Bleu de Gex (PDO)

History of Bleu

Charles Quint’s favorite cheese, Bleu de Gex, also known as Bleu de Septmoncel, is said to be heir to the production techniques of the Abbey of Saint-Claude. On mountain farms, Bleu was made from goat’s and then cow’s cheese.

Bleu was usually made by women, as it required less strength than handling the huge wheels of Gruyère or Comté cheese, which were reserved for men.

Today, Bleu de Gex is made by just 5 cheese dairies, including one in the Ain region, and has held an AOC since 1977 and an AOP since 1996. It enjoys the enthusiastic support of the Confrérie des amateurs du Bleu de Gex.

What could be better than a Bleu de Gex accompanied by a fine wine from the region: a Chardonnay or why not a Cerdon? Sweetness, subtlety and indulgence, all the soul of a terroir can be found in its flavors.

Penicilium blue

The Bleu de Gex cheese wheel, about 30 cm long, is stamped with the word Gex, molded into its whitish rind. When cut, its paste is marbled with turquoise mold, with a slight taste of chanterelle. Mild with a very slight bitterness, it has a supple texture that holds up well but is slightly crumbly.

This raw cow’s milk cheese is hand-made in open vats, where salt, ferments and the famous penicillium are added. It is molded, without being pressed, in jute or linen cloth, to drain naturally. Turned over by hand, it is also regularly pierced with small holes to allow the mushroom to develop in contact with the air.

It is then matured for at least 3 weeks. The longer it is matured, the more marbled and full-flavored it will be. It goes perfectly with sweet and savory harmonies, especially pears and a Cerdon from the Bugey AOC!

Find out more

5cheese dairies

including one in Ain

6 à 9kg

Grinding wheel weight

3weeks

Minimum refining

1stAOC

Raw cow’s milk

GOOD TO KNOW

Le vieux Bleu

After 50 days of maturing, Bleu de Gex takes on a much stronger, spicier flavor. It is then called Pérachu in the Ain (or Perassu in the Jura).

The origins of this name are uncertain, depending on who you ask:

Perachu comes from the Pérail dialect or the Swiss Perassel, meaning parsley.
Perachu would refer to the place called Au perrassu de Noirrecombe, where the cheeses were grouped when they came down from the mountain pastures.
The Aindin version is that the name comes from the nickname given to André Prost, a colorful villager from Chézery-Forens.

To each his own, but Perassu is for connoisseurs only!

Bleu de Gex PDO

History of Bleu

Penicilium blue

Le vieux Bleu

SAVEURS DE L'AIN MEMBERS Where can I find Bleu de Gex?

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