St. Nectaire - The Chassard Farm

The stone house of Monsieur Chassard is situated on a hill in the very heart of the Auvergne surrounded by lush green pastures. He is one of the producers of the famous St. Nectaire cheese, a taste of the regions character. In the cave of the farm the cheese was stored for at least 6 weeks until it unfolds its taste of nuts and mushrooms. Beside the St. Nectaire, there were 4 more types of cheeses available: The Salers, a fruity cheese produces in wheels of several kilos. The Cantal was my favorite, a real explosion of nuts and herbs on the tongue. The Blue d´Auvergne and the Fourme d´Ambert were blue cheeses with an aromatic Roquefort taste. Monsieur Chassard packed a piece of St. Nectaire in my bag, together with some fresh bread I was out there in the wild. Dark clouds were hanging over the endless forests and the view down to the village and Chateau de Murol was breathtaking. Travel through the Auvergne was a step back in time. It remembered me to a wild and untouched Europe, where small settlements dotted the countryside and the only sound around were some lonely cow bells. It felt that after every corner a witch or a fay could appear. The village of Salers was built of black volcanic stones and sitting on the main square tasting the regions fine cheeses with a glass of Gamay was the perfect way to relax the soar legs.