Our take
Saint-Nectaire AOP explained in one short visit, tasting included, with a shop that lines up the five cheese AOPs of Auvergne. Simple and effective in grey weather.
A film, a demonstration maturing cellar, a tasting: Saint-Nectaire AOP explained in 45 minutes.
Saint-Nectaire has its Romanesque church, but let's not kid ourselves: you've also come for the cheese. La Maison du fromage, on the road to Murol, is there for exactly that: understanding what a real Saint-Nectaire AOP (protected designation of origin) is before you fill the cool box with it.
The guided visit lasts about 45 minutes: a film on how Saint-Nectaire is made, then a demonstration maturing cellar to understand what maturing does, and a tasting of farmhouse and dairy-made Saint-Nectaire to finish. A bit of trivia along the way: it used to be called “rye cheese”, because it was matured on rye straw.
Allow €9.50 per adult and €6.50 for ages 6 to 12 (2026 prices), free under 6. In 2026, tours leave at set times: 10:30 and 11:30, then every hour from 14:30 to 17:30.
The shop, on the other hand, is free to enter: the five cheese AOPs of Auvergne (Saint-Nectaire, Cantal, Salers, Fourme d'Ambert, Bleu d'Auvergne), local wines and everything you need to put together a serious cheese board.
We'll be frank: the interest is in the maturing cellar and the tasting. A good educational stop with children or on a rainy day, not something to fill half a day. To see cheese being made on a farm, add a local farmhouse producer: here, you come to understand and to buy.
Why we love it
- A demonstration maturing cellar to understand what maturing does
- A tasting of farmhouse and dairy-made Saint-Nectaire at the end of the visit
- The five cheese AOPs of Auvergne in the shop
- A short visit that works with children
Top tip
Pair it with the troglodyte cellars of Farges, a few minutes away: farmhouse Saint-Nectaire matured in caves dug more than a thousand years ago, the other half of the story.
Before you go
- On a rainy day or in very hot weather: the visit is under cover and the cellar is cool.
- No need to book for an individual visit: tours leave at set times. For more than 10 people, booking is required.
- Visit: €9.50 per adult, €6.50 per child (2026 prices), free for under-6s. The shop is free to enter.
- A short film, a cellar and a tasting: the perfect format for children.
- Open every day except 25 December and 1 January, with longer hours in July and August. Annual closure at the start of the year: from 4 January to 5 February in 2027. For wheelchair users, access is possible with help and only the shop is accessible.
- The Farges cellars are a few minutes away, to see farmhouse Saint-Nectaire being matured in former troglodyte dwellings
- In July and August, the Maison opens from 09:00 to 19:00 without a break. The rest of the year, it's 10:00 to 12:30 then from 14:00: the midday break often catches people out.
Practical info
- Address
- Rte de Murol, 63710 Saint-Nectaire, France
63710 Saint-Nectaire - Monday10h–12h30, 14h–18h
- Tuesday10h–12h30, 14h–18h
- Wednesday10h–12h30, 14h–18h
- Thursday10h–12h30, 14h–18h
- Friday10h–12h30, 14h–18h
- Saturday10h–12h30, 14h–18h
- Today10h–12h30, 14h–18h
Opening hours
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Around La Maison du fromage
5 spots in and around Saint-Nectaire, enough to build your day.
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Les Epicurieuz
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