Goat cheese and Mohair from the Pyrenees: visit to Ferme Frady

Magnificent Pyrenean landscapes

La Ferme Frady, Route de Lourdes to Louvie-Juzon

Road trip in Béarn: stop in the Ossau Valley

Dominated by the Pic du Midi d'Ossau and its 2884 m high, a true symbol of the Pyrenees, this sumptuous Béarn valley presents travelers with an extraordinary variety of landscapes , from the plains to the high mountains. Driving my van, tourist card in hand, I venture on its roads in search of authenticity and experiences . In the background, the majestic Pic du Midi d'Ossau imposes itself in a breathtaking panorama . Paradise for walkers, this stay in the Ossau Valley is the perfect opportunity to indulge in iconic hikes like the GR 10 , the Haute Route Pyrenees or the Way of Saint James in the Ossau Way .

Here, the inhabitants cultivate a singular art of living , at the same time imbued with simplicity and harmony with nature, traditions and attachment to their territory. This Bearnese “dolce vita” not only seduces by the grandiose setting of its landscapes but also by a cultural and gastronomic richness whose culinary pillar is cheese .

La Ferme Frady, a must visit under the sign of discovery

At the heart of the green pastures of the Pyrenees National Park , Ferme Frady is a goat farm that combines the breeding of Alpine goats for the production of delicious cheeses and the breeding of Angora goats for the production of Mohair , a delicate wool of a exceptional sweetness. A nugget to discover for lovers of regional know-how like me!

When I arrive, I am warmly welcomed by Clémentine Ciadous, a fascinating young woman, passionate about breeding from a very young age. For about thirty years, this family farm , founded by his parents, has produced remarkable raw milk cheeses whose quality reflects the terroir and traditional know-how .

Clementine, at the head of the family farm

The sheepfold

Sweet and affectionate goats!

Very attached to this territory of mountains and true lovers of animals, Clémentine and Linda, her partner, provide their goats with the best care and pamper them throughout the year. The breeding goats benefit from the lush pastures of the Pyrenees in summer and the comfort of the sheepfold in winter. Clementine invites me to enter the warm world of the goat farm which houses a hundred curious and cuddly goats. Walking through the sheepfold, Clementine's affection for her animals is obvious ... and reciprocal. Goats gladly come to meet us and even ask for petting!

Here, the two women share a philosophy articulated around respect for animals and the resources offered by nature to produce cheese and Mohair wool. Respecting goat cycles for the sake of animal welfare, observing seasonality and calving are the watchwords of their production.

During the summer, they favor grazing to offer a diversified diet for goats, give their products an identity and promote animal health. With the greatest benevolence, they thus participate in maintaining the biological richness of herbaceous environments and in the preservation of mountain ecosystems . In this high place of Pyrenean pastoralism , their livestock actively participate in the maintenance of landscapes and the enhancement of the natural heritage of the region.

A fresh goat cheese, direct sale and short circuit

In the summer season, the Alpine goats are milked twice a day in order to collect their perfumed and perfectly balanced milk, entirely processed on site. In the sterile world of the room reserved for production, the milk is sown with whey and rennet is incorporated into it to make it curdle for 24 hours. Once the milk is curdled , it is the stage of the first stage of ripening: ladle molding . Clementine fills the faisselles with the curdled milk of goat cheeses which drip for 24 hours before being demoulded and further drained. Soft and creamy , fresh cheese with a fine white rind can be tasted immediately after this step. To obtain more pronounced flavors and a selection of characterful cheeses, the ripening times vary. Developed with care and finesse, the small cylindrical “chabis”, the “Ossau bûchette”, the “biquette heart”, the “macaron” but also the “Frady tome” delight the taste buds of all cheese lovers , directly from the sheepfold to the plate!

Making cheese on the farm

Being able to buy cheese at the farm and talk with Clémentine about the daily life of her breeding is an incredible opportunity and a highlight of my stay in Béarn. Indeed, I am a big fan of short circuits and transparent, decentralized production lines, which benefit both the producer and the consumer. For the two women, privileging contact with their clients best values their work and gives them great satisfaction on a daily basis. For families and children, a stop at the Frady farm is a great educational experience in contact with animals!

Mohair: a noble natural material at the service of comfort

Meet the Angora goats

Diversifying its activity, Ferme Fradys specializes in raising Angora goats and in the production of Mohair wool . Nicknamed the Tibetan goat, this goat breed from Kashmir adapts perfectly to the Pyrenean mountain climate . These little balls of hair with long, silky locks are clipped twice a year, in July and January, in order to recover their highly prized fleece , of exceptional softness. An adult Angora goat produces 4 to 6 kg of raw mohair / year and requires special attention from its breeders because of its delicate coat.

Mohair's boutique on Frady farm

After careful sorting of the wool on the farm, the confection is entrusted to workshops located in France. It is washed, carded, spun, dyed, woven or knitted to return to Ferme Frady in the form of balls of Mohair wool and textile creations made with this light, warm and resistant natural fiber. The farm houses on the other side of the sheepfold a small shop where the public can discover a variety of styles and colors of hats , berets, scarves , gloves, sweaters, ponchos, socks , slippers, plaids etc ... A boon for the chilly and fond of quality products 100% Made in France !

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Photos and article written by Lesley Williamson for the Guide of Béarn-Pyrénées

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