The 5 AOP Chèvres of the Loire | The Cheese Professor

Goat cheeses from France photo credit depositphotos

Why is the Loire Valley in central France the world capital of goat cheese? Its unique history, geography, and dedicated artisans combine to produce a range of delicate treasures. Over 600 farms create the five AOP (Protected Designation of origin) chèvres: Crottin de Chavignol, Selles-sur-Cher, Pouligny-Saint-Pierre, Sainte-Maure de Touraine and Valençay, each in their designated area.

But how did the Loire become the cradle of goat cheese? Legend says that the Umayyads, who were the first Muslim dynasty, brought goats with them when they occupied France in the 8th century. After they conquered the Iberian Peninsula in 711-718, they invaded Gaul (now France). When the Franks won the Battle of Tours, in 732, the defeated Umayyads left the area, supposedly leaving their goats behind. Currently, perhaps some of their descendants, a total of 90,000 goats (from the Alpine, Saanen and Poitou breeds) produce the milk for these prized cheeses. Long before it became a local business, most families owned a half dozen goats. The geography of the hilly region was well suited to farming goats, who don’t demand a lot of land.

The AOP chèvres of the Loire may not feature radically different taste profiles from each other; the variations occur as each of them ages, and passes through a range of flavors from clean and nutty through tart and tangy, perhaps a stage where the flavors evolve to delightful buttered popcorn, then notes of hazelnuts and walnuts.

AOP Crottin de Chavignol

Crottin de Chavignol Bleu photo credit Anna Mindess

These compact cylinders, one of the best-known goat cheeses in all of France, hail from the area around the village of Chavignol. They may be inaccurately infamous for their name. People joke that the diminutive chèvres are called after “crottin,” a word that can mean horse droppings. But the makers of this beloved cheese explain that the word “crot” actually means hole and referred to the place on the riverbank where women traditionally washed clothes. They used the clay earth there to form their own cheese molds, with holes to drain the curds.

Classic way to serve Crottin de Chavignol photo credit Anna Mindess

These diminutive chèvres are currently made by 100 producers situated between the Cher, Nièvre and Loiret rivers. Matured for at least ten days, there are four AOP recognized stages from 10 days to 2 months of affinage (Le Crottin Demi-Sec, Le Crottin Bleu, Le Crottin Sec and Le Crottin Repassé). The older the chèvre gets, the more its rind develops from white to blue.

Tip: Younger versions are often melted atop salads. Creamy and tangy or drier and more intense, they all go perfectly with a crisp white wine, like the one from neighboring Sancerre.

AOP Pouligny-Saint-Pierre

Pouligny-Saint-Pierre by Coyau via Wikimedia Commons

According to legend, the pyramidal shape of this cheese, first made in the 18th century, results from the inhabitants of Pouligny-Saint-Pierre trying to copy the shape of their village church’s bell tower. Its form has led to nicknames for the cheese such as Eiffel Tower or Pyramid. This chèvre has a golden-brown hue with speckles of grey-blue mold. It can taste dramatically different depending on its affinage. Ripening ‘in white’ (covered in Geotrichum candidum) gives it the sweet tang of dried fruits, while ripening ‘in blue’ (covered in Penicillium album) leads to a deeper, goatier flavor with hints of mushrooms and hazelnuts.

While the conical shape of the Pouligny resembles that of Valençay, its texture is quite different: it has a lighter grain and is creamier, especially on the edges, beneath its velvety rind.

Tip: It is delicious with fresh fruit or walnuts and a dry white wine such as a Pouilly-Fumé.

AOP Sainte-Maure de Touraine

This log-shaped lovely dates from the 9th century, when the Arab and Moorish women who remained after the Umayyad forces (called “Saracens” by the Europeans at the time) were defeated at Poitiers, passed on their expertise to the villagers. Later, it was one of Honoré de Balzac’s favorite cheeses, which he mentioned in his 1842 novel La Rabouilleuse.

Molded by hand and rolled in wood ash, it is instantly recognizable thanks to a thin straw that runs the length of its center, originally designed for ease of handling the long cylindrical shape. These days, the straw is also laser-engraved with the name of the appellation and the identification number of the individual producer.

Tip: Mild and creamy, it pairs beautifully with one of the region’s white wines, such as Vouvray.

AOP Selles-sur-Cher

First made in the 19th century, Selles-sur-Cher is named after the village of the same name in the Loir-et-Cher region. It is easy to spot thanks to its wrinkled, gray rind, which was traditionally made from ash, but is today made from vegetable charcoal. Richly earthy and salty, the cheese undergoes maturation in caves. It has a velvety texture with a mild, lemony tang. The ash coating adds a distinct earthy flavor that compliments the creamy interior.

If you like bolder flavors, look for an aged Selles-sur-Cher. As moisture evaporates, this cheese grows more peppery and earthy. Some people age Selles until the cheese hardens, then grate it over eggs or pasta. Selles-sur-Cher’s diversity of flavors comes from the 400 plant species found in its production zone, located at the junction of the three provinces, Touraine, Berry and Sologne.

AOP Valençay

Valençay by Pierre-Yves Beaudouin _ Wikimedia Commons _ CC BY-SA 4.0

Another chèvre with a characteristic shape, Valençay takes the form of a pyramid missing its point. Legend says when Emperor Napoleon Bonaparte, who was still fuming about his 1799 defeat in Egypt, was presented with a pyramid-shaped Valençay, he lopped off the top with his sword. (Another story assigns the responsibility for beheading the cheese to his loyal foreign minister, Talleyrand.)

Valençay cheese is made with unpasteurized goat milk in the province of Berry. After being removed from its molds, it is salted and coated with charcoal and can be eaten from the 11th day of ripening. The cheese is known for its blue-gray, edible ash rind and a complex flavor profile. As it matures, the texture evolves from firm to creamy, and the taste ranges from mild and nutty to earthy and robust.

Tip: Like many other chèvres, its main tasting note is hazelnuts. Enjoy with a glass of Valençay wine.