There really is a city named Roquefort where a cooperative operates to produce the pungent cheese. It clings to the mountainside where a massive earthquake rocked the region centuries ago that opened fissures which lead to huge caves. Legend has it a young shepherd put some cheese in the cool caverns to preserve it. When he returned, the naturally occurring penicillium mold had begun growing in the cheese creating this wonderous flavor. A Voila! Roquefort cheese was born.
We traveled into the caves to see where the magic still happens today, only the penicillium is now grown in the labs (from the mold of the caves – there are three kinds).
Best, Pam.
A very fun poster at the start of the tour that says something to the effect that “Roquefort does not have the Statue of Liberty, but does have the caves of the Societe.”
A naturally occurring cavern we walked through to get to the caves where all the magic happens.
Tables and tables of maturing cheese for as far as the eye can see.
A view of a fissure that gives access to the mountain caves.