What is the saying? There’s no rest for the wicked? A rolling stone gathers no moss? Both seem apt for our travelling group as we make our way through regional France on our whirlwind tour. Leaving Lyon, we travel to Clermont-Ferrand by Rail Europe TER regional train. It’s an eventful ride with large unscheduled stop and a touch of claustrophobia when the air conditioning cuts off. We are just glad when the doors open to Clement Ferrand. From there, we drive to Auvergne, a region known for its cheese and food. As we now learn, food in regional France varies greatly between regions from the sunny Mediterranean food of Nice to the rich bouchon fare of Lyon and in Auvergne, cheese is the order of the da.
The lovely thing about Europe, and of course I love Australia but we are a relatively young country, is that European buildings have such a history to them. I have admittedly stayed at some truly fantastic places but never a château until now.
Château la Canière in Thuret sits at the end of a trail of trees flanking a long driveway, past a field of glorious yellow linden flowers. Mid 2011, the château became the first 5 star hotel in Auvergne and is owned by industrialist family the Moniers who are from the area.
Set on a park of 8 hectares, Château la Canière was built in 1889 by the architect Emile Camus for the family Bérard de Chazelles to store the works of French chemist Antoine Lavoisier. The château has an interesting history and the Bérard de Chazelles owned the property for two centuries. In 1944, Magdelaine Bérard de Chazelles belonged to a resistance camp and nursed and protected English soldiers in the castle. She was arrested by the Gestapo in 1943 and deported to Ravensbruk camp and the château fell into disrepair and was abandoned.
It was then used by the French Navy as a holiday camp and then sold and resold and transformed into a hotel by a Dutch group. In 2010 the Monier family purchased it and this year, it features in the Michelin guide and there are now 20 rooms and 6 suites. There is also an option to be “King for a day” and have the run of the whole château where you can “receive” up to 170 guests.
I have a look at my room, number 417 which is a “modern” style (there are three styles including a traditional and one with stone walls) and it’s lovely indeed. I do love claw foot bath tubs especially when it is right next to the bed and the furniture is full of lovely antique pieces. There are drawers with the keys still in them to lock them, toile covered bedside lamps and there are modern touches like a skylight and pretty much all you could wish for including an absolutely gigantic television.
The king sized bed is comfortable and on it sits two lollies, fruity hard candy with chewy centres from Auvergne. But if you’ll excuse me, the bath is calling me most strongly…. 
La Ferme Bellonte
What is the first food that you think of when you think of France? Fromage or cheese perhaps? Here in the village of Farges, Auvergne, the Bellonte family cheese factory is one place where the much lauded Saint Nectaire cheese is produced.
An eight generation cheese family that originated in Italy they started making cheese in 1663 and have continued the proud tradition of making this lovely grey molded cheese made from cow’s milk. The brown and white Montbéliarde cows are used because they produce good quality milk with a high amount of protein so they need less milk from the Montbéliarde than other cow breeds.
Given AOC (Appellation d’Origine Contrôlée) status, the cheese must be made from cows that are born on the premises so each year, 20 female calves are kept while the others are sold. Each of the 100 cows has a name and twice a day they line up to get milked. The process of naming a cow is interesting too-each year all cheesemakers in France are designated one letter for the cow’s names. However, there are some names that they want to give to cows such as Madeleine and Hermoine as Madeleine was the name of a cow made famous in the film “La Vache et le prisonnier” (the cow and the prisoner).
Each cow knows which milking pen is theirs and during winter, when it is very cold they feed them on a mixture of hay, cereal and alfalfa biscuits. The cows are inactive during the months of November to December and this period of rest allows them to keep them until they are 14 years old.
There are two types of cheese that they make here: a farm cheese and an industrial cheese. The farm cheese has the distinctive grey mold on the outside and this is created by using raw milk while it is still hot from the cow. The industrial cheese can be coloured to tint it. They make 45 tonnes a year and 40 tonnes of that is sold here on location.
There is a free tour which explains the interesting history of cheese making (allow just over one hour) and you can visit the troglodyte caves from the middle ages where the cheese is now aged. There are several videos shown during it and the last one before the 3d photos is fascinating and explains the history of the Bellonte family during times past and the two brothers (the storyline is riveting and could easily be the plot of a movie!).
To start the cheese making process, they curdle the milk with a rennet. 15 litres of milk is needed to make one wheel of cheese. They then cut the cheese in tiny pieces and this is called the tomme. These curds are then placed into a mold and then press on it for 10 minutes (5 minutes on each side).
The whey is removed and then a coat of sea salt is applied to dry it out. It dries for 10 hours and then is dried for one week and is then kept in the maturing cellar at 10-12C and 90% humidity where it will develop that distinctive grey mold that they nickname “cat fur”. After 1 week, they brush the mold or cat fur and then turn over the cheese and age it for another week and then brush it. It can spend 5 weeks to 3 months in the maturing cellar and the cheese is best eaten at 5-8 weeks. Hand cut straw was traditionally used to rest the cheeses on but that is hard to come by so they use wood chips.
Wild rose aperitif Les gratte cul
All of that is making us hungry so we make our way to the restaurant attached to the cheese factory and take advantage of the sunny weather. The aperitif, a wild rose liqueur is mixed with a low calorie wine to create a sweet drink that is perfect for this lovely afternoon in the sun.
Salade de Bernadette
Isn’t it funny what dishes everyone remembers as their favourite out of an entire trip? At the end of the trip, pretty much every one of my fellow travel writers and journalists named this salad as their favourite food memory. The salad, made up simply of soft lettuce, pot roasted lardons (bacon), Bleu d’Auvergene cheese and walnuts and dressed with a walnut oil dressing was divine. I could have eaten the whole bowl by myself. The blue cheese contrasts beautifully with the crunchy walnuts, croutons and salty bacon.
Assiette de charcuterie d’emilie
The assiette plate has a range of charcuterie bought from local suppliers. It features Auvergne cured ham in enormous, curled over slices, salami and a country style pate. They’re all delicious but the country style pâté is the perfect balance of flavours and comes as a more coarsely textured pâté ideal for those that don’t like strong or gamey flavours.
Phousonette
The main is phousonette which is slightly different from tartuffe. There is an excellent pork and herb sausage - so good I finish every bite and an enormous serve of layered potatoes, cabbage and melted farmer’s St Nectaire cheese. It’s comforting and I can easily imagine this would be very popular come winter time and you want to snuggle indoors in the rustic restaurant.
Saint Nectaire cheese
Only two farms make this raw milk cheese in the Auvergne area and Bellonte is one of them. Served at room temperature, it is still a firm cheese with a deceptively firm rind to it which can make cutting a unwieldy task. The grey rind is relatively mild tasting an the cheese is dense but with a mild, silky creaminess to it.
Pompe aux pommes
Said to be a very traditional Auvergne dessert the apple tart has thin layers of top and bottom pastry, almost like a fruit slice but much thinner and a filling of thinly sliced apples. It is served with a squirt of whipped cream.
Oh and you know how much I like a bit of shopping don’t you? Well the shop here at Bellonte is fantastic with a fascinating range of items including lentil marmalade, an array of fascinating beers and liqueurs, puy lentils and of course their own cheese.
We bid adieu to Berni the cute French bulldog!
Views along the wine trail
If anyone knows me, they know that hiking is not my thing. I mean I don’t think ballet flats or thongs were meant for hiking and yet I still can’t seem to find a pair of shoes that is suitable that I like. But a little hike in the vineyard regions of the Madargue Hills won’t hurt anyone surely? Visitors can collect a map from the tourist office and take any one of the various paths that line the vineyards of the pretty Madargue Hills.
Benoit Montel
Benoit Montel, wine maker at Saint Bonnet drives up in his van and greets us and starts setting up a table for us to taste some wine with the rows of vines as his scenic backdrop. We sample a pinot noir, a gamay, and a shiraz and although I’m not much of a red wine drinker the pinot noir and gamay are excellent.
An old structure among the vineyards for the winemaker
Cellar doors in France are different from those in Australia and it isn’t a matter of dropping in and tasting wine. You need to book a time to come in and you may need to pay a tariff. And because Benoit runs the vineyard by himself with the assistance of his parents having a cellar door open all times isn’t really an option!
Back at Château la Canière, pre dinner drinks are in the library and dinner is served at Restaurant Le Lavoisier which dates back to the 15th century. The restaurant is is across the driveway in a separate building and is named after the chemist Antoine Lavoisier who met his eventual fate with a guillotine during the French revolution. The room is welcoming and bathed in soft light with white walls, gilt edged framed sketches and lithographs.
Cream of shellfish soup
The menu tonight is a degustation including a course of cheese and we start with the amuse bouche, a cream of shellfish soup topped with a little foam. It’s a nice starter for the rest of the meal.
L’ouef mollet moelleux
The soft poached egg is oh so tenderly poached so that the white is still in various stages of liquid. It sits in a smoked fish soup perfumed with thyme and there are three fat spears of tender steamed green asparagus from the village of Moissat.
Supreme de pintade farci au vert
The guinea fowl is stuffed with seasoned, wilted greens and served with an array of greenery including broad beans, baby gem lettuce and green beans. There is also a thyme jus that brings the whole dish together nicely and the guinea fowl is tender and juicy.
Le Plateau de fromages
What a cheese trolley! All of the cheeses are from the Auvergne area. I want to try some slightly different cheeses so I go for a creamy Camembert which is so creamy that it coats the tongue much like a slow cooked egg yolk would. The blue cheeses are excellent, even the strongest blue cheese is tempered in its ferocity by its creamy texture and the smoked cheese is an interesting adjunct.
L’eclair aux fraises gariguettes
The choux was very crunchy, perhaps too crunchy and didn’t really need the topping which gave it a savoury quality. The pistachios from Sicily were quite mild in flavour and the pistachio mousseline was topped with strawberries.
With everyone feeling the effects of travel, it’s straight to bed!
The next morning, the alarm awakens after a light sleep. I’m not much for breakfast but I was so curious to explore the château a bit more and see what a castle serves for breakfast! Set in a beautiful salon (there are three in total), with a picture of Lavoisier and his wife Marie-Anne Paulze looking down upon us, the spread features a la carte items as well as a comprehensive Continental breakfast selection.
I’m usually a hot breakfast person but it seems not in France because I actually wanted continental breakfast as the breads looked wonderful and they had an intriguing Earl Grey jam. There was also a lovely range of sausages including a wild boar sausage that was fantastic.
We go for a wander around and come across this little chapel on one of the floors. It’s a reluctant goodbye as we quickly move onto our next leg of the trip and the new day brings a new region of France. Stay tuned for that!
So tell me Dear Reader, have you ever tried raw milk cheese? And when travelling, do you like visiting as many towns and cities as possible on a trip or do you prefer to take them in at leisure and really get to know them?
NQN travelled as a guest of Rail Europe.
Rail Europe
Rail Europe is the exclusive distributor of the France Rail Pass in the world. www.raileurope.com.au
Hotel Chateau La Canière Puy de Dome
www.chateau-la-caniere.com
La Ferme Bellonte
www.st-nectaire.com/
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48 Comments | Add your own
Gorgeous photos, take me away!
Oh I think I would have spent a lot of time in that bathtub! Seriously .. you are taking me to a favorite part of France. I love the region for its food and most of all cheese. Thank you!
I haven’t knowingly eaten raw milk cheese but I have tried a lot of fancy imported cheese, maybe without all the facts. I live across the road from a great deli and I like to drop in when it’s quiet and chat about the cheese. Often this involves, so reluctantly
, trying this cheese and that cheese. Cheese is one of the few things that purchase without regard to the price.
Oh glorious cheese! Even though I know from experience that America does have some great cheese, I must admit that, having been in Utah with boys who eat American orange cheese, and then in Kansas City with vegans… I’m kinda swooning for everything here. Also the assiette de charcuterie d’emilie and the wild rose drink!
I have never tried raw milk cheese but I am sure I would love it! Cheese is my weakness (one of them!) and I love this about France. It’s very hard travelling as there is so much to see and do and you don’t want to miss out on anything, but I do prefer to pick one place and stay there for a while and really take time to explore that area.
It’s all so beautiful, Lorraine. Just gorgeous. And that Chateau has so much important history. Tragic how the Nazis found that woman and put her in a concentration camp. I’m assuming she perished there? She certainly had an incredible home and it’s great it’s still being well looked after xx
Ahhh!!! Such a beautiful place!!! You are not the only one, I am not much for hiking either. I wouldn’t even hike to my mailbox if I could help it. The food looks gorgeous. Great review!
I know what you mean about the beauty and history of European buildings – breathtaking. I have never tried raw milk cheese, being an Aussie. In my old age, I like to savour places.
Great post Lorraine, but where are the cow photos???
What beautiful photographs, well done! The food looks amazing. It’s Clermont (not Clement) Ferrand, unless they’ve changed their name since I camped there, on top of a hill, in 1973! Would love to revisit the area.
I would so love to be Queen For A Day in that chateau, such glamour and history! I love to see how food is really produced so the cheese tour would be awesome. I’m also very intrigued by the Earl Grey Jam, something to think about making for myself
I like to really explore a region when traveling, and get to know it before moving on…. that includes trying all the local specialties too of course Lorraine!
Enjoyed your French travel adventures and cheese!
Of the uniqueness, it always does please!
Used to enjoy the stress and chaos of running around like a chook without its head,
Now I am more of a slowly “Savor the Flavor”, region, area, foods and wines instead!
Another beautiful post. We must have been channelling a little French between Sydney and Melbourne today as wrote about France too. But without the photos. And the amazing trip. And that gorgeous looking wild rose apperitif. And the beautiful blue cheese salad. And Bernie the dog…..
It’s a tough job, but someone’s got to do it!
I’m so jealous! I prefer to get to know a place, rather than hurry around. We visited Roquefort Sur Soulzon recently and toured the caves of lovely blue. Yum!
Dear Lorraine,
Awesome photos and true the European continent has so much history and culture behind it and to me, French is one of the great cuisines of the world apart from Italian and Chinese.
Now I want to go and see cheese being made in France!
I’m both. If I’ve got a very short time then I like to cram a lot in but I only last a couple of days traveling like that then I need a rest.
WOW
No wonder so many people love France and say that it’s a very romantic country hehe everything looks so perfect!
I love that bath tub hehe i’ve always wanted on of these in my own house
I’ve never had raw milk cheese but hehe would love to try!
I usually plan my holidays really well so we can see more things
But then i find that I don’t enjoy it as much so i usually do it Leisurely the next time i go back 
I am lucky enough to have access to raw milk and make my own Camembert, feat & Halloumi from it. I’m still jealous though, I’m a Francophile at heart and would spend half my year there if I could. Have fun
Absolutely thrilled by the post especially since have not had the experience of Auvergne. Loved, loved, loved the look of the food, especially the lunch and add my name to that salad list without tasting
! Amused that the cows depicted knew their milking stalls: watched a marvellous British food show on TV last night – and in W Scotland the beasties were just as cluey!! Since Europe meant mostly business for over twenty years, quick stops initially were de rigeur. Later one tended to make time for special preloved areas: but we always tried to stay at old castles and manors: still remember them all [oh, and love that bathroom!!] 
!
I’m the type of person who likes to linger until I’ve seen everything I want to see. I could be a perpetual traveler, I’m sure.
I love your France series!
Each time I read your trip report and saw your pictures, I start missing the time when I traveled a lot…now I’m a wife, now I’m a mother…I should not miss
Is there anything in France not gorgeously historically rustic or sensuous ? Just a stunning collection of images and food – but the buildings wow ! Very much prefer taking in one place properly and meeting locals for the inside scoop and funny adventures.
Fabulous photos Lorraine of a beautiful country! You always do such an amazing job of transporting us there and making us feel as if we are alongside you on the trip. Cheese, Bread and wine, the French do it so well and so easily. However giving them their due, they just know how to present wonderful food. I remember visiting a Food Market in France in the mid 70′s and just being in awe of all the amazing fresh fruit and veg available. Again Thank You for sharing your trip……
Wonderful post. I felt like I was there. The chateau, the cheeses, that tub! Wow! I lived in Paris in my late twenties near a famous cheese shop through which I ate my way in slivers.
I like to stay and get to know a place–but have often travelled from town to town faster than I would have wished.
Have I ever tried a raw milk cheese? Yes, I grew up on it, and I miss the taste of it so-so much that I want to get a cow and make my own..
Cheese and wine are my best desserts! 
This is my idea of heaven. And I have tried these cheeses in France, though had I known it I may not have tried them and have missed out. I like a mixture of getting to know a place as much as possible AND getting to see as much of a country as possible. It’s a juggling act I tell you!
If you wanted to try cheese my friend, you certainly did it in style, none of this ridiculous supermarket stuff
Thank you for taking us on yet another of your dream worthy vacations!
Cheers
Choc Chip Uru
What a beautiful post! I really enjoyed reading about your adventures in Auvergne. Your lovely photos made me feel like I was there!
How luxurious it is to be able to stay in a chateau! I would love to do that!
The salad sounds so simple but with all the fresh produce, I can only imagine it to be memorable.
You know I would wish to try the bleu d’Auvergne right at the cheese factory itself!All I can content with now is to eat whatever I can find here.
When I travel, I like to take time to get to know each place/town/city that I go to. Not just stopping at the tourist attractions but to really wander along the streets to see what the locals really do. I find that it’s more enjoyable this way.
I love France – my second favourite destination. We are planning another trip in 2015 so this will come in good use if we go to this region. Have a super weekend
French chateaus are always so grand, beautiful and romantic. I love the countryside way more than Paris itself! looked like a trip full of food and CHEESE
I have eaten raw milk cheese. I have also eaten ricotta minutes after it was produced….love it.
I have eaten raw milk cheese. I have also eaten ricotta minutes after it was produced….we have some wonderful cheese makers around us in Bagni di Lucca.
I love raw milk cheese, the stinkier and softer the better, so there is no need to tell you how much I love French cheese.
C’est magnifique Lorraine. You’ve captured everything beautifully, the landscape, the buildings, the food, ahhh the Food!Imagine living in a Chateau, magical.
My dream: to travel/meander through Europe without an itinerary or a care in the world and discover all these beautiful places so rich in History and culinary delights. To stop and linger as long as my heart desires……….Oh sorry, back to reality hehe
I love all types of cheese nothing is too strong or pungent, variety and plenty of it, bring it on!
I’ve been watching Will Studd’s TV series ‘Cheese Slices’ on SBS and it’s jam-packed of information regarding cheese as he travels the world to discover all manner of cheeses.
I haven’t had the chance to eat raw milk cheese but would gladly give it a try.
I’ve just made your Baked Ricotta recipe and it’s sitting there staring at me,lol.
What a great post, Lorraine. No matter where you’re from, there’s just something about France, isn’t there? It’s so…..French. And the history is amazing, as well as the sublime food.
What a beautifully poached egg! And I love the last shot of the tree and the sky.. it’s stunning!
This looks like a dream trip! I look forward to our (eventual) travels in France… we’ve been spending too much time in Asia! (not that that is anything to complain about)
Lorraine,
What a beautiful, elegant, stunning, exquisite feast for the eyes. The art, claw tub, charm, paintings, & CHEESE.
I LOVED this post.
Xxx happy weekend.
Is that French wine maker wearing an Australia shirt??
Can’t wait to read more of the journey, I would love to take a trip like this around France.
OMG! I need to go to France, right about now, to nibble on cheeses and take a bath in that exquisite tub!
I have a serious case of cheese envy.
Bleu d’Auvergene is my favorite blue of all time! What a great post!
My relationship with cheese is very love/hate. I adore the stuff but get stonking headaches if I have too much. France = cheese! I would live in France if I could. I have a couple of lovely French friends and we have had some fun cooking for each other. Anyway, a lovely post thanks Lorraine. I must book a trip to France soon!!!!
Great post. e been wonnksdering for some time now ….what is PHOUSONETTE??? Thanks
Paul
Phonsounette is a delicious dish with auvergne cheeses!! you need to come to saint nectaire to taste it!! that is for sure!!
my details if need be +33 4 73 29 49 33 vanessa
Hello!
We are delighted that your stay in La Canière pleased you! Thank you for your magnificent photos. We hope to see you again during your next passage in France.
Best regards,
La Canière’s team!
Hello! Thank you for having us, it’s such a beautiful property and was a real highlight of the trip
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