Abondance () is a semi-hard, fragrant, raw-milk

cheese Cheese is a type of dairy product produced in a range of flavors, textures, and forms by coagulation of the milk protein casein. It comprises proteins and fat from milk (usually the milk of cows, buffalo, goats or sheep). During prod ...

made in the

Haute-Savoie Haute-Savoie () is a Departments of France, department in the Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes Regions of France, region of Southeastern France, bordering both Switzerland and Italy. Its Prefectures in France, prefecture is Annecy. To the north is Lake Gene ...

department of

France France, officially the French Republic, is a country located primarily in Western Europe. Overseas France, Its overseas regions and territories include French Guiana in South America, Saint Pierre and Miquelon in the Atlantic Ocean#North Atlan ...

. Its name comes from a small commune also called Abondance. A round of Abondance weighs approximately , and its aroma is comparable to Beaufort, another French cheese variety. Abondance is made exclusively from milk produced by the Abondance, montbéliarde, and tarine breeds of cattle. The proportion of the Abondance breed within the herd of cattle that produces the milk must be a minimum of 55 percent. In 1998, 873 tonnes were produced (+16.4 percent since 1996), 34 percent from local farms. Abondance cheese was granted an

Appellation d'origine contrôlée In France, the ''appellation d'origine contrôlée'' (, ; abbr. AOC ) is a label that identifies an agricultural product whose stages of production and processing are carried out in a defined geographical area – the ''terroir'' – and using ...

or AOC in 1990. The region has been known for its cheese since at least the 14th century when monks from the '' Sainte Marie d'Abondance'' Monastery are recorded to have supplied cheese to the

papal conclave A conclave is a gathering of the College of Cardinals convened to appoint the pope of the Catholic Church. Catholics consider the pope to be the apostolic successor of Saint Peter and the earthly head of the Catholic Church. Concerns around ...

Avignon Avignon (, , ; or , ; ) is the Prefectures in France, prefecture of the Vaucluse department in the Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur region of southeastern France. Located on the left bank of the river Rhône, the Communes of France, commune had a ...

. Abondance cheese can be either

artisanal An artisan (from , ) is a skilled craft worker who makes or creates material objects partly or entirely by hand. These objects may be functional or strictly decorative, for example furniture, decorative art, sculpture, clothing, food ite ...

or farm-made; it is now made exclusively in the area of Abondance in Chablais,

. The ageing period for Abondance is a minimum of three months on specially-prepared spruce boards.

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* Cheeses with designation of origin protected in the European Union Cow's-milk cheeses French cheeses French products with protected designation of origin Haute-Savoie {{France-cheese-stub

See also

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