Feuille du Limousin

1. History

Feuille du Limousin is a farmhouse cheese created in the 1990s by a group of Limousin farmers seeking to protect and promote their cheese production. Its name and distinctive shape, inspired by the chestnut leaf (the region's emblem), quickly obtained regional label recognition. The brand is registered and protected with the French National Institute of Industrial Property, along with its mold and label.

2. Physical characteristics

This soft-paste goat cheese weighs approximately 130 to 140 grams. Its elegant chestnut leaf shape makes it easily recognizable on a cheese board. The rind is fine, natural, slightly wrinkled and sometimes spotted with blue mold, with a white or ivory color that turns gray in more aged versions. The paste is white, homogeneous, smooth and fine-textured.

3. Taste profile

When young, Feuille du Limousin offers a mild, slightly tangy flavor with a creamy and melting texture. At two weeks of aging, it develops a supple, creamy consistency with hazelnut notes and a marked but not strong goat flavor. Beyond three weeks, it develops a more pronounced taste while remaining never excessive, and its texture progressively becomes firmer and drier.

4. Production zone and period

Feuille du Limousin is produced exclusively in three departments: Corrèze, Creuse, and Haute-Vienne. The cheese is made from raw, whole milk, transformed daily on the farm. Animal feed excludes all silage in favor of locally harvested forage and cereals, ensuring authentic farmhouse production rooted in the terroir.

5. Certification

Feuille du Limousin benefits from a regional label issued by the Ministry of Agriculture. Its production is governed by a strict specifications document, and a tasting committee meets several times yearly to ensure cheese compliance. The cheese has won numerous awards, including four medals at the Nouvelle-Aquitaine Saveurs Competition in 2019 (two silver and two bronze).