Exciting Driving in Le Marche

Life has been exciting since we arrived in Le Marche especially when it comes to driving from one point to another on rural country roads. Our rental car does have navigation but frequently leads us to unpaved roads and worse which are not passable. Ultimately, we have been able to get where we need to go but not without numerous u-turns and other missteps!

We picked up Elena and John at the Fano train station on Friday afternoon and stocked up on groceries before heading home (our farmhouse) where we had a simple dinner there. On Saturday, we drove back into Fano to visit their Saturday market along with almost everyone else within driving distance of Fano. It took us at least 30 minutes of driving around trying to find a parking spot! The market was huge with clothes, antiques, shoe, and of course produce. We bought some additional vegetables and cheeses to tide us over. We then met an Italian man with good English who asked us where we were from and the conversation began. Interestingly, he lives in Carignano, the "hamlet" where my maternal grandmother was born. Michael and I visited Carignano 19 years ago (2006) and the "center" had a church and a dual purpose bar/deli and that was it. Some old stone buildings but pretty quiet. We did see signs of beginning construction outside of the "center" but upon our return visit, things had definitely changed. Same church but the former bar/deli was closed down. We walked a bit in the village and an older gentleman came out to chat with us in our halting Italian. What I think I gathered from what I understood is that he was familiar with the Aluisi surname which was my grandmother who was born there but not Caminati which is my grandfather's surname who was born in Caroceto, a nearby village.

Here are a few photos of Carignano from our 2006 visit and then from our visit there yesterday, a mere 19 years later!

And now Carignano in 2025 where the church looks the same albeit perhaps it has been painted and the bar/deli is closed and for sale!

Now on to Cartoceto before and after! This is a bigger village than Carignano and far more charming. First a few photos from 2006:

And again yesterday 19 years later in 2025:

As I was revisiting our 2006 trip, I had to include two shots of me with one eating my first passatelli in Le Marche and the other is a shot that Michael took of Two Chicks in Le Marche.

There is so much more to share but I think I will stop now and post and continue our Le Marche saga tomorrow!