Our Christmas orders are now closed. You can still buy our Cheese Subscriptions to start in January, as well as book our courses and tasting events. If you want to purchase vouchers you can do so until the 20th December but please note that it can take up to 48 hours for the vouchers to be emailed to you as we process these manually.
We have a full counter of cheese in our shop in Pangbourne so you can still come in and purchase items in store
Price range: £2.55 through £15.30
Bleu d’Auvergne PDO is aged for minimum 4 weeks, by which time the cheese showcases its assertive flavours and smooth texture. Its rind is moist and sticky unveiling a soft paste with a grassy, herbaceous taste.
Bleu d’Auvergne always brings to mind misty French hillsides and those striking blue veins winding through creamy cow’s milk cheese. It’s a proper classic; bold, creamy, and full of character, with a story that goes right to the heart of French tradition.
Bleu d’Auvergne comes from the volcanic Massif Central region, where cows munch away on lush, high-up pastures. In the 1850s, a local farmer named Antoine Roussel had a bit of a lightbulb moment, he added blue mould to his cheese and poked it with needles to let the mould work its magic. The result? A blue cheese with gorgeous veins and a flavour that soon had everyone hooked.
Generations of local cheesemakers have kept the tradition going, passing down their know-how from one to the next. By the 20th century, Bleu d’Auvergne had grown far beyond its farmyard roots and become a true symbol of the region.
These days, Bleu d’Auvergne is well protected. It got its official French AOC status back in 1975, which means it has to be made the traditional way, right where it started. Then in 1996, it picked up the European AOP label as well, so you can be sure you’re getting the real deal.
This protected status means only cheese made in certain parts of Auvergne, following all the old rules, can be called Bleu d’Auvergne. Everything is covered, from where the cows graze to how the cheese is aged. It’s all about keeping that special link to the land and the old ways.
Bleu d’Auvergne is strong and creamy at the same time. Inside, it’s ivory or pale cream, shot through with blue-green veins from the same mould you find in other famous blue cheeses. The rind is soft and a bit flowery, giving you a hint of what’s to come.
Taste-wise, Bleu d’Auvergne is bold but never too much. It’s salty, earthy, a bit mushroomy, and sometimes there’s a grassy note that takes you straight to the pastures. It’s creamy and melts beautifully if you leave it out, but still keeps its shape. The smell and taste always remind me of a walk in the woods after rain, a blue cheese tang with a good hit of rich dairy cream.
Jen’s note: Many blue cheeses have mysterious beginnings, but Bleu d’Auvergne is a bit different. It’s one of the few with a known inventor: Antoine Roussel, a farmer who also knew a thing or two about pharmacy. His curiosity, plus a bit of local know-how, gave us the cheese we know today. It’s a lovely mix of science and tradition, and the story is surprisingly well documented for something from the 1800s.
Sizes and Prices
Storage Advice
Delivery and Collection
Ingredients (Allergens are listed in capitals)
MILK, starter cultures, rennet, salt, mould cultures
Normal opening Monday – Saturday 9am – 4pm until:
Sunday 22nd 9am – 4pm
Monday 23rd 9am – 4pm
Christmas Eve 9am – 12pm
Christmas Day Closed
Boxing Day Closed
Friday 27th Closed
Saturday 28th 9am – 4pm
Sunday 29th Closed
Monday 30th 9am – 2pm
Tuesday 31st 9am – 2pm
New Year’s Day Closed
Thursday 2nd January Closed
Friday 3rd 9am – 4pm then open as normal
After Christmas our courier delivery slots start from 8th January.
