La Pierre-qui-Vire cheese is a farm cheese made from full-fat raw cow's milk. It was originally produced by monks from the Abbey of La Pierre-qui-Vire in Saint-Léger-Vauban, in the Morvan. After buying the neighbouring farm in 1938 to make their cheese, they handed it over to a farming couple in 1987, who have kept the project going. The milk of the 80 or so Brown Swiss cows is processed on site in a completely artisanal way and, since 1969, has met the standards of France's Organic Agriculture label.
Flat and cylindrical in shape, this Burgundian speciality is appreciated by cheese-lovers and made from spring to autumn. Its centre is white and soft, and its surface is marked by the small striations formed by the draining grids. Its flavour is mild with a hint of acidity. It is eaten fresh, after 24 hours of draining and dry salting, or aged, after two weeks of drying and two months in a damp cellar. This renowned, characterful cheese is part and parcel of the region's gastronomic identity, with an annual production of 30 to 40 tonnes.