If you’re looking for food that’s both regional and of high quality, then you’re in the right place and will love Cantal’s local specialities. Based on traditional recipes, our regional products are showcased by local producers, introducing them to visitors and sharing with them their know-how that has been passed down over generations.
The Fario trout, the Queen of the river
If you’re a fishing enthusiast, then perhaps you’ve already caught a beautiful Fario trout. However, you can also enjoy this beautifully tender and tasty fish by paying a visit to meet Noël Vazelle who manages a local trout farm. Noël is quite a character and you’ll have no difficulty spotting (and hearing) him on the market in Vic sur Cère. Generous, authentic and above all passionate about his work, Noël will give you a warm welcome.
He has been raising Fario trout, a species native to Cantal, at Ganel Fish Farm in Polminhac for more than 30 years. Renowned for their quality, his trouts are served on the menus of many local restaurants across Carladès.
Cantal ou Salers cheese ? That is the question ?
Decisions, decisions … so read on for tips on how to make your choice!
To begin, only Cantal cheese was made in the area. It is made from unpasteurized milk and is a semi-hard and uncooked cheese, now made for what is over 1,000 years on the basalt rock plains of Cantal’s great volcano.
But what of this cheese today?
To put it briefly, AOP Cantal cheese is made throughout the year, across a wider geographical area than AOP Salers cheese. It can be farmhouse or dairy cooperative produced and is sold after at least 30 days of ripening. Salers cheese on the other hand, is only made from 15 May to 15 November (the period when the cows are grazing on the pastureland). Its production is spread over a smaller geographical area as it is only produced at the farm and using milk from a single herd. It is ripened for at least 3 months before being sold.
Now that you know the difference, are you ready for a tasting! Don’t forget to tell us which cheese you prefer, Cantal or Salers?
How about a slice of Tome cheese tart?
It’s a well-known fact that the French love their food. So after the main course and cheese, make way (and save some room) for dessert! While you’re in the area, make sure you try out our local speciality, Tarte à la Tome, easily recognizable by its lovely golden brown colour and with a distinct taste.
The main ingredient of this local dessert is Tome cheese, milk curd that has been pressed, strained and mixed with sugar along with … shhh!! We can’t of course give away the secret recipe, so we suggest you simply taste it for yourself! You’ll find this speciality on sale at the local bakers and pâtisseries, and especially at the bakery “A la Tarte de Vic” in Vic sur Cère : they made it their speciality and they’ve won many prizes at local food fairs.
The village of Raulhac, where the tart was originally made, celebrates this tradition every year on the 1st Sunday of October by organizing the Tarte à la Tome Festival. If you’re in the area, make a note of the date in your diary.
We are also delighted to announce the recent creation of the “Tarte à la Tome du Carladès” registered brand created by the Festival organizers, Raulhac Animation, and the dairy cooperative in Thérondels, a village in the nearby Carladez area in Aveyron.
Come and meet local producers and market traders all year round on the market in Vic sur Cère or the country market in Polminhac throughout the Summer. This will be a wonderful opportunity to discover and try out other local specialities including a chard, plum and lardon terrine called pounti, buckwheat flour pancakes called bourriols and delicious patés … there’s no end of tasty dishes for you to enjoy while you’re in the area.
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