Rocamadour PDO

Extremely famous little cheese puffs, sure to delight even the most discerning palates!

The village of Rocamadour

You will no doubt be familiar with this village near Gramat, which is one of France's top tourist destinations.

This religious town is on the route to Santiago de Compostela. It is home to the Saint-Sauveur basilica and the Saint-Amadour crypt, both of which are UNESCO World Heritage sites.

After climbing the 216 steps of the pilgrims' staircase, you'll also find the esplanade of the Rocamadour sanctuary, with its Notre Dame chapel and famous black virgin.

The famous little cheese puck

Rocamadour is more than just a town perched on the edge of a cliff... This village is home to some extremely famous little cheese pucks. As you may have guessed, we're talking about Rocamadour cheese.

Formerly known as "Cabécou de Rocamadour", it changed its name after obtaining its PDO (Protected Designation of Origin) on 16 July 1996. This distinction reflects the know-how and exceptional quality of the product.

However, this little puck is not new... In fact, this cheese is one of the oldest products from the Causses du Quercy. For the record, Rocamadour was so highly prized in the 15th century that it was not only used as a sharecropping but also as a tax. In those days, the dime was cheese! Astonishing?

Maturing Rocamadour PDO cheese

When it comes to making this cheese, there are a number of rules that must be complied with in order to meet the PDO criteria. For example, the milk must come from Alpine or Saanen goats. The majority of their feed must come from the Rocamadour region and must consist of quality forage. What's more, all the workshops must be approved and, of course, follow traditional methods. All these conditions are a guarantee of quality, flavour and inimitable expertise.

Rocamadour PDO production is concentrated in the Lot region, but there are also a number of producers in the Causse in Corrèze, Tarn & Garonne, Dordogne and Aveyron. Rocamadour takes the form of a small round puck, 60 mm in diameter and 16 mm thick. It's 35g of "pure goat's cheese", or 35g of pure indulgence for cheese lovers!

It has a small velvety skin that covers a meltingly smooth texture. This texture is formed during the most important stage in the production process: maturing.

Patience is the key word! A minimum of six days maturing is required. During this period, the cheeses are placed on grids and turned over every day to obtain the smooth, melting texture expected.

It is during this maturing period that Rocamadour develops its distinctive aromas.

Exceptional expertise

As you can see, Rocamadour is a traditional cheese in which man and his know-how play a central role. There is virtually no mechanisation in the production process. Finally, this activity brings together four groups of trades: the farmer (producing the goats' feed); the goatherd; the cheese-maker and refiner; and the salesperson. It's a truly authentic industry on a human scale.

Let's move on to the tasting: our favourite part!

Here again, don't be in too much of a hurry to appreciate the delicacy of this cheese. You'll need to temper your cheeky soul for at least 1 hour, as we recommend leaving your little puck at room temperature until little drops of cream bead up under its skin. When this happens, your cheese is perfect, ready to be enjoyed in the best possible conditions.