Les Rendez-vous du Comté

Les Rendez-vous du Comté: Meeting an Exceptional Terroir

The Rendez-vous du Comté is a unique event in France that brings together the entire Comté AOP sector for a long weekend in April. Launched in 2024, this event's epicentre is the Maison du Comté in Poligny, the historic capital of Comté, but it extends across all three production departments: Jura, Doubs, and Ain.

Maison du Comté: The Heartbeat of the Event

The Maison du Comté in Poligny is the emblematic place dedicated to discovering the most famous cheese from the Franche-Comté region. During the Rendez-vous, it offers an enhanced program of activities: Comté making demonstrations, experiences in the aging cellars, microscope observations of cheese flora, mini-making sessions open to visitors, and tastings of dairy products and local craft beers.

Meet the Industry Players

The originality of the Rendez-vous du Comté lies in the opportunity to meet the industry players directly at their workplace. Milk producers welcome visitors to their farms amidst their herds of Montbéliardes and Simmentals. Cheesemakers open the doors of their 'fruitières' (cheese dairies) to showcase the ancestral gestures of cheesemaking. Affineurs reveal the secrets of their cellars where the Comté wheels transform over the months.

An Event for All Audiences

The Rendez-vous du Comté are for everyone: families, food lovers, the curious, and gastronomy enthusiasts. Educational workshops allow children to discover cheesemaking in a fun way, while guided tastings introduce adults to the subtleties of Comté's different aromatic profiles depending on its age and origin terroir.

Training and Transmission

The ENILEA (National School for the Dairy and Agri-food Industries) in Poligny participates in the Rendez-vous, allowing visitors to discover the training programs that prepare future professionals for the cheese industry.