Driving towards the village of Radda, on the winding roads of the valleys of Chianti, in Tuscany, at the bend of a bend, one sees emerge, from a setting of cypresses, vineyards and olive trees, an elegant campanile. It is that of the church of Santa Maria Novella. A marvel of Romanesque architecture built in the tenth century, a parish offered by the Count of Piancaldoli to his wife, Aldina. It adjoins Pieve Aldina, the eleventh hotel of the Domaines de Fontenille, the first in Italy. This set of buildings, dating from the fifteenth, sixteenth and seventeenth centuries, is classified and, obviously, steeped in history. Traces of the past are everywhere, testifying to the original architecture and the modifications made in the nineteenth century.
Overlooking the Chianti valley, Pieve Aldina, the new hotel opened by Frédéric Biousse and Guillaume Foucher. Sylvie Becquet
It is easy to understand that Frédéric Biousse and Guillaume Foucher, at the head of the Domaines de Fontenille, fell in love with this magical place. "In 2016, when Frédéric and I decided to go into the hotel business, we thought about moving to Italy. But we soon realized that learning a new profession at the same time (Frédéric was a fashion entrepreneur and I had an art gallery) and a new language, Italian, was a bit complicated. So we focused on the Luberon that we knew well. And we opened the Domaine de Fontenille. Then many others in France and Menorca... But our desire for Italy has never left us. So four years ago, we decided to come back to it. We visited about forty places and fell in love with this one. However, as we had several sites under construction, we chose to calm down on acquisitions!", says Guillaume Foucher.
Frédéric Biousse and Guillaume Fouchet, the owners of Domaine de Fontenille and now Pieve Aldina in Tuscany. Sylvie Becquet
A wonderful setting
In 2020, after the first lockdown and the completion of many projects, Frédéric and Guillaume are once again on the Tuscan roads to explore properties in the Tuscany... Pieve Aldina is still on sale. A sign. This time, they decided to take the plunge and transform this private residence into a hotel. "Chianti is an exceptional region. Its preserved landscapes, organized in a very poetic way, are those seen in the background of Renaissance portraits. I am an art historian, impossible to remain insensitive to this. And then there is this adjoining church, with its bell tower that structures the whole, "continues Guillaume.
At Hotel Pieve Aldina, life is as pleasant and sweet inside as outside. Sylvie Becquet
In addition to its wonderful setting, Pieve Aldina is ideally located on the wine route, thirty minutes from Siena and fifty minutes from Florence. An ideal starting point to shine in the region. However, it is difficult to get away from Pieve Aldina as you immediately feel good. Swimming pool, spa, cooking classes, yoga, wine and olive oil tastings, art history classes..., the experiences offered are enticing and we know that we will not be bored. But it is above all the charm that holds the visitor back: the light and serenity, the breathtaking beauty of the gardens, the neat and welcoming atmosphere, signature of the Domaines de Fontenille...
Enjoy the beautiful light, charm and comfort of the rooms. Sylvie Becquet
We feast on Italian charcuterie à l'enoteca. Sylvie Becquet
Ancient spirit
Guillaume, who supervised the rehabilitation and layout of the spaces, had to deal with the many constraints related to the regulations: respect for the distribution of rooms and openings, restoration requiring the use of original, local, historical, handmade materials, such as terracotta floor, or, for the restoration of nineteenth-century stencils, obligation to highlight the areas of intervention... And he knew how to magnify all these obligations.
Here each space has some nice surprises in store. The visitor is thus greeted by a gigantic bust of Juno. Sylvie Becquet
Thus, in some of the 22 rooms, vast and all different, we discover frescoes renovated as if blending into plain paintings. Then floats an antique spirit that imposes itself from the entrance, where one is greeted by a gigantic bust of Juno, a plaster delivered directly from the Berlin Sculpture Casting Workshop. A room sublimated by the azure blue that dresses the reception and contrasts with the more subdued atmosphere of the enoteca.
Terracotta slab floor, wooden beams, nineteenth-century stencil frescoes on the walls... The marks of the past have been sublimated by a restoration in the rules of the art. Sylvie Becquet
In video, why do we have the impression that time flies on vacation?
Minimalist decoration
"On the ground floor we have a series of rooms with slightly low ceilings, which is why we have installed a warm enoteca there with shelves loaded with bottles and beautiful cold cuts. And then, going from Juno to sausage, it does not leave insensitive!", laughs Guillaume. In the continuity of this "tavern", you can also sit at the table d'hôtes or admire an Italian cook preparing pasta in the kitchens that overlook a small dining room.
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The marks of the past are beautifully highlighted by a palette of very soft colors and coordinated furniture, art books, carefully selected objects, antique pieces, Pierre Frey fabrics ... Sylvie Becquet
For large events, the table can be set in the sunny gardens. Looking for a more sophisticated gastronomy? A few steps away, in another part of the building, a bright restaurant, with high bay windows opening onto a terrace of 50 seats, allows you to enjoy the cuisine of chef Flavio Faedi. The décor is more minimalist, as in the rooms that give pride of place to Italian furniture and lighting signed, for example, Gervasoni and Flos, Pierre Frey textiles, Caravan headboards... A perfect setting that highlights the exteriors. "The views from each window are paintings," insists Guillaume. In addition to the panorama, we take the time to admire the small antique altarpieces that punctuate all the pieces: they are a link between the different styles and biases, common threads.
"We love Italy, Italians, light, Italian food and culture. Pieve Aldina is only the beginning in this country! »
Guillaume Foucher
Good vibes
The rooms are decorated with special attention to detail: beautiful objects, works of art... Sylvie Becquet
"We define Les Domaines de Fontenille as a collection of hotels because each address has its own personality, conceived from a work, a story... These icons, images of folk art that have always been found in Italian homes and found on a flea market, were, here, like a click: they are what allowed me to build the identity of the house, "says Guillaume. They watch everywhere, dispensing their good vibes on a painted wall, placed on the fireplace of a living room, near a bed ... And they will undoubtedly bring luck to Frédéric and Guillaume, who still have many projects in mind. "We love Italy, Italians, light, Italian cuisine and culture," enthuses Guillaume. Pieve Aldina is just the beginning in this country!"
A bathtub with views of the Tuscan countryside and gardens. Sylvie Becquet
(1) Pieve Aldina, Traversa del Chianti, 53017 Radda in Chianti (Italy). Reservations: reservations@pievealdina.com.
Guillaume Foucher's good addresses around Pieve Aldina
- Antica Macelleria Cecchini: "An excellent butchery run by Dario Cecchini. You can even have a minute tartare prepared that can be enjoyed on site, on a small corner of the table. Dario Cecchini also has a truck equipped with a grill that criss-crosses the region."
Antica Macelleria Cecchini, Via XX Luglio, 11, 50022 Panzano in Chianti.
- Bar Ucci: "This is a restaurant with a nice terrace in the tiny village of Volpaia. We go there for its Tuscan specialties, its Chianti wines, but also for Paola, the owner. She immediately calls you "amore" and hugs you when you leave. My favorite!"
Bar Ucci, Piazza della Torre, 9, Volpaia, 53017 Radda in Chianti.
- Le Panzanelle: "An osteria in the pretty village of Radda, with excellent local cuisine".
Località Lucarelli, 29, 53017 Radda in Chianti.
- The Crete Senesi: "An incredible lunar landscape of clay hills and ravines that stretches from Siena to Montepulciano".
- Il Santo Bevitore: "A bakery restaurant in Florence where you can enjoy plates of Italian cheeses, carefully selected cold cuts... And, of course, we immerse ourselves in the beautiful wine list of the Boot."
Il Santo Bevitore, Via Santo Spirito, 64/66, 50125 Florence.
