Our producers
Our producers are the cornerstone of the business. They are farmers, cheesemakers, craftspeople and livestock breeders, and to a degree, all of these at once. They have one passion deeply ingrained in them, a passion for producing the best cheeses with the most beautiful animals at the heart of unspoilt countryside.
The people
A quality cheese is a work of art, and relies on artisanal skills often passed down from generation to generation. For everything from tending the animals to milking and from making the cheeses to ripening them, our producers’ own hands remain their key tools.
They are not just making fine cheeses, they are keeping alive time-honoured traditions, a venerable heritage which continues to exist thanks to their work. Without these dedicated producers, we would have lost the cheeses that recount the vibrant story of our mountains and pastures. We would have only the sad clank of the food industry’s soulless products.
Today, the challenge is to do everything we can to ensure that these artists of white gold receive the returns their works merit, so that they continue along the pathway of quality and that the future generations that come after them enthusiastically strike out to follow them.
The animals
People are essential, but animals are just as important. Milk from our cows, goats and ewes is our main ingredient, our essential resource. And the fact that it comes from the ancient breeds that graze our valleys and mountains makes it all the more valuable.
To make good cheese, you need good milk. But to make fine cheese, you need good raw milk. Only raw milk is capable of expressing its terroir. Terroir is a composition, a blend of the climate, the soil and the vegetation that grows, and the herds that capture the essence of all of these.
The animals that have adapted to these terroirs are their best ambassadors. These are ancient breeds. They’re accustomed to living on the steep slopes, or the meagre rations offered by the scrubland, or the rich, lush grass of the meadows. These local animals provide milk which offers reasonable yields together with very rich and varied microflora. This is what later gives the cheeses their fantastic aromas and flavours. It is in total contrast to pasteurised milk, which is a blank page. Only skilled use of ferments can add flavour, and even that is perfectly uniform, never varying with the seasons.
Maxime Salies
Jean-François Antony
Hugo Teoski
Erika Tripier and Denis Pradine
Family Cambon
Sylvain Francillon
Priscille Guhl
Jean-François Paccard
José
