Roquefort cheese's 100-year anniversary curdled by industrial monopoly and declining sales
It's a vast plateau, and nestled just below, a legendary cheese. In the natural cavities of the Larzac's karstic landscape, straddling the Aveyron, Lozère, and Hérault regions in southern France, Roquefort has been aged for centuries, crafted exclusively from raw sheep's milk collected within a 100-kilometer radius. Legend has it that a shepherd forgot his bread and cheese in a cave, and returned some days later to discover that this blue-green mold from the bread had colonized the curds.
Although Roquefort's existence actually dates back to Antiquity, the cheese celebrates this year the 100 th anniversary of its appellation d'origine: a French label designating an agricultural product as being produced and processed in a particular region. It was the the first for a cheese in France. The law establishing the designation was enacted on July 26, 1925, but the official celebration is set for the weekend of June 7 and 8, when the village of Roquefort-sur-Soulzon in southern France will host events including a sheep parade, culinary creations by Michelin-starred chefs and a drone show.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
LeMonde
8 hours ago
- LeMonde
Roquefort cheese's 100-year anniversary curdled by industrial monopoly and declining sales
It's a vast plateau, and nestled just below, a legendary cheese. In the natural cavities of the Larzac's karstic landscape, straddling the Aveyron, Lozère, and Hérault regions in southern France, Roquefort has been aged for centuries, crafted exclusively from raw sheep's milk collected within a 100-kilometer radius. Legend has it that a shepherd forgot his bread and cheese in a cave, and returned some days later to discover that this blue-green mold from the bread had colonized the curds. Although Roquefort's existence actually dates back to Antiquity, the cheese celebrates this year the 100 th anniversary of its appellation d'origine: a French label designating an agricultural product as being produced and processed in a particular region. It was the the first for a cheese in France. The law establishing the designation was enacted on July 26, 1925, but the official celebration is set for the weekend of June 7 and 8, when the village of Roquefort-sur-Soulzon in southern France will host events including a sheep parade, culinary creations by Michelin-starred chefs and a drone show.
Local France
11 hours ago
- Local France
French Expression of the Day: Bon vent
Why do I need to know the expression bon vent ? Because this multifaceted phrase can be used to express many things. What does it mean? Bon vent (pronounced bon von) can be used to mean "goodbye/travel well". It is an old nautical expression that dates back to a time when ships were predominantly powered by the wind ( vent in French). If the wind was blowing strong and headed in the right direction, sailors were more likely to arrive at their destination in good time. In its modern usage it is therefore roughly the same as bon voyage - have a good trip/hope your journey goes well - but can also be used in a wider sense to wish someone good luck in a new project or enterprise. In this sense it's roughly similar to 'godspeed' in English. It's mostly used in the positive sense, but it can also have a sarcastic usage. Advertisement For example when the porn website Pornhub announced that it was suspending operations in France in protest at new age verification laws, the minister for digital affairs responded by saying Je leur dis bon vent - I say to them bon vent , or perhaps a better translation would be something like 'I say goodbye and good luck'. Also in the less positive sense, it can be used ironically to tell someone to go away. Be careful with your tone of voice to avoid any confusion. Use it like this Je te souhaite bon vent - I wish you good travels Si c'est tout ce que vous voulez, bon vent - If that is everything you need, goodbye Vas-y! Bon vent! - Get out of here! Synonyms Bon voyage Au revoir
France 24
a day ago
- France 24
Women of the sea
France 12:46 Issued on: 12:46 min In a special edition to mark the UN Oceans Conference being held here in France, we're focusing on the women of the sea; be they sailors, explorers or working in the merchant navy. In a world long dominated by men, there is now a wave of talented women who are turning the tide. Annette Young meets Swiss sailor, Justine Mettraux, who was the first woman to cross the finish line of the 2025 Vendée Globe; the solo round-the-world race. She set the record for the fastest result ever by a woman. Our other guest is Tamara Klink, the Brazilian sailor who made her first solo Atlantic crossing at the age of 24. Last year, the 28-year-old became the first woman to spend eight months of winter in Greenland alone on her vessel. Plus what is life like for the women in the French merchant navy, who still make up an exceedingly tiny minority, and how some still experience misogynistic behaviour.
