Discovering Cheese of South West France with Clos Mirabel
by Heather
1 minute 40 seconds read.

The South West of France, especially the Bearn, is a rich and bountiful part of the world full of beautiful scenery, enchanting history, endless sports and activities to delight in but most mouth-watering of all, delicious food and an endless array of cheese.

French cheeses are world renowned, from the strong tang of a Roquefort to the “enchanting” aroma of a Camembert, we love them all.

However, Bearnais cheeses, in particular, deserve a crown and kingdom of their own. They have recently won no less than 27 medals at the “Salon de l’Agriculture” in Paris and with reason.

For more than 3 000 years Bearnais shepherds have been bringing their ewes, sheep, goats and cows up the steep ridges of the Pyrenees to graze where the grass is greenest and the air is cleanest. Every year this pastoral pilgrimage occurs in the spring and autumn and is a true adventure for the whole family to take part in. We would be more than happy to help you organise your stay at Clos Mirabel around the Transhumance and introduce you to our shepherd friends who work so hard to create the delicious cheeses we serve for breakfast in the Manor House.

If hiking up a mountain with herds of sheep isn’t your idea of a holiday, we suggest a lovely drive up the Osseau Valley and all along the Pyrenees to the Iraty Forest on the Atlantic coast. Come taste the typical “Pur Brebis” and “Osseau Iraty” hard cheeses, traditionally eaten with fresh baguette and black cherry jam, indulge in the delicious “Gâteau Basque” desert, designate a driver and savour the region’s famous dry or sweet white wines.

Stunning scenery, delicious food and passionate people all come together to create the perfect day out for an already wonderful holiday.

Clos Mirabel B&B and Self Catering accommodation is located within a 15 acre estate in the foothills of the Pyrenees Atlantic and famous wine growing region of Ju­ran­çon, Pau, S.W. France.