Food & Wine - visit the producers: Valtournenche

The cooperative collects fresh milk twice a day from milk producers in the municipalities of Valtournenche, Chamois, Antey-Saint-André, La Magdeleine and Torgnon, to produce Fontina, the typical cheese of the Aosta Valley. Daily production is 80/90 cheese wheels in summer and 50/60 in the winter; around 25,000 wheels are produced every year.
Each wheel has a variable weight between eight and ten kilos and is treated by salting alternated with cleaning. Each wheel takes four months to mature.
After a strict selection, only the best Fontina cheese wheels are branded (the ones of this dairy farm are branded with the number 650) and reach the shops in Valtournenche, Antey-Saint-André and Châtillon, which also sell other typical products (butter, reblec, fresh cheeses, cured meats…).
Genuine Fontina can be recognised by the DPR 30.10.55 n.1269 mark branded on the form, a guarantee of quality, and a reminder that real Fontina is only produced in the Aosta Valley.

The products
Products on sale: Fontina, Toma, fresh cheeses, butter, fresh milk, yoghurt, liqueurs, wines, honey, cakes, polenta, cured meats.

The visit
The cooperative organizes guided tours for small groups upon reservation. During high season periods, the Maison de l'Alpage also organizes guided visits.

Opening hours of the sales point:

• In summer: 8.30am-12.30pm and 3.30pm-7pm. Closed on Wednesdays (except in August).
• In winter: 8.30am-12.30pm and 3pm-6.30pm. Closed on Wednesdays.

Closing months: mainly in May and October. It is recommended to contact the cooperative in advance to find out possible opening days.