Road trip enthusiasts: the cheese route in Aveyron!

Invest in a 12V cooler to bring back a sample from each of your stops! It's hard not to give in to temptation... Also, remember to stop at a bakery along the way to enjoy some good bread with your cheese platter ! While the roads in Aveyron can sometimes be riddled with potholes, don't make a big deal out of it—it's a road trip, we warned you! ;)

Thérondels

Located in the far north of the department, at nearly 1000 meters altitude, the village of Thérondels is home to the cheese of the same name. It's a truly beautiful spot, nestled at the foot of the department's highest mountains. Here, they make a cooked, unpressed cheese from raw cow's milk: Thérondels. The cows graze peacefully in the surrounding pastures. It's produced by a local cheese cooperative. Its rind is orange, slightly golden, and inside you'll find a supple paste with small holes. It has a fruity, nutty flavor. It requires 4 to 6 months of aging and pairs well with potatoes. It can be used in a fondue or a type of tartiflette. With a good white wine, it's exquisite.

So, you've come all this way to Thérondels, so why not take advantage of it and do some sightseeing ? Go see the Laussac peninsula on Lake Sarrans, the reservoir, and the bridge over the Truyère River. Stop by Antoine 's agricultural museum, and take a stroll along the "Path of Imagination"...

Laguiole

Known for its knife and also for its cheese, Laguiole is an interesting stop for gastronomic tourism. Laguiole (pronounced LA-I-OLE) is a pressed, uncooked cheese, a tome made from raw cow's milk. It is used to prepare the famous aligot.

A recipe based on potatoes and Tomme cheese, meltingly soft, runny, and quite high in calories. Perfect timing, because not far from Laguiole there's a winter sports resort, Le Bouyssou, to work it all off... In summer, go hiking ; the scenery is magnificent (small waterfall, stone bridge, and discovery trail)! Don't miss visiting the cutlery workshops ; there are several. Also, be sure to see the Church of Saint Matthew, the old stone presbytery, and take in the panoramic view from the fort's esplanade.

River on the Tarn

Head to Rivière-sur-Tarn to discover and taste another blue cheese from Aveyron, Bleu des Causses. It's milder than its cousin Roquefort, but it too is matured in naturally ventilated cellars, and it also has a Protected Designation of Origin (PDO). Same same, but different, as the Thais say! In Rivière-sur-Tarn, you'll find the Caves de Peyrelade, which are responsible for maturing this must-try cheese. Bleu des Causses has been made here since 1856, in the humid cellars, by master cheesemakers dedicated to elevating this cheese, which is not just another blue cheese, but a truly exceptional cheese in its own right.

While you're in the area, be sure to visit the Château de Peyrelade, a truly unique medieval fortress built on a cliff, shaped like the prow of a boat.

The Cavalry

Visit Les Bergers du Larzac in La Cavalerie, a cheese shop offering sheep's milk cheeses, tommes matured in natural cellars, and cheeses from local producers. There's also the Fromagerie des Artisous, where you can discover the delicious cheeses of the Larzac region.

Take a break here to stroll through this beautiful fortified town. Admire its round towers and stone buildings. La Cavalerie is a tumultuous name, the foundation of a fierce struggle, a cry of protest that resonated phenomenally: the Larzac Struggle.

Roquefort-sur-Soulzon

Made from sheep's milk, Roquefort cheese matures in the naturally ventilated cellars of Roquefort-sur-Soulzon, thanks to the "fleurines" (fissures in the rock). Located south of the Massif Central, this small town of fewer than 400 inhabitants has been proud of its cheese since the ^15th century. Here, the eponymous cheese is a major source of employment ; throughout the region, hundreds of people depend on Roquefort for their livelihood, particularly the farmers who lovingly care for the sheep that produce the precious milk used to make it. While exploring the area around Roquefort-sur-Soulzon, wander through the rocky landscape, a jumble of boulders, and admire the large menhir nearby.

In Roquefort, there is also another cheese, Pérail. This is a family cheese, made from the same milk as Roquefort, but families would keep a little milk for their own consumption, making this slightly acidic, small, round, and mild cheese. It is creamy and tender.

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