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AOC — PDO — Burgundy
The matured cream of Bresse, smooth and glossy, the delicate hallmark of a slow, natural transformation in the Bresse bocage.
Dairy product or egg from Burgundy, PDO (AOP) since 2014.
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Crème de Bresse emerged alongside the Bresse dairy cooperatives, which gradually took over from farmhouse workshops in the early 1930s. Following more than ten years of efforts by the Syndicat de Promotion de la Crème et du Beurre de Bresse (SPC2B), the INAO approved the Appellation d'Origine Contrôlée (AOC) "Crème de Bresse" by decree on 26 June 2012. In 2014, Crème de Bresse became a PDO at European level. Unlike conventional pasteurised cream, it undergoes mandatory biological maturation — with no added thickeners or flavourings — allowing a complex natural bacterial flora to develop; an ancient technique, virtually abandoned elsewhere in France, preserved in Bresse by the savoir-faire of local cream makers.
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Crème de Bresse PDO is produced in the bocage plain of Bresse, which spans 191 communes across Ain, Jura and Saône-et-Loire, at an altitude not exceeding 300 metres. The clay soils, combined with sustained, regular rainfall, encourage grass growth and the cultivation of non-irrigated maize. The milk comes from dairy cows comprising at least 50% of the Montbéliarde breed, grazing for at least 150 days per year on a minimum of 60 ares of pasture per cow, and fed on grass and maize from the area — a mixed system yielding milk rich in fat, with large-diameter fat globules that carry aromas. Milk is collected no more than 48 hours after milking, then skimmed within 36 hours of collection.
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Two dairies process most of the Crème de Bresse PDO — the Laiterie Coopérative d'Étrez-Foissiat (approx. 60 producers) and the Laiterie de Bresse - La Bressane (approx. 10 producers), with the remainder collected via Sodiaal. In 2021, the Bresse cream and butter sector produced a total of 1,392 tonnes (+9% year-on-year), including 861 tonnes of cream — production that has tripled since 2013. This slow, demanding biological maturation, which is difficult to automate, is maintained solely through the PDO specifications: a rare artisanal savoir-faire, preserved on an industrial scale.
Appearance
Off-white colour tending towards ivory, with a glossy, smooth look and few or no visible bubbles. The PDO comes in two textures: the "semi-épaisse" (the standard, smooth Crème de Bresse) and the "épaisse", bearing this designation, firmer and lower in fat.
Aroma
Subtle vanilla aromas for the semi-épaisse; a more developed aromatic expression for the épaisse — the result of biological maturation.
Taste
Milky, slightly tangy notes; a hint of acidity in the semi-épaisse, and a more pronounced acidity in the épaisse.
Texture
Smoothness stemming from a high fat content — a minimum of 36 g per 100 g for the semi-épaisse, and 33 g per 100 g for the épaisse.
Milk collected at most every 4 milkings or within 48 hours of the earliest milking.
Pumping of the cream is limited to a maximum of 3 times between the separator outlet and packaging.
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The "semi-épaisse" Crème de Bresse holds up well to heat and is used in high-temperature cooking — potato gratins, poulet à la crème, boudin à la crème. The "épaisse" version, traditionally eaten uncooked, is enjoyed spooned over red berries or fromage blanc, or used in brief cooking at moderate temperatures. It is also used in salad dressings, brioches, tartes and galettes bressanes, and has enriched Lyonnais recipes such as poulet de Bresse à la crème. Wine pairing (editorial choice): Bourgogne blanc (Chablis), Champagne demi-sec.
Since: 2012
Area covered: Ain, Jura, Saône-et-Loire (191 communes)
Key requirements: Mandatory biological maturation, fat content ≥ 36 g/100 g (33 g for the épaisse), 150+ days grazing, ≥ 50 % Montbéliarde cows
Since: 2014
Area covered: Ain, Jura, Saône-et-Loire (191 communes)
Key requirements: Same specifications, European recognition
Defence and management organisation
Dairy cooperative
Dairy cooperative
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La Bressane presents itself as a dairy rooted in Bresse, in Varennes-Saint-Sauveur (Saône-et-Loire), operating for over 80 years and championing traditional know-how and methods. It states that it crafts its products from high-quality milk sourced from local farms, with a range focused on faisselles, whisked fromage blanc, fresh cheeses, and crème de Bresse PDO (AOP).
It notes that its products are sold in the chilled aisle, at the dairy's own shop, and in stores, aiming to be easy to find across Saône-et-Loire, Jura, Ain, and more widely throughout Bourgogne-Franche-Comté and Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes.
| Address | 60 La Charmette, 71480 Varennes-Saint-Sauveur, France |
| +33 3 85 76 33 50 | |
| magasindevente@laiteriedebresse.fr | |
| labressane.fr | |
| Facebook page | |
| @la_bressane | |
| Visits | Yes — shop open Wednesday and Thursday 9:30–12:30 / 15:00–18:30, Friday 10:00–13:30 / 15:00–18:30, Saturday 9:00–13:00 |
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Part of the production is certified organic, since 2010. |
