From the far Normandy Stella Sumerano often thought of her origins in Puglia, of her Alberobello, of the countryside with a thousand tones of green, dotted with trulli and embroidered by drywalls. Although her life and her family were now elsewhere and her work carried her around the world, her nostalgia thrilled her and the desire to create something in her land became ever stronger.
A small trulli village surrounded by nature
A walk in the country followed by a phone call arrived in France to tell that just that group of trulli that she liked so much in the countryside of Alberobello, Mottola and Martina Franca were on sale, has been galeotto. Deciding to return to Apulia, restoring the village and opening it to hospitality were the next steps.
This is the story of the origins of Le Dieci Porte, a small trulli village open to hospitality and restored while retaining its features as an extraordinary example of spontaneous architecture.
A small door enclosed in the high wall of the enclosure introduces to an old courtyard where all the accommodations are found in the old oven, the “palmento”, the barn and the stables. When you arrive you immediately feel the peace and poetry of the place, imagining the working heart that lived in the past: it almost seems to enter the Lilliput of Gulliver’s journeys, where teemed tiny men were only twenty centimeters tall.
And in the evening while everything is in the dark, the lights between the trulli make the enchanted atmosphere and talk flat not so much not to disturb the other guests but for fear of breaking the spell.
The countryside around the village recalls the typical bucolic aspect of Valle d’Itria, but with more “wild” features, typical of the green blops and forests that lie in the territory of the nearby Mottola and the first step of the Murgia on which Noci stands. We walked among the walnut trees, the Mediterranean scrub and the pastures enjoying the wide views where the only “human” traces are the small trulli cones used as deposits for agricultural tools and large farms from thick walls, among which often sprout the dark cloaks of the beautiful donkeys of Martina Franca.
Looking around we perfectly understand Stella’s desire to live here with her family for a return to the beauty of simplicity.
Because here at Le Dieci Porte the trulli transformed into charming rooms to book for a weekend or more to discover the ancient charm of this area promise precisely this: an elegance that means simplicity and in turn promises a country-chic relaxation.
The place’s history has been preserved in the small hamlet: the chianche, the palmentos’ pool at the center of the court, enriched with pleasant corners or open air chatting, a delightful barbecue available to guests. In short, a perfect setting for a romantic getaway to two, away from the city, between moments of relaxation and nature walks.
Sleeping in the trullo gave us as always the feeling of being protected by a candid cocoon. But here, Stella and Christophe wanted to create a hybrid atmosphere between their two souls, that of Apulian and that French.
In the six rooms, founded in the chain linked trulli of the village, one different from the other, everything is cautious in the details, yet it seems so familiar. The furnishings are few and very simple, while the overall atmosphere is outlined above all by the strength of architectural elements such as niches and recesses.
In the morning, the open-air breakfast delivers scents and genuine flavors: dairy products and local cold cuts come from a nearby farmhouse, jams and cakes are made at home. The moment is great for chatting with Stella and Christophe who are suggestions of what to visit in the area and where to eat a bite of local and traditional food.
Kindness and availability are definitely an added value to a stay that ensures so much relaxation in an oasis far from the world, in a holiday retreat and endless weekend breaks. That here enjoy also our four-legged friends, who are welcome.
Le Dieci Porte
Contrada Appiccia, S.p. 78-55 Alberobello-Mottola, Martina Franca (Ta)
Info: +39 338 9866964
www.ledieciporte.com – www.livingtrulli.com – info@livingtrulli.com
