The slopes north-east of Cairo Montenotte were the site of the Battle of Montenotte on 12 April 1796 — Napoleon Bonaparte's first significant military victory and the opening engagement of his Italian campaign. A monument and commemorative stones mark the main positions on the heights of Monte Pra.
The site is quiet now, and the walk from town takes around an hour uphill through chestnut and oak forest. The views across the valley are wide enough to understand why this position mattered tactically. The battle is well-documented in the local museum in town, which holds period maps and a small collection of artifacts recovered from the area.