5 minutes to learn all about Auvergne cheeses

In the Auvergne, we love authenticity! A protected designation of origin (PDO) guarantees the unique character and identity of five regional cheeses:

• Cantal
• Saint-Nectaire
• Fourme d'Ambert
• Bleu d'Auvergne
• Salers

Each of these cheeses is made from cow's milk in a specific geographical area using age-old techniques handed down from generation to generation.

Sourced from volcanic mountains covered in wild grasses, Salers cheese is only produced between 15 April and 15 November to allow the cows to eat their fill of grazed grass. Some Tradition Salers cheeses are made exclusively from the milk of Salers cows. It is the rich flora of the natural pastures in the heart of the Sancy and Cézallier regions, at altitudes of between 800 and 1,500 metres, that gives Saint-Nectaire its subtle, original hazelnut flavour. Did you know that it was the favourite cheese of Louis XIV?

What makes Cantal so special is that it can be enjoyed at any age: young, in-between or old. The longer it is matured, the stronger its flavour. The young Cantal (1 to 2 months old), recognisable by its thin white or even grey rind and its firm, smooth, ivory to straw-coloured paste, has a mild, milky flavour. Entre-deux Cantal (matured for 3 to 7 months), with its golden rind and melting cheese, has a fruity taste with hints of hazelnut and fermented cream. Old Cantal (matured for more than 8 months) has a thick rind and a darker, sometimes crumbly paste, with a strong, slightly piquant flavour and spicy, full-bodied notes.

Antoine Roussel, a farmer who settled near Clermont-Ferrand in the 19th century, is credited with discovering the secret ingredient of Bleu d'Auvergne: Penicillium roqueforti. This microscopic fungus is essential for the production of blue-veined cheeses such as Bleu d'Auvergne and Fourme d'Ambert.

It's a well-known fact that a good cheese really comes into its own with good bread and a glass of wine. Bleu d'Auvergne and Fourme d'Ambert, for example, go well with rye, raisin or walnut bread. For salers, opt for wholemeal or sourdough bread, with Cantal and Saint-Nectaire.

With wine, blue-veined cheeses such as Bleu d'Auvergne and Fourme d'Ambert go well with sweet white wines and fruity or full-bodied reds. For pressed, raw cheeses such as Cantal, Salers and Saint-Nectaire, a light, fruity red wine such as a Côtes-d'Auvergne is preferable.