Roquefort and its cellars

Roquefort-sur-Soulzon is located 55km from the campsite in Aveyron, on the side of the Combalou rock: between the Massif Central, the Grands Causses and the Larzac plateau, the village of Roquefort-sur-Soulzon has been home to cattle breeders for several millennia.

Guided tour of Roquefort

Today it is famous all over the world for its unique blue-veined strong cheese, the first French “appellation d’origine contrôlée” and protected since 1925, born in the cellars of Roquefort.
It is the particular geological situation of Roquefort that allowed the elaboration and maturing of these unique cheeses: the rockslide of Mount Combalou, which occurred 1 million years ago, led to the formation of cavities in the rock, naturally ventilated by fissures joining the surface and connecting the different levels together. The current Roquefort caves have been in use for more than a millennium. Classified as a “Remarkable Site of Taste”, Roquefort is listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site among the cultural treasures of the Causses and Cévennes.

Its cheese, hailed in the Age of Enlightenment by Diderot as the “king of cheeses”, also contributed to the influence of France in America during the 19th century, alongside champagne and Bordeaux wines.

caves de roquefort en Aveyron

Cave de Roquefort : Visit and wine tasting

A must in the Aveyron, the Roquefort cellar visit is an exciting underground adventure that allows you to understand the maturing process that gives the “king of cheeses” its strength and its so particular flavors.
The great brands on the market such as the oldest Roquefort artisan open the doors of their Roquefort cellar to reveal to the gourmands and the curious the secrets of the making of the famous PDO cheese.
According to your desires, you can opt for :

  • The Roquefort cellar visit of the Old Shepherd in which the master ripeners still work by hand.
  • The discovery of the conditioning workshop of the house Carles.
  • The exhibition of old material of the house Coulet several times medallist.
  • The 12 000 m2 of medieval cellars of Roquefort.
  • Guided tours of the cellars of Roquefort de Papillon.

Free or with commentary, the Roquefort cellar visits are an opportunity to discover the different stages of cheese making, from the cultivation of penicillium roqueforti to maturing in the naturally ventilated cavities of the scree of Mount Combalou.

The highlight of the visit is the tasting session at the end of the visit!

Numerous maturing cellars producing PDO sheep’s Roquefort cheese offer a tour of the cellars to let you discover how the cheese is matured and where the mold comes from. You can also taste the cheese from these cellars with bread at the end of your visit!

On the road D994, which goes from the campsite to Rodez, passing by Rignac, 45 minutes from the campsite, you can buy a quality Roquefort at the Vieux Berger’s store: it is delicious!

Other activities around the Roquefort cellars

  • Next to the unmistakable Roquefort cellar visits and tastings, Roquefort is a territory of wide open spaces that offers multiple possibilities of activities, family, sports and cultural.
  • The hikes are an opportunity for families on foot as well as for experienced walkers to discover the natural and historical heritage of the Roquefort site, to meet the dolmens, the Combalou rock, and the panoramas offered by the ladder path.
  • The village of Roquefort offers a very playful digital stroll on its territory, through the application “Balades des Grands Causses” available under Android and iOS.
  • The geological environment of Roquefort-sur-Soulzon is also favourable for underground exploration and initiation to speleology, proposed at different levels, some of which are especially adapted to children.
  • Horse riding is also practiced at all levels, to discover Roquefort and its surroundings during a pleasant ride with the family, to enjoy a long horse ride, or to practice galloping on dedicated paths.
  • Cultural visits are also not lacking in Roquefort and nearby, in addition to the visit of the cellars of Roquefort, do not miss the remains of the 11th century Saint-Pierre chapel and its belvedere, the 19th century Saint-Pierre church in the heart of the village or, further on, the castle of Mélac and the Cistercian fort of Saint-Jean d’Alcas.
  • The territory of the Grands Causses and the Combalou rock is at last a paradise for lovers of sensational sports and leisure activities, such as via Ferrata and paragliding.
  • You can also discover the numerous cheese productions of the region, such as sheep’s cheese and cow’s milk cheese from the different AOC cheese dairies.

Discover the official website of Roquefort.

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