Auvergne’s cheeses
Cheese is Auvergne's ultimate local product! Auvergne's five PDO cheeses are world-renowned: Saint Nectaire, Cantal, Salers, Fourme d'Ambert and Bleu d'Auvergne.
Five PDO cheeses
Saint Nectaire: Savour this soft and tender cheese with a delicate hazelnut flavour.
A creamy cheese with a subtle taste, it's the most well-known of the five PDO cheeses and will delight all kinds of cheese lovers. In 1955, it became the first of Auvergne's cheeses to obtain the AOC label. Made at a high altitude in the Volcanoes Regional Nature Park and aged for 4 to 8 weeks, Saint Nectaire was served at the court of Louis XIV, a big fan of the cheese.
Cantal: Dare to taste the strong, spicy and intense flavours of Cantal Vieux.
The ancestor of Auvergne's PDO cheeses! Evidence of this cheese dates back to Antiquity. Cantal is above all a unique taste. There are three types. Jeune Cantal, aged for 1 to 2 months has a very light flavour. Entre-Deux Cantal, aged for 3 to 7 months, is a bit stronger in taste. Vieux Cantal is aged for at least 8 months, with a thick rind and a slightly spicy flavour. AOC since 1956.
Salers is tender on the palate, with a light scent of fruit and a hazelnut flavour with floral notes.
One of Cantal's most legendary cheeses. Its production area is quite small, covering the Cantal Mountains, the Cézallier Plateau and the Dore Mountains. Aged for a minimum of three months, it is made using raw milk between 15 April and 15 November. Salers obtained the AOC label in 1979.
Fourme d’Ambert: The "Great Lady with a soft heart" boasts a supple and creamy texture.
With origins dating back to the 8th century, its name comes from the Latin word "forma" meaning "form". Fourme d'Ambert is a mild cheese aged for a minimum of 28 days. It obtained the AOC label in 1972 and the appellation covers both sides of the valley of the Dore River.
Bleu d'Auvergne: Enjoy its fragrant taste and its woody aromas of wild mushrooms and cream.
Bleu d'Auvergne was first made in the mid-19th century. A farmer from Auvergne mixed blue mould from rye bread with raw milk and the cheese was born. Aged for 28 days with a fragrant taste. AOC since 1961.
