Cheese

Domaine Les Pallières is unusual in being set amid a 110-hectare Provençal forest that is part of the estate; and the forest is situated in the northern-central section of the Dentelles de Montmirail massif. It consists primarily of pine, oak and scrubland. Only goats are suited to maintaining the steep slopes of this natural space. And the Rove is definitely the breed of goat that thrives best on such terrain and in a Mediterranean climate – being compact and agile, with a small udder.

The Rove goat breed is thus perfectly suited to the steep terrain of the Pallières locality. In October 2012, we decided to set up a goat farm at Les Pallières, with the aim of involving the herd in the life of the place. We chose to work with a Rove goat breeder based in the eastern Vaucluse mountains, and reserved 10 small nanny goats. Then the goat house and the cheesery were built, and the Rove de Pallières was created. We decided to make only natural cheeses with no added flavourings, given the very strong personality of the milk, imparted by the herd’s extensive daily wanderings. The first Rove cheeses were dispatched in summer 2014. The herd is now 50 goats strong. They are milked during the season, which runs from Easter to mid-October, with about 10 kg of cheese being produced daily on average. The Rove de Pallières comes in three forms:

The herd is now 50 goats strong. They are milked during the season, which runs from Easter to mid-October, with about 10 kg of cheese being produced daily on average.

The Rove de Pallières comes in three forms:
• a 45 g pattie
• a 90 g ball, hand-shaped without using a mould
• and a 500 g wheel.