The Tuesday and Saturday market in Dogliani

The Dogliani market: festive, crowded, varied, with numerous farmers who display their produce is an example of how the Langhe markets were once.

It has well over 80 stands, and is held on Tuesdays from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m in the central piazzas and along the town’s streets; its friendly and familiar atmosphere and the quality of the products on display is a joyful surprise for tourists and visitors.

It’s an unexpected market due to both the town’s architectural peculiarities and the typically Langarole sensations it instills.

Despite having lost some of its typicality, it has been able to maintain its genuineness: a market where vendors, the local population and the villagers go down to stock up on High Langa produce.

Visit the market

For those arriving to Dogliani by car, it’s convenient to park in the designated area in Via Lo Chabat, right next to the Civic Hospital.

The visit begins in front of the Santi Quirico and Paolo Baroque style Parish, whose dome characterizes the town’s profile.

Moving on towards Piazza Umberto I°, you will notice a series of tents and gazebos close to one another: this area is used for the sale of clothing, fabrics, curtains, household items and wicker. The only exceptions are a couple of picturesque stands which sell utensils and do-it-yourself and gardening tools.

After Porta Sottana you’ll find the town’s narrow streets, small squares, arcades and alleys: walking along Via Schellino and Piazza Carlo Alberto you’ll encounter clothing, shoes and trinkets stands and even a cobbler’s stand.

There are numerous cheese stands from all over the Langhe

A surprising market

At the end of Via Corte you’ll find yourself in the Piazza that houses the eighteenth century Confraternita dei Battuti.

There’s a radical change in the atmosphere here: this is the market’s soul. There’s a large flowers, seeds and garden plants stand run by Luciana and there’s Franco’s stand as well which offers a vast assortment of seasonal fruits and vegetables.

Our attention is drawn to the covered wing that overlooks the Torrente Rea.

Despite the crowd and the amount of merchandise, a pleasant order reigns among the crates full of various produce. Anna and Caterina display garlic, Tropea onions, Cervere leeks, cabbage, celery, salad and seasonal fruit and vegetables.

Various types of cold cuts

The local products stands

Enrica’s stand has a wonderful display of cold cuts and cheeses made from sheep, goat and cow milk.

Here you’ll find the Murazzano DOP, the company’s leading product, pure sheep tomme cheese form the Langhe, mixed Tomme made with sheep and cow’s milk; sweet caciotta cheese and special ricotta produced in his Murazzano Azienda Agricola company.

A bit further on there’s Viorel, with over 15 years of experience in preparing fresh, seasoned and semi-seasoned cheeses from free-range grazing goats.

There are also numerous refrigerated stands that sell typical Piedmontese products, a couple of fish stands with a wide variety of processed and salted fish.

And of course there are rotisseries and a stand with locally produced fresh pasta: ravioli, agnolotti, gnocchi, tagliatelle and plin.

Ivan’s smile, and his calm manner in describing the products, attract the attention of many tourists.

He’s incredibly fond of the Langhe, a mushroom and truffles collector, and likes to speak to the patrons of local products, not just from Piedmont; displaying hazelnut cakes, honey, cheese, cold cuts and olive oil produced from his property in the Oneglia hinterland.

A market regularly frequented

Dogliani, in the Langhe Monregalesi, is located in a strategic point. It’s a reference point for producers, breeders and farmers from numerous towns in the province of Cuneo: Lagnasco, Carrù, Chiusa Pesio, Fossano, Bene Vagienna, Bra.

During those few moments of tranquility, where you can exchange a few words with the vendors, you realize that people go to this market willingly. It’s no wonder numerous people from Dogliani, and the people from neighboring areas, meet here every week.

The Leeks from Cervere

The farmer’s market

The market is held on Saturday’s as well; the food stands are located in Piazza Carlo Alberto and the agricultural products stands are found in the covered wing in Piazza Confraternita.

The Langhe farmer’s market, a project that gathers over twenty farmers from many towns of the Lower and Upper Langa, takes place from April to December from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m, in Piazza Umberto I.

The aim is to promote the territory through the sale of products directly from the producers.

Photo Credits: Federico Carpino