Reblochon (AOP) — The Soul of Tartiflette

Reblochon (or Reblochon de Savoie) is a French pressed, uncooked paste cheese with a washed rind, made from raw, whole cow's milk in the Alps, mainly in Haute-Savoie. It is the cheese that gives soul to the tartiflette — and which has become, thanks to that dish, one of the most loved and recognized cheeses in France.

Recognizing it is easy: a flattened cylinder with a yellow-orange rind, covered by a fine "white foam" that attests to good ripening, wrapping a creamy, nutty paste. Behind the simplicity lies one of the most curious — and delicious — origin stories in French gastronomy.

Reblochon is a soft-paste cheese with a washed rind, in the shape of a flat cylinder about 5.5 inches in diameter, 1.4 inches high and weighing between 1 and 1.2 pounds on average. Its creamy paste and hazelnut flavor make it the perfect cheese to melt.

The tartiflette — the gratin of potatoes, bacon and onion covered with Reblochon — was created precisely to showcase this cheese. It is what propelled Reblochon onto the world stage, turning a regional cheese into an international star of alpine cuisine.

A soft-paste cheese with a washed rind is one whose rind is regularly washed and rubbed during ripening. This technique favors the development of bacteria that give the cheese its orange rind and its characteristic aroma.

In Reblochon, the regular washing shapes the yellow-orange rind and contributes to the nutty flavor. It is a technique that requires patience and care, performed cheese by cheese, and which distinguishes Reblochon from the milder bloomy-rind cheeses.

The acronym AOP stands for Appellation d'Origine Protégée (Protected Designation of Origin), the European Union label that guarantees a product's origin and method. In the case of Reblochon, the French AOC designation was established by decree on 7 August 1958, and the European AOP protection came in 1996.

The label protects the essential: the territory of the Alps, the cattle breeds, the feeding of the herd and the production method. Buying a Reblochon AOP guarantees that you are looking at the authentic cheese of Savoie — and not an imitation.

Few cheeses have an origin story as flavorful as that of Reblochon. It was born of a fraud — and that fraud, told with pride, became a legend.

The word reblochon comes from the Savoyard dialect "re-blocher", which means "to pinch again" — referring to the cow's udder. The original form would have been rebléchon, from re-bléchier, meaning "to milk a second time".

Some also associate the name with reblasse, a local term for the fraud or marauding associated with this practice. The etymology, then, already carries the secret of the cheese's origin: a second, secret milking.

The story goes back at least to the Renaissance — perhaps the Middle Ages. The peasants paid the owner — often an abbey — a rent in kind, the ociège, calculated according to the volume of the daily milking.

On the day of collection, the owner or his representative checked the volume milked. Legend has it that the peasants then performed an incomplete milking in front of the inspector, to reduce the assessment — and a second, clandestine milking after he left. That milk, scarce but very rich in cream, produced a fatter, higher-quality cheese.

The milk of the second milking, scarce but very rich in fat, is the key to Reblochon. It is what gives the cheese its creaminess and its unctuous character, which still distinguish it today.

Under the Ancien Régime, the monetization of rents led the peasants to sell these cheeses, until then reserved for domestic consumption. And the owners, realizing what they were losing, began to demand their share. The legend is told with pride by the producers — as proof of the authenticity of a cheese born, literally, from the cunning of the Alpine peasants.

Reblochon is a mountain cheese, born on the slopes of the Alps. Its territory is vast, but deeply tied to a unique landscape.

Reblochon was born in the Bornes massif and the Aravis, mainly in the Thônes valley, in Haute-Savoie. Over time, production extended to the Val d'Arly and the Bauges massif, and to some communes of Savoie.

It is a region of mountains, valleys and high-altitude pastures — the famous alpages — where dairy farming is a thousand-year-old tradition. It is this landscape that shapes the milk and, consequently, the cheese.

The terroir of the Aravis — with its mountain pastures, harsh climate and rich flora — imprints on the milk a character that cannot be reproduced anywhere else. The cows transform this landscape into superior milk.

Reblochon thus carries, in its creaminess and hazelnut flavor, the soul of the Alps: the high-altitude herbs, the pure air and the centuries-old tradition of the Savoyard shepherds.

The alpages are the high-altitude pastures where the cattle spend the summer. It is there that, historically, the milk for Reblochon fermier was produced — made on the mountain itself, during transhumance.

This tradition of the alpages is the heart of the identity of Reblochon: a cheese tied to the cycle of the seasons, to the work of the shepherds and to life in the heights. To this day, Reblochon fermier is made in winter on the farm and, in summer, in the alpage.

Before the cheese, there is the milk. And, in Reblochon, the milk comes from three mountain breeds that tell the story of the region.

Reblochon is made exclusively with the milk of three mountain cattle breeds: the Tarentaise (or Tarine), the Abondance and the Montbéliarde — all with red or red-pied coats.

These are rustic breeds, adapted to the alpine climate, known for the quality of their milk. By restricting the breeds, the AOP guarantees the constancy and typicality of the raw material, preserving the ancestral bond between the herd and the mountain.

Reblochon is made with raw, whole cow's milk — without any pasteurization. And the production rules are rigorous: hay and pasture make up the essence of the diet, and fermented feeds (silage) and GMOs are forbidden.

It is farming designed for the health of the land and the flavor of the cheese. The raw milk, with its natural flora, is what gives Reblochon its aromatic richness and its authentic character.

The mathematics of Reblochon is simple but revealing: about 1 US gallon of raw, whole milk is needed to make a 1.1-pound Reblochon.

This ratio explains the richness of the cheese: each wheel concentrates the best of the milk of the Alpine cows. It is a generous cheese, in which every gram carries the creaminess of much quality milk.

The production of Reblochon combines ancestral gestures and technique. Each stage — from the rennet to the washing of the rind — is dictated by the specification and executed with almost ritual regularity.

Everything begins with the raw, whole milk, heated to about 99 °F and renneted. The formed curd is then delicately cut into small grains, which are distributed into molds.

Next, the cheese is pressed for over an hour — being turned during that period — to finish the draining and eliminate the excess whey. Then it is unmolded and salted. It is a process that requires precision and patience, conditioning the later development of the aromas.

The shape of Reblochon is one of its signatures: a flattened cylinder, about 5.5 inches in diameter and 1.4 inches high. There is also the petit reblochon, of reduced format — about 3.5 inches in diameter and weighing between 8.5 and 10 ounces.

This flattened geometry allows even ripening and a rind proportional to the paste. It is the ideal shape for a creamy cheese, which needs to "breathe" during ripening.

After salting, Reblochon is taken to a drying room, at a temperature of 61 to 64 °F, where it remains for four days. It then goes to the ripening cellar, where it is washed and turned regularly.

It is at this stage that the rind takes on its yellow-orange color and develops its characteristic aroma. The rind may even be artificially colored with carotene or annatto — but the "white foam" that covers it, a sign of good ripening, is natural and unmistakable.

Reblochon exists in two main versions — and ripening reveals the differences. Knowing the fermier and the laitier is understanding the richness of this cheese.

The minimum ripening of Reblochon is 18 days — and an affiné reblochon can reach six weeks. During this period, the cheese is washed and turned regularly, developing its rind and its flavor.

The Reblochon laitier spends at least 15 days in the ripening cellar, after the four days in the drying room. It is a slow process, in which each day adds a layer of creaminess and hazelnut flavor.

The two types are identified by a casein label: red for the laitier and green for the fermier. This label traces and identifies the cheese, with the workshop number, the batch and the date of transformation.

The fermier is made on the farm itself, with the milk of a single herd, renneted immediately after milking — without refrigeration or reheating, preserving all the qualities of the raw milk. It must spend the first eight days on the farm of origin. The laitier, in turn, is produced in fruitières, with milk collected and mixed from several farms.

The orange rind of Reblochon comes from the regular washing during ripening, which favors the development of the rind bacteria. It is an artisanal process, performed cheese by cheese.

The Reblochon fermier, in particular, is pressed by hand in molds lined with a fine linen cloth, and turned several times. The green label, placed on each one, guarantees the farm origin and the identification of the producing family. It is the guarantee of an authentic cheese, tied to the land and to tradition.

Learning to read a Reblochon is discovering a cheese of contrasts: orange rind, creamy paste, hazelnut flavor. Each slice is a complete experience.

The flavor of Reblochon is marked by a persistent hazelnut note — the signature of the cheese. It is creamy, mild and slightly unctuous, with a richness that comes from the raw, whole milk of the Alpine cows.

The intensity grows with ripening: a young cheese is more delicate, while an affiné reblochon gains body and a deeper flavor. It is this progression that makes Reblochon fascinating, from mild to intense.

The rind of Reblochon is yellow-orange, covered by a fine "white foam" that attests to good ripening in a cool cellar. The orange color comes from the regular washing and the development of the rind bacteria.

In some cases, the rind may be artificially colored with carotene or annatto. But the white foam is natural and unmistakable — the sign that the cheese was well cared for during ripening.

The texture of Reblochon is its great virtue: the paste is creamy, soft and melting, thanks to the raw whole milk and the production process. It is this creaminess that makes it perfect for melting — and the soul of the tartiflette.

The Reblochon fermier, made without refrigeration, preserves to the maximum the organoleptic qualities of the milk, resulting in an even richer, more unctuous texture. It is a cheese that "melts" in the mouth, enveloping the palate in a velvety sensation.

If Reblochon is now known around the world, the credit goes to the tartiflette. This simple, comforting dish turned a regional cheese into a global star.

The tartiflette is a gratin of potatoes, bacon and onion, covered with half a melted Reblochon. It is a rustic, comforting and deeply Savoyard dish.

Curiously, the tartiflette is a relatively recent invention: it was launched in the 1980s precisely to boost Reblochon sales in winter. The name comes from tartiflâ, the Savoyard term for potato. In a few decades, the dish conquered France and the world.

The true tartiflette takes few ingredients, but each is essential: potatoes, smoked bacon (lardons), onion, white wine and, of course, the Reblochon — cut in half and placed rind-side up.

Simplicity is the key: the Reblochon melts over the potatoes, forming a golden, creamy crust. It is a dish that celebrates the cheese, without hiding it under an excess of ingredients.

Making a tartiflette at home is simple: brown the bacon and the onion, cook the potatoes in slices, mix everything in an oven dish and cover with the Reblochon cut in half.

Bake until the cheese melts and browns. Serve hot, with a green salad and a white wine from Savoie. The secret lies in a good-quality Reblochon — preferably a fermier, with its orange rind and creamy paste.

The moment of pleasure has arrived. Serving a Reblochon well means respecting its rituals — and the right choice of temperature, cut and wine transforms the experience.

Reblochon is served, ideally, slightly cooler than room temperature — around 61 °F. The ideal is to leave it in a temperate room about two hours before consuming.

At this temperature, the paste reaches the ideal creaminess without falling apart, and the hazelnut flavor is fully revealed. This is the point at which Reblochon shows why it is one of the most loved cheeses in France.

Reblochon, with its flattened-cylinder shape, should be cut into triangular slices, like a cake — from the center to the edges. Each slice preserves the proportion of rind and creamy paste.

With a clean cut and a thin blade, Reblochon keeps its elegant shape. And, of course, it can be served whole, so that each person helps themselves — which is part of the convivial ritual of the cheese.

Reblochon finds its soulmate in the white wines of Savoie, such as Apremont and Chignin — fresh, mineral and light, which cut through the cheese's creaminess.

Dry, aromatic whites also work, such as a Jacquère or a Chardonnay from the region. The rule is simple: fresh, mineral white wines, which dialogue with the mildness of Reblochon without dominating it.

More than a food, Reblochon is an emblem of Savoie. Its presence runs through the gastronomy, the culture and the identity of the French Alps.

Reblochon is a pillar of Savoyard cuisine. Besides the tartiflette, it is an essential ingredient of the péla — the dish of fried potatoes with cheese — and of the reblochonnade, in which the cheese is melted in the pan and served with potatoes and cured meats.

These are rustic, generous, comforting dishes that celebrate the mountain cheese. Reblochon is, in short, the protagonist of the Savoyard table — a cheese that melts into tradition.

Reblochon transcended the kitchen to become a cultural symbol of the French Alps. It carries the history of the shepherds, the alpages and life in the mountains — an identity that goes back centuries.

Its origin legend, that of the second milking, is told with pride as proof of authenticity. Reblochon is thus a product that sums up, in a slice, an entire alpine culture — its landscape, its people and its history.

Like every great French cheese, Reblochon has its brotherhood — the Confrérie du Reblochon — which brings together producers and connoisseurs in defense of the tradition. The brotherhoods organize festivals, investitures and tastings throughout the year.

These celebrations keep alive the memory and the pride of the cheese. Taking part in a Reblochon festival, in the Alps, is experiencing the Savoyard culture not only on the plate, but as a living, festive tradition.

The legal protection of Reblochon is old and robust. The cheese won its designation early — and consolidated it over the decades.

On 7 August 1958, a decree established the Appellation d'Origine Contrôlée (AOC) of Reblochon, protecting its production. It was the official recognition of a cheese whose identity is tied to the Alps of Savoie.

The designation was a milestone: it fixed the territory, the breeds and the method, guaranteeing that the name Reblochon remained tied to its roots. The specification was supplemented in 1976, 1986, 1990, 1999, 2012 and 2015.

The specification of Reblochon defines everything: the three authorized breeds, the feeding of the herd (no silage or GMOs), the use of raw whole milk and the production process. It also allows the petit reblochon, of smaller format.

The minimum ripening is 18 days. The Reblochon fermier, more stringent, must use the milk of a single herd and spend the first eight days on the farm. These are rules that preserve the authenticity of the cheese.

With the creation of the European Union, Reblochon obtained the AOP in 1996, extending the protection across the continent. The name Reblochon thus became a designation protected throughout Europe.

Curiously, protection also generates restrictions: since 2004, Reblochon has been banned from import into the United States — like other raw-milk cheeses — because it is not ripened for the minimum of 60 days required by American legislation. A paradox that only reinforces its aura of an authentic, uncompromising product.

Behind the tradition, there is a real production chain — vast, diverse and in transformation. Knowing its numbers is measuring the importance of Reblochon.

The production of Reblochon is significant: about 17,400 short tons in 2024, with a peak of 19,200 short tons in 2002. In 2019, with 17,200 short tons, it was the third AOP in France by volume.

The fermier production represents about 15% of the total — a precious, growing share. Reblochon is, in short, a regional giant with an artisanal soul.

The chain of Reblochon is vast: in 2022, there were 942 milk producers, of which 161 fermier producers, in addition to 18 industrial cheesemakers and 11 ripening companies. The sector is organized into an interprofessional union with 24 elected members.

It is a structure that goes from the mountain farm to the large dairy, united by the common origin of the milk of the Alps. And there is a debate underway: the purchase of Verdanet by the Lactalis group, in 2023, raised concerns about the concentration of the sector.

Reblochon faces the dilemmas of every traditional cheese: industrial concentration, competition from cheap copies and the challenge of preserving the fermier — the most authentic link with tradition.

There is also the question of imitations: "tartiflette cheeses" sold in supermarkets, with a Savoyard flag on the packaging, enrage the producers. The challenge of Reblochon in the 21st century is to defend its identity against standardization — without ever betraying its Alpine roots.

No trip to the French Alps is complete without a pilgrimage to the territory of Reblochon. From the Thônes valley to the mountain farms, there is an entire itinerary to discover.

The Thônes valley, in Haute-Savoie, is the historic cradle of Reblochon. Nestled in the Aravis massif, it is one of the most beautiful corners of the Alps, with its pastures, chalets and mountain villages.

Visiting the region is diving into the history of the cheese. It is there that one finds the farms and fruitières that have, for centuries, produced Reblochon — and where one can taste the cheese in its natural environment.

Many farms and fromageries of the Alps open their doors to visitors. It is possible to follow the production, the washing of the rind and the ripening — the complete process of Reblochon.

Many offer tastings and sell the Reblochon fermier, the most authentic version. Visiting one of them is seeing up close the artisanal work — the hand pressing, the turning of the cheeses — that no industry reproduces.

Reblochon is a cheese that requires some care in transport: keep it refrigerated, in its proper packaging, and consume it within a few days. Being creamy, it should be protected from impacts.

When buying, look for the Reblochon AOP designation and the casein label — red for the laitier, green for the fermier. And, if you can, choose the fermier, made on the farm and more authentic. A good purchase is one that takes home the true flavor of Savoie.

14.0.1 What does the word "reblochon" mean?

It comes from the Savoyard "re-blocher", meaning "to pinch again" — referring to the second milking of the cow. The original form would have been rebléchon, "to milk a second time".

14.0.2 Why is Reblochon associated with a fraud?

According to legend, the peasants performed an incomplete milking in front of the inspector (to reduce the rent owed) and a second, clandestine milking afterwards. That milk, rich in cream, produced a fatter cheese.

14.0.3 Is Reblochon made with raw or pasteurized milk?

Reblochon is made exclusively with raw, whole cow's milk, without any pasteurization.

14.0.4 Which cow breeds supply the milk for Reblochon?

Three mountain breeds: the Tarentaise (Tarine), the Abondance and the Montbéliarde.

14.0.5 How many liters of milk are needed for one Reblochon?

About 1 US gallon of raw milk is needed to make a 1.1-pound Reblochon.

14.0.6 What is the difference between Reblochon fermier and laitier?

The fermier (green label) is made on the farm, with the milk of a single herd, without refrigeration. The laitier (red label) is made in fruitières, with milk collected from several farms.

14.0.7 How long does Reblochon ripen?

The minimum ripening is 18 days, and it can reach six weeks for an affiné reblochon.

14.0.8 What is tartiflette?

It is a gratin of potatoes, bacon and onion, covered with half a melted Reblochon. It was created in the 1980s to boost winter sales of the cheese.

14.0.9 Which wine pairs with Reblochon?

The white wines of Savoie, such as Apremont and Chignin, are the classics. Dry, mineral whites pair very well.

14.0.10 Is Reblochon safe for pregnant women?

Because it is made with raw milk, Reblochon is not recommended for pregnant women, due to the risk of Listeria.

14.0.11 Why is Reblochon banned in the United States?

Since 2004, Reblochon has been banned from import into the US because it is a raw-milk cheese not ripened for the minimum of 60 days required by American legislation.

14.0.12 What is the average weight of a Reblochon?

A Reblochon weighs, on average, between 1 and 1.2 pounds, with about 5.5 inches in diameter. The petit reblochon weighs between 8.5 and 10 ounces.

14.0.13 Can Reblochon be frozen?

It is not recommended. Freezing alters the creamy texture of Reblochon. The ideal is to buy the right amount and consume it fresh.