La Ferme Salies-Salet

Our small family farm in the mountains is located in Arette, Vic de Bas district. Surrounded by meadows and thickets, we breed La Basco-béarnaise, a dairy breed of local breed, which constitutes our entire herd.

This rustic breed adapted to the local Béarnais climate, produces quality milk which we transform into farm cheese with raw milk. Some lactating cows (Blondes d'Aquitaine) accompany our herd.

To respect their well-being, we graze our sheep every day on a rich and abundant grass. In winter, we bring them back to the sheepfold in the evening where they revel and feed on hay and fresh produce produced on the farm.

In summer, from June to September, the sheep transhume on the mountain pasture of Mahourat at an altitude of 2000 meters. In these places of high limestone mountains there is a specific flora on which our animals like to graze.

This flora constitutes their only food during the four months of summer, and this diversity and this rarity are found in the taste of our summer cheeses.

Up there, we have been able to preserve the know-how of our predecessors despite the hard work that the profession of cheese shepherd represents.

To continue in this quality approach, we refine our cheeses ourselves. Thus, they spend their first month in summer salting and then go back down to the family cellar where they will stay until the age of 6 months. During this long period, they are turned over and caressed with salt water every day, which gives them this pretty nut-colored crust.

The duration and success of the ripening allows us to truly meet consumers expectations and achieve the optimum taste and flavors of the cheese.

We welcome you all year round at the farm so you can taste our tome of sheep and tell you about our passion.

Production and sale of cheese on the farm as well.