The production of milk

The know-how of mountain dwellers, respecting a tradition still alive and proud. Presenting for you a rare fruit : the unique and refined taste of Beaufort.As with other pressed, cooked cheeses, Beaufort can be preserved for a long time due to the heating of the curd and a low water content in the final product. But its subtle flavour is not exclusively as a result of the care taken during the manufacturing process, it also depends on the conditions of the milk production.

As with other pressed, cooked cheeses, Beaufort can be preserved for a long time due to the heating of the curd and a low water content in the final product. But its subtle flavour is not exclusively as a result of the care taken during the manufacturing process, it also depends on the conditions of the milk production.


High altitude, harsh climate, steep slopes... Today, the agricultural system responds to the difficulties faced by farming in the high Savoyard valleys. It is able to participate in the agricultural life of the region, contributing to its cultural heritage which is now truly alive.

It means that the needs of the population can now be met, in view of the long and harsh winter cold, by optimizing use of the vegetation according to the altitude:

- In the valley, the lands are used for the cultivation of basic cereals, and is the place where small herds are left for wintering ;

- In the zone known as the "montagnette", herds graze in the spring and autumn. The milk produced is transformed into tomme (cheese) intended for the subsistence economy. The hay necessary for the long winter months is also produced here ;

- In the zone known as the "grande montagne" or high mountain pastures, the cows are gathered into large herds of upto 200 animals. The "montagnards" cultivate the 1.500 to 2.500 metre high prairies for "100 days" from June to September.

The Beaufort made is exported to great cities such as Paris, Lyon or Turin earning money to buy the commodities which cannot be produced in the area.

In the zone known as the 'grande montagne' or high mountain pastures, the cows are gathered into large herds of upto 200 animals.Technological progress has drastically affected agriculture in the 20th century. The subsistence economy is no longer essential.

However, the agricultural system remains the best method of exploiting the grass which is both of a high quality and abundant and which is the production base for the milk used for Beaufort.

In the valleys, the hay meadows have replaced the cereal fields.


SYNDICAT DE DÉFENSE DU FROMAGE BEAUFORT


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