Cheese

Since antiquity, Languedoc has been the kingdom of goats. Long considered ‘the poor man’s cow’, they were mainly raised with the sheep, providing the region with meat, milk and cheese.

Pélardons

To preserve the milk, the peasants turned it into a family cheese: the Pélardon. Today, goat’s cheese is highly sought after and Pélardon has its letters of nobility: AOC (Appellation d’Origine Contrôlée).

The AOC Pélardon is produced in an area that extends from the Cévennes to the Montagne Noire and Hautes Corbières, passing through the scrubland (the ‘garrigue’) of Gard and Hérault. The wines of Languedoc-Roussillon perfectly compliment Pélardon. The Saint-Chinian, Minervois, Faugères and Coteaux du Languedoc go especially well with this cheese.

Tomme

The ‘Tomme’ cheeses of southern France are made with untreated milk. The Pyrenees Tomme cheese is ripened for several months and keeps very well. It can be made with milk from goats, cows or sheep. Tomme made from cow’s milk or goat’s milk is matured for 2-3 months, but it takes a minimum of 3 months for sheep’s milk tomme to develop its flavour. Their colours are slightly different: cow’s milk tomme (‘tomme de vache’) has a yellow colour, as cow‘s milk is rich in carotene. Goat’s milk and sheep’s milk tommes (‘tomme de chèvre’ and ‘tomme de brebis’) are paler.