Bleu d'Auvergne AOP

Bleu d'Auvergne AOP — the stronger of the two great Auvergne blues, and a cheese with more bite, more pungency and more personality than its gentler stablemate Fourme d'Ambert. Both come from the same volcanic uplands of the Massif Central, both hold AOP status, and both are made from cow's milk — but where Fourme d'Ambert is mild and creamy, Bleu d'Auvergne is assertive, tangy and unapologetically blue.

The cheese was created in the mid-19th century by Antoine Roussel, a farmer in the Auvergne who observed that moulds from rye bread could be used to blue his cheeses. He inoculated the curd with Penicillium roqueforti cultured from bread, pierced the wheels to allow air in, and produced a blue cheese that was robust enough to rival Roquefort — but made from cow's milk rather than sheep's. The method worked, and Bleu d'Auvergne has been made in the region ever since. It received AOP protection in 1975.

The paste is ivory to pale yellow, moist and slightly crumbly, with bold veins of blue-green mould running throughout. The flavour is strong: salty, tangy, with a sharp blue bite, notes of earth and mushroom, and a peppery, lingering finish. It is not as aggressive as Roquefort — there is more creaminess in the base paste — but it is not a beginner's blue. The rind is thin, damp and greyish. The texture softens as it approaches room temperature, becoming creamier and more spreadable.

Origin: Auvergne, Massif Central, France (AOP)

Ingredients: Cow's milk, salt, rennet, Penicillium roqueforti.

Storage: Wrap in wax paper or foil and refrigerate. Use within a week of cutting. Bring to room temperature before eating.

Allergens: Milk.

Order cut-off and delivery dates

Orders placed before 2pm, Monday to Friday, are dispatched the same day, unless you choose a later delivery date on the basket page.

How we send it

We ship with express couriers, usually DPD or DHL, in insulated packaging that holds temperature through the network. Occasional delays happen, and everything is packed to stay in good condition if transit is longer than planned.

Time-sensitive and event orders

We can't guarantee arrival on a given day — the couriers set their own schedules. Everything leaves us in good condition with good use-by dates, but the final timing is theirs.

If your order is for an event, please tell us in the notes at checkout. We can often send it a day earlier to give it the best chance of arriving in time.

Changes after dispatch

Once your parcel is with the courier we can't redirect it or change the delivery details.

Saturday delivery

Saturday delivery is available. Our office is closed at weekends and the couriers have no phone support then, so if your order must arrive on a particular day, a weekday delivery gives us more room to help should anything go wrong.

Full delivery details and shipping rates