing in the direction of Trino, or continue to Crescentino by rejoining the Strada delle Grange and You deviate by following the signs for San Genuario and the Nature Reserve of the marsh of the same name. Once through the village, you reach the hamlet of Monticelli, where you follow in the direction of Trino, and then continue following the signs for Asigliano V.se. After crossing the town of Asigliano, continue in the direction of Vercelli to return to the starting point.

Recommended period: spring and autumn

Type of terrain: dirt and asphalt