The story of the Abondance Valley cheese has been closely linked to the Abondance Abbey’s history since the 11th century. The Abondance Abbey monks encouraged the pastoral development. In 1381, the cheese acquired patents of nobility during the election of Pope Clement VII in Avignon because it was served at the conclave table. Very quickly, it found its place at the best tables of the Court of Savoy. The cheese became so well known that it was used as a barter in an era when cash was scarce.
This cheese is in the form of a flat cylindrical wheel with a smooth amber rind. The cheese wheel weighs between 6 and 12kg. It has a soft and tender texture, ivory to pale yellow in colour, and has fruity flavours of pineapple, apricot, citrus and hazelnut. A casein label on the concave heel of the Abondance cheese identifies the producer: oval and green for farmhouse cheeses, square and red for dairies. On average, 10 litres of unpasteurised milk is needed to obtain 1kg of Abondance cheese. The produce are traditionally made: the size of the cheese dairies is regulated and on farms, many of the operations continue to be manual.
Easily recognisable with their red mahogany coats and white eye patches, c’est une véritable vache savoyarde !
Visits to the farm are offered all year round to discover and taste the Abondance cheese as well as the work on the farm. In winter, you can meet the cows there. In summer, they walk in the mountain pastures, you can see them in the Alpine meadows on your hikes.
Le Berthoud! Come to a local restaurant and discover this traditional dish that is made from Abondance cheese!
The Maison du Fromage Abondance invites you to discover how Abondance cheese and Savoie cheese are made through a fun and sensory journey. Games and workshops for children. Onsite shop.
From cheese to wine, passing by fish from Lake Geneva, discover all the gastronomy of pays d’Evian vallée d’Abondance.
Here is a list of all the dairies that produce Abondance cheese.
