Haute-Savoie · France
Abondance.
Abondance greets you with the aroma of sun-dried hay and toasted hazelnuts, then melts across your palate with buttery sweetness and a whisper of alpine meadow—floral and grassy without ever turning sharp. Its semi-hard paste yields gently to the tooth, releasing subtle fruity notes that linger like the aftertaste of mountain milk. The rind, washed to a russet patina, adds a gentle earthiness that grounds the cheese's delicate, almost creamy character.
Origin
46.1°N · 6.3°E
The story
How it's made.
Why it tastes that way.
Abondance cheese takes its name from the Abondance valley and the Abondance cattle breed used to make it. Monks of the Abbaye d'Abondance — a monastery founded by canons from Saint-Maurice-d'Agaune — began producing it in the 14th century; in 1381 the abbey famously supplied its cheese to the papal conclave in Avignon.
The concave sides of the wheel are a distinctive feature that helps identify authentic Abondance. It received AOC in 1990.
Production · spec
- Milk
- Cow · raw
- Family
- Alpine
- Rind
- washed
- Age
- 3–12 mo
- Protected
- AOP · since 1996
- Intensity
- 2 / 5
- Texture
- semi-hard
Tasting profile
What it tastes like.
These bars are a visual read of Abondance's flavour and aroma notes, scaled by the cheese's overall intensity — a quick guide, not a lab measurement.
Aroma
Nutrition · per 100 g serving
What's in a wedge.
A 100 g serving — about a finger-thick wedge. Daily values use the FDA 2020 reference of 2,000 kcal. Expect ±5% variation between wheels.
Serve, cut & store
Out of the fridge,
into its prime.
Guidance for alpine cheeses — general practice, not a per-wheel measurement.
Rest
Take it out about 45–60 min before serving — cold stiffens the fat and locks up the aromas; cool room temperature is when the flavour shows up.
Cut
Cut thin wedges from the centre out, so every slice gets its share of paste and rind.
Store
Wrap leftovers in cheese paper or wax paper — never cling film, which suffocates the rind — and keep them in the warmest part of the fridge.
Rule of thumb: the softer and riper, the longer it needs. Thick pieces need longer than thin — and don't leave cheese out much past two hours.
Pairings · Caseo curated
What goes with Abondance.
66 pairings across 6 categories.
Wine
Fruits & Jams
Where to find it
Cheese counters.
Counter listings for Abondance are being verified. Check back soon.
Verified counter listings coming soon. Our team updates listings monthly.
Substitutes
No Abondance at the counter?.
These will play a similar role on the board and in the pan.
Take it with you
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