Gastronomy and regional products in Aveyron

The Aveyron is a great region for trying new foods. There are many specialities, authentic recipes and the locals like eating and sharing their experience around a table full of good food !

Local specialities and products from Aveyron

Aveyron, what a delight! From appetizers to desserts, there's something for everyone, from melt-in-your-mouth meats to fragrant cheeses, terrines and pâtés to enjoy alone or to share. Follow us as we discover the gastronomy of Aveyron!

The veal of the Aveyron and Ségala

With all the grazing meadows available, Aveyron calves benefit from their mothers' milk. Their meat is therefore very pink, which takes back some consumers. It is tasty meat and this colour is explained by the fact that the calf is nursed by its mother who is well fed on high iron cereals.

Beef of the Aubrac

Aubrac beef comes from an old breed of cow which has adapted to the local climate. The cows are light brown in colour and are fed on grass and fodder. Transhumance is practiced here. (Spending the summers in the mountains and the winters in the valleys.)

The lamb of the Aveyron

Also called “Agneau Laiton” of the Aveyron, is reared in a pen and nursed by its mother for at least 90 days. Its meat is silky and soft, slightly rosé.

The cheese of the Aveyron

This is a cheese department ! Cheese lovers won’t be disappointed and will spend most of their time in the dairy ! There are numerous small producers, and what could be better than cheese tasting accompanied by impassioned explanations of the cheesemaking process.

• Roquefort made from sheep’s milk, is the star of the Aveyron. It is matured in special “fleurines” caves, which have clefts in the rocks, providing perfect ventilation. Roquefort is produced in the caves in southern Aveyron, but you can easily find it throughout the department.
• Pérail is a small round cheese made from Lacaune full fat sheep's milk. It has a soft and delicate taste.
• Bleu des Causses is a blue-veined cheese, like Roquefort, but softer. Its rind is fine and soft, it is made from cow’s milk, and it also has an AOP (Protected Designation of Origin)
• Thérondels comes from the north of the department, it is pressed, unpasteurised and made from cow’s milk. It has small holes, a soft texture and fruity taste.
• Laguiole is a cheese from the town of the same name. It is used in Aligot (cheese and potato dish). It is a “Fourme” made from cow’s milk produced during the summer. It is a popular cheese and can be found in many recipes.
• Tome d'Estaing comes from Larzac. It is very soft with a blue-grey rind, made from sheep's milk.
• Lou bren is a cheese with an orange rind, a strong taste and soft texture. It comes from Larzac.
• In Marcillac try Simmenthal, an organic cheese with a yellow rind made from cow’s milk.
• Rodez is a cheese with an Italian accent. It looks like Parmesan ; it is a hard, dry cheese, very good grated over pastas or in soup.

Conserves, terrines and pâtés

Like many places in the southwest, in Aveyron, there is a great tradition of canning and jarring ! Therefore, you can find many conserves, pâtés, rillettes, confits and terrines... Produce is preserved so it can be exported and provide food throughout the year. Remember to bring some home.

Aveyron gastronomy, some of the region's emblematic dishes

Aveyronnais specialities are made up of tasty cheeses from the Larzac region, tender meats from the Aubrac Plateau and delicious vegetables. They reflect the culinary traditions of yesteryear and have the flavors of home cooking. The wine-growing terroir of the Causses is also very special, and has a few surprises in store for you! We're off on a gastronomic tour of Aveyron. We're going to wake up your taste buds!

• Farçous originated in the Rouergue region of France. It's a kind of Swiss chard patty, usually stuffed with pork. There are many variations, as each family has its own original recipe! The consistency and seasoning vary greatly from house to house... You'll find this speciality in traditional restaurants, but also on the markets of Aveyron!

• Cheese soup is a very simple soup: onions, stale bread, vegetable stock and a little duck fat. Some add cabbage, others white wine... But the key to success is the choice of cheese. The debate is still raging between supporters of Cantal and Laguiole. The purists of Aveyron will only use Laguiole, that fine raw-milk cheese from Aubrac! In any case, it smells of the countryside, and we can already imagine ourselves eating it while warming ourselves by a roaring fire in winter. For the record, it was served the day after festivities, especially weddings, to get you back on track...

• Whether you call it Pounti in Aveyron or Picaussel in Auvergne, the recipe doesn't really change. Pounti is an Occitan term, “pountare”, meaning a minced meat. It's a surprisingly sweet and savory terrine, made with prunes, chard and sausage meat. It's still a leftovers dish, so the greens used can vary to your liking: spinach or chard are allowed too! It can be eaten hot or cold, making it a perfect choice for a family picnic!

• The Quercy truffle omelette is an Aveyron classic. And yet nothing could be simpler than an omelette! But with a luxury ingredient that makes all the difference: the Quercy truffle. This hard-to-find mushroom, so dear to French gastronomy, has a refined yet powerful flavor. We reveal all about the Quercy truffle...

• Aligot is a well-known specialty that has spread beyond the borders of Aveyron. This tasty mashed potato takes on its letters of nobility thanks to the fresh Aubrac tomme cheese that is patiently added... It's the tomme that “spins” the purée and gives it its incomparable texture. To soften it, a little butter, and to flavour it, garlic! And that's all there is to it... You've got a hearty dish, but one that's so delicious!

• Estofinade also comes from the ancestral traditions of the Rouergue region. It's a fish dish, mainly cod or dried haddock, served with potatoes. You might wonder why it's part of the culinary heritage of a region far from the ocean. In fact, stockfish was imported by the boatmen who sailed the Aveyron from Bordeaux. Almont-les-Junies is the commune reputed to have invented this recipe.

• Tripous are not universally appreciated. It has to be said that they have a rather pronounced taste and are not to everyone's taste. However, it's also their strong flavor that delights some palates. They are made from veal tripe. They are generally served topped with a veal stock sauce. They used to be part of the traditional Aveyron farmhouse breakfast. Today, this custom has become a veritable country feast, bringing back fond memories for some and adding a great deal of conviviality to these events.

• Fouace is a crown-shaped brioche bread. It is scented with orange blossom. It has religious origins, having been made for Easter since the 16th century, initially in the commune of Notre-Dame-de-la-Haye. It can be served at any time of day: as breakfast, dessert, snack or snack... The recipe is very simple and easy to make at home.

• La Flaune is the “cheesecake made in Millau”. And why is that? Thanks to an unusual cheese: La recuite! It's made from the flower of raw sheep's whey. It's also used to make Roquefort. The drained sheep's milk is collected and heated. This is what gives the cheese its authentic Flaune taste. It is scented with orange blossom.

To round off this discovery of Aveyron delicacies, what better accompaniment to a good meal than a perfectly-tuned wine? You might be surprised by the Estang wine from the Aveyron valleys, produced on schist slopes, it has a very specific flavor! Marcillac or Côte de Millau come from the Larzac Plateau and are also very typical.

We've come to the end of our overview of Aveyron's gastronomy. We hope we've whetted your appetite for these specialities. Bon appétit!

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