Trucco, the spirit of conviviality of a baroque village

What it is and where it is

The small village, Ventimiglia's last northern hamlet, is almost entirely gathered on the heights behind the small Baroque-style church. Its elegant square, guarded by young olive trees, is lowered from street level and invites access by a flight of steps, surrounded by flowerbeds of colorful succulents. The sound of the Roia River, flowing serenely across the street, can barely be heard, despite the fact that the little village today is virtually still. In my memories, the square, now deserted, is populated with people dancing and laughing happily and carefree, gathered in large numbers during festive occasions.

Why it is special

The parish of Saints Peter and Paul, the square and the small oratory to its right, are the center around which revolves the simple life of a village mostly tied to agriculture, as evidenced by the many terraces cultivated in the four wards that make it up: Baussi, Ciai, Murinai and Nigi. Since 1964, the small seventeenth-century church has attracted all the families not only from Trucco, but also from Verrandi and Porra, two other hamlets of Ventimiglia, and even from Trinity, a hamlet of Camporosso. Anything but just religious, days of festivals and games are organized in the square, a place of conviviality and fun for all the families in the area and, above all, for the children. About 20 years ago, I remember there were many of us...

Not to be missed

If you want to breathe deeply the air of this pleasant conviviality, far from the indefinite and impersonal assemblages, in June there is the Choral Festival, right in the church square, where choirs from parishes throughout the diocese take turns. The evening event, with the typical summer atmosphere of the Ligurian hinterland, consists of a shared dinner, where typical specialties can also be tasted, in a spirit of maximum participation. Later the concert begins, with songs - not only religious - that convey the universal values of solidarity, peace, and respect in the encounter between different cultures.

A bit of history

Since the 1960s, then, the parish of Saints Peter and Paul in Trucco has been a place of meeting, of union, of solidarity. However, it is in recent decades that a firm and active community takes shape. I still remember when Franca Remotti Migliori, with her guitar, played and sang making the Masses on every Sunday cheerful. It was these principles that inspired her when, in 2009, she proposed and organized the first Choral Festival. Even today, after her passing in the summer of 2010, she is still fondly remembered for her vitality and energy, for this shared legacy and for her tireless efforts as a mother, wife and local activist.

Stone carruggetto nestled among the houses of the Baroque village - Ph: Luigiandrea Luppino © Source

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