Making Goat Cheese in the Ardèche Mountains of France

There are many areas where the French claim to be the best...

And some of the claims can be a bit suspect. I won't even begin to comment on whether or not I think a baguette, for example, is better than a ciabatta. But, what I can say with absolute conviction, after having been to dozens of countries, is that the French make the best cheese. There is simply no comparison. It has absolutely ruined and spoiled me. I was recently grocery shopping with a French friend and when we were looking for cheeses, I found myself saying, "You don't expect me to eat a cheese that's not AOP, right?" She replied, "You're becoming a French!" The French take their cheese very seriously.

Recently, I had the opportunity to spend the day making cheese at Rochebesse-Gaec-Fromages de Chèvre in the Ardèche mountains of France. It was a once in a lifetime opportunity.

AOP (Appellation d'Origine Protégée)

AOP stands for Appellation d'Origine Protégée (Protected Designation of Origin). It is a certification that guarantees a product's quality, authenticity, and geographical origin, ensuring that it is made using traditional methods within a specific region in France.

The type of cheese I made at Rochebesse-Gaec-Fromages de Chèvre is called Picodon. Picodon de l'Ardèche is a small, round goat cheese from the Ardèche region in southeastern France, known for its strong, tangy flavor and slightly spicy aftertaste. Made from raw goat's milk and aged for at least two weeks, its rind develops a natural blue-gray mold, which contributes to its characteristic taste and aroma. This cheese has an AOP designation, ensuring it is produced according to traditional methods in its specific region.

It starts with the goats

I love goats. They're some of my favorite animals. I always get nervous going to a farm or a place with livestock, because I am very sensitive to animal welfare issues. I am a very strict vegetarian and animal welfare is the issue I am most passionate about. I was truly blown away with how well the goats are kept and treated at Rochebesse-Gaec-Fromages de Chèvre. I have never seen anything like it. The goats and their surroundings are so clean and have so much space and freedom. It was truly unlike anything I'd ever seen before.

We started with milking the goats. I was nervous, as I'd never done anything like it before.

I even got to taste the milk right out of the teat. It has always been a lifelong dream of mine to drink raw milk, since it's illegal in the United States. I expected it to be bitter or acidic, because that's how the cheese is, but surprisingly, the raw milk is very sweet and has a very soft and subtle taste.

The cheesemaking

The cheesemaking itself was surprisingly hard to photograph. Because the conditions are sanitized (not sterilized, since it's a raw milk cheese) and relatively involved, it was difficult to photograph the process. You can't exactly easily reach for the camera when your hands are covered in fresh cheese. I found it difficult to switch between taking photographs and making cheese, so I decided to just focus on the cheese and enjoy the process instead of focusing on taking photographs. I am glad I did.

I'm tempted to say it was easy...

But I know it was only easy because of the systems and processes that have been painstakingly put in place as a result of years of hard work and trial-and-error. Cheesemaking at Rochebesse-Gaec-Fromages de Chèvre has obviously been perfected to an artful level. It was deeply impressive to watch and an absolute honor to be apart of.

The property

The farm itself was also gorgeous, situated deep in the Ardèche mountains, the land on which the farm is situated is gorgeous beyond description.

an unforgettable experience

It was an experience I'll never forget and Le Picodon de Rochebesse-Gaec-Fromages de Chèvre is my favorite cheese in the world. I ate kilograms of it while I was in the Ardèche mountains. I will never stop craving it. If you're ever in Ardèche, I highly recommend you try it. You can it in at the market on Friday in Borée or you can visit the farm itself. You can also find it at certain shops in Le Cheylard.