Reblochon

Reblochon is a traditional cheese with origins thought to date back to the 13th century, although the cheese became openly known in at the end of the 18th century. The name of the cheese came about from a fraudulent process adopted by farmers when land owners, monks and nobles possessed the right to take a portion of the milk produced on their land. When the land owners checked up on the farmers for this remuneration, the farmers would produce less milk on that day in order to pay less. Once the land owner had gone, the farmers would produce a second batch of milk which was not necessarily large in quantity, but rich and creamy and ideal for making cheese. The cheese therefore takes its name from this fraud, called locally as 'Rebloche' because the patois 'Re-blocher' means to 'pinch the udders of the cow a second time'.

The milk used to make reblochon comes from cattle who leave their barn in May to graze on the land at the foot of the mountains, climbing to higher pastures from June to October.

In days gone past, cheesemakers and their families used to descend the mountains at night, carrying large amounts of cheese on their heads to arrive for the markets of Grand Bornand, Thines and La Clusaz. In a long established ceremony, the peasants of the district pray that their chalets may be blessed and in return, make an offering of their Reblochon called the "fromage de devotion". It is also a vital ingredient in the warming and filling dish Tartiflette which is commonly enjoyed by skiers.