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AOC — PDO — Centre-Val de Loire
A small, dark disc with bluish glints, Selles-sur-Cher conceals beneath its cloak of ash a creamy white paste — a cheese from tranquil Berry and a discreet pioneer of goat's cheese AOC in France as early as 1975.
Goat’s cheese from Centre-Val de Loire, PDO (AOP) since 1996.
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The goat-cheese-making tradition of Sologne and Berry dates back at least to the 19th century: at the time, it was a domestic production — made by farm women alongside their other work — which coquetiers, gatherers of farmyard produce, began collecting alongside eggs and poultry to transport to urban markets. Some of these collectors even specialised in this activity, ashing and maturing the cheeses before marketing them; Selles-sur-Cher, the main centre for collection and resale, gave its name to these small, flat, ash-coated cheeses. Their delicate taste and hazelnut aromas quickly won appeal far beyond the region, reaching as far as the Parisian markets.
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The Selles-sur-Cher PDO (AOP) area extends across the junction of Touraine, Berry and Sologne, on the poor, sandy soils of Loir-et-Cher, Cher and Indre, where goat farming historically established itself for lack of any other agricultural outlet. The cheese takes its name from the market town of Selles-sur-Cher, which became the main centre for collecting and reselling the cheeses, giving them their name. Today, the PDO sector brings together fifty-five farmhouse or dairy producers, five cheese dairies, five processors and two affineurs across these three départements, accounting for more than three hundred jobs.
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The decree of 21 April 1975 recognised Selles-sur-Cher as an Appellation d'Origine Contrôlée, crowning the efforts of a sector organised into a defence union since 1972. European PDO recognition followed in 1996. In 2025, the sector celebrated the 50th anniversary of this historic AOC.
Appearance
Disc with bevelled edges, slightly frustoconical, approximately 9 cm in diameter and 3 cm thick, with a minimum weight of 200 g when fresh. Ash-coated with vegetable charcoal, evolving from greyish-white at the start of maturation towards bluish-grey, occasionally marked with blue Penicillium spots. Ivory-white, matte, smooth and homogeneous paste.
Aroma
Fresh goat's milk early in its life, evolving towards notes of mushroom and more caprine aromas with maturation.
Taste
A balance of salty, acidic and slightly bitter flavours, with hazelnut notes that assert themselves with maturation.
Texture
Fresh, melt-in-the-mouth and very slightly pasty.
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Coating with vegetable charcoal is not merely an aesthetic tradition. Combined with salt, it forms a complex with the surface flora that regulates moisture exchange between the paste and the air during maturation, contributing to the texture of the paste and the development of its aromas. This rind, mainly composed of Geotrichum and yeasts, can develop blue patches of Penicillium during maturation. Originally, ashing was primarily a means of ensuring the cheese kept well in the cellar and then in the drying room; today, this technique remains the signature of Selles-sur-Cher.
whole milk from Alpine or Saanen goats, or their crossbreed; storage at the farm limited to a maximum of 2 days.
small quantity of rennet, predominantly lactic curdling.
18 to 48 hours at a temperature below 25 °C.
a minimum of 10 days from renneting, in premises at a minimum of 10 °C.
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Selles-sur-Cher is best enjoyed at room temperature. It can be savoured in thin slices as an aperitif or at the end of a meal, or find its place on a regional board alongside Chavignol, Pouligny-Saint-Pierre, Sainte-Maure de Touraine and Valençay. It pairs well with a dry white wine from Touraine, or a light, fruity red wine such as a Valençay, Chinon or Bourgueil.
Since: 1975
Area covered: Touraine/Berry/Sologne junction — Loir-et-Cher (41), Cher (18), Indre (36)
Key requirements: Decree of 21 April 1975
Since: 1996
Area covered: Touraine/Berry/Sologne junction — Loir-et-Cher (41), Cher (18), Indre (36)
Key requirements: Raw goat's milk (Alpine, Saanen breed or crossbreed), vegetable charcoal dusting, minimum 10 days' maturation, minimum weight of 200 g when fresh, bevelled edges
EARL — family goat farm
Family farm
Artisanal enterprise
Artisanal industry
Get listed and reach more lovers of regional produce.
Request a listingFamily farm
Located in Veuil, in Indre, about ten minutes from the Château de Valençay, the Le Cabrioray goat farm rears a family herd of 90 pasture-fed goats, without any chemical treatments on the land. It holds the Bienvenue à la ferme and Haute Valeur Environnementale (HVE) certifications, bears the Label Haie as well as the 'Ⓒ du Centre' brand. In addition to its traditional cheeses, the farm produces specialities such as biquembert (a goat's milk camembert), plain or wild garlic tomme, and a goat's milk raclette; its milk is notably used for AOC Selles-sur-Cher. Tours and tastings are offered at the farm, including for groups of 5 to 50 people (duration: 30 minutes).
| Address | 2 Le Haut Ray, 36600 Veuil, France |
| 06 47 34 72 14 | |
| celine.beaufrere@hotmail.fr | |
| berryprovince.com | |
| Facebook page | |
| Visits | Yes — Mon–Fri 9:00–12:00 and 17:00–18:30, Sat 17:00–18:30, Sun and bank holidays 9:00–11:00 |
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All production is certified organic, since 2026. |
