Our savoury specialities

Savoie Raclette (PGI) cheese to share

It’s impossible to talk about Savoyard cuisine without thinking of raclette! Loved for its mild, melt-in-the-mouth cheese, it brings people together around the table and is enjoyed with potatoes, cold meats and, if you like, vegetables.

A cheese with Savoyard expertise

Raclette de Savoie has held a Protected Geographical Indication (PGI) since 2017. Its production is rooted in a region comprising Savoie and Haute-Savoie, as well as certain neighbouring municipalities in the departments of Ain and Isère.
Three breeds of cow are used to produce the milk: Montbéliarde,Abondance and Tarine. They are fed on fresh grass, hay mown within the defined geographical area, and non-GMO cereals.

Produced in a cheese dairy or directly on the farm, Raclette de Savoie is an uncooked, pressed cheese. A wheel weighs around 6 kg and requires nearly 60 litres of milk. It is round in shape, with a diameter of 28 to 34 cm, a smooth rind ranging from orange to brown, and a heel up to 7.5 cm thick. It is matured for at least eight weeks.
Its mild flavour and aromas are due to the diversity of the Savoyard climate, the quality of the pastures and the expertise of the cheesemakers.

A tradition that spans the centuries

The earliest records of the tradition of melting cheese date back to 1477 in the Maurienne region. At that time, the cheese was placed near a wood fire to melt its surface, a practice known as ‘roasted cheese ’.

Over time, this way of enjoying cheese developed, particularly with the rise of tourism and ski resorts in the 19th and 20th centuries. In the 1960s, production diversified in cheese dairies, moving beyond the alpine pastures alone. Then, in the 1970s, the invention of the individual raclette machine made this meal even more accessible: the half-wheel of cheese gave way to small pans.
Today, raclette comes in a range of varieties, including smoked or peppered versions, whilst retaining its convivial spirit.

How should you eat raclette?

To achieve lovely slices that melt perfectly, it’s best to use a raclette slicer rather than a standard knife. The cheese can then be enjoyed melted, served with potatoes and cold meats, or simply presented on a cheese platter.
As for pairings, raclette goes well with a white wine from Savoie, but also with a red or rosé wine. Pale lagers, stouts or Savoie beers also complement its flavours. Bread, fruit and jams can round off the tasting experience.

Savoyard fondue the delight of melted cheese

Savoyard fondue is a convivial dish that invites you to enjoy a pleasant time together around a pot of melted cheese. It differs from Swiss fondue in that it uses French cheeses, notably Beaufort, Gruyèrede Savoie, Emmental de Savoie and Abondance.

A speciality adopted by the people of Savoy

Contrary to what one might think, fondue is not a traditional dish of Savoyard cuisine, but has its origins in Switzerland.

The earliest known written records date back to 1699, in a text entitled ‘How to cook cheese with wine ’.
Its popularity grew largely thanks to a promotional campaign run by the Swiss Cheese Trade Association, aimed at boosting sales in the face of foreign competition.

In Savoie, fondue really became part of everyday life after the Second World War. Once considered a luxury dish, it became popular in the 1950s and 1960s with the rise of mountain tourism. Local producers, particularly those from Beaufort, helped to introduce this recipe to holidaymakers.

Today, Savoyard fondue has become a staple of winter meals, appreciated for its generous portions and the pleasure of gathering round local produce.

Croziflette the little squares that make food lovers’ mouths water

With its crozets, reblochon, crème fraîche and slices of Savoie cured ham, the croziflette is a hearty dish that puts a new spin on the great mountain classics. It captures the spirit of tartiflette, replacing the potatoes with small, square pasta shapes typical of the Savoie region.

Crozet, a type of pasta originating in Savoie

Before discussing croziflette, we should take a look at its main ingredient: crozet. Its name is thought to derive from the Savoyard Franco-Provençal word ‘croé’, meaning ‘small’, or from the Latin ‘crux’, which is said to have become ‘cruê’ in Savoyard.
Crozets are thought to have first appeared in the 17th century in the Tarentaise Valley, before spreading to neighbouring valleys, notably the Maurienne. They were made by mountain families using local produce, mainly cereals grown at the foot of the mountains: wheat or buckwheat.

The traditional recipe is based on simple ingredients: flour, water, a few eggs and sometimes a little butter to soften the dough. The dough is rolled out, cut into strips, then into small squares of about 5 mm.

Why this square shape?

It made transport and storage easier. The crozets could be easily stacked in the farmers’ sacks, allowing them to carry more food whilst minimising breakages during transit.

Croziflette, a more recent recipe

Whilst crozet has a long history in Savoie, the croziflette is a much more recent creation. Popularised in the late 1990s, notably by the Alpina Savoie brand , it was registered by the latter with the INPI in 2002.
This recipe has become a delicious alternative to tartiflette, combining crozets with Reblochon, crème fraîche and Savoie cured ham. A hearty gratin that really showcases the flavours of Savoie!

The Matouille the Bauges region in all its splendour

Originating from the Bauges massif, matouille – also known as ‘tome chaude’ – is a Savoyard speciality that remains relatively little known. This hearty dish showcases Tome des Bauges, a raw-milk cheese made from the milk of cows on local farms.
The idea is simple: a hollow is carved out of the cheese to hold white wine and garlic, and it is then served with potatoes. Each family can adapt the recipe to suit their own tastes and the ingredients they have to hand.

A dish inspired by mountain life

Matouille is closely linked to rural and agriculturallifein the Bauges massif. In the past, the locals needed simple, heartydishes to get them through the harsh winters. They used local produce and whatever provisions were available, particularly potatoes, cheese and cured meats.

Over the generations, the art of preparing matouille has been passed down alongside the region’s cheese-making expertise. Even today, it bears witness to the richness of Savoyard cuisine and its commitment to local produce.

Somewhere between raclette and fondue in its convivial spirit, matouille stands out for its warm, melt-in-the-mouth cheese. Its name is thought to derive from the Savoyard patois, linked to ‘toma’ and the act of preparing or working with cheese.

Thereis no single, set recipe: every village and every family has its own traditions and may add its own ingredients. That is also what makes this speciality so charming!

Sausages and polenta a must-see duo from Savoie

Diots served with polenta are one of the great classics of Savoyard cuisine. This combination of sausages and maizemeal is reminiscent of hearty mountain fare, rooted in tradition and everyday produce.

The diots sausages steeped in Savoyard traditions

The word ‘diot’ simply means ‘ sausage ’ in the Savoyard dialect. In the past, diots were made when families slaughtered a pig to build up reserves for the winter. They are therefore a testament to rural traditions and the hearty mountain cuisine designed to feed families during the cold season.

Recognisable by its plump shape, the diot measures between 10 and 15 cm in length, is about 5 cm in diameter, and weighs between 90 and 120 g. It can be enjoyed either hot or cold, offering different ways to savour this Savoyard speciality.

Polenta a speciality from Piedmont

Polenta, also known as ‘polenta’, is a dish made from maizemeal. It arrived in the Savoy region in the 17th century, originating from the Kingdom of Piedmont-Sardinia. Once regarded as the ‘bread of the poor’, it has gradually become an established part of local culinary traditions.

Its history stretches back even further: the earliest records of boiled cereals date back several millennia. The word ‘polenta’, meanwhile, originates fromRoman times and originally referred to a barley porridge.

Its traditional preparation requires time and patience. To ensure the polenta is easy to digest, it is cooked in a cauldron for at least an hour, whilst being stirred constantly.

Served together on the plate, diots and polenta make for a simple, nourishing meal, deeply rooted in the culinary history of the Savoie region.