Foodie Spotlight | Stock up on great artisanal cheese at the Fromagerie du Vieux-St-François

Laval is a vast island that still boasts a large agri-food sector, primarily in the Saint-François neighborhood. I had the pleasure of meeting Marc-André and Christelle Marchand from the Fromagerie du Vieux-St-François, inspiring and passionate master cheesemakers who showed me around their magnificent farm, introduced me to their very endearing goats, and let me sample their delicious cheeses and wide variety of products—all made from goat’s milk. They’re young entrepreneurs with big ambitions!

How did this love affair with cheese begin?

It all started with our father, who ran a dairy farm near Marieville on the South Shore. In 2001, we traded the cows for goats. It was a dream we’d had for a long time. But it wasn’t until 2006 that we really began producing and selling our cheese. We later met Ms. Latour, the founder of the Fromagerie du Vieux-St-François. She was looking to sell at the time, and we were ready and interested in purchasing the farm.

Here, we have a variety of dairy goats (Alpine, Nubian, Mohair, and Sahone). In all, we have about forty goats on our farm.

Since this is a family business, what is each person’s role within the company?

As for me, I studied dietary science in Saint-Hyacinthe and had a little experience in food processing. My sister studied and worked in childcare. We learned a lot from Ms. Latour and her team of cheesemakers, who taught us how to carry on their recipes and how to develop our own! My mom makes sausages, and my dad takes care of the goats. My sister and I focus more on product development and growing the business. I mainly handle production, and my sister is in charge of… everything else (laughs)!

What are the benefits of goat's milk?

It is very mild and easy to digest because it is similar to breast milk and contains very little fat.

What products do you make, and what can people buy at your store?

We produce more than 20 types of cheese, including our famous Boule d’amour, which has actually won several awards.

Our shop, located in Vieux-Saint-François in Laval, is open year-round. We sell our cheeses, of course, but also non-homogenized whole milk, our goat cheese yogurt, gelato (in the summer only—we sell it in cones), and homemade sausages made by our mother using goat meat, as well as some other artisanal products we really like. In the summer, we offer the perfect spot for a picnic. We recently set up an area with tables. The many cyclists who pass through the area often stop by to visit us.

What is your best-selling product at the cheese shop?

People love Les Bouchées d’Amour (which are all handmade, by the way). They’re small goat cheese bites packed in jars and covered with a seed oil flavored with chives, herbes de Provence, garlic, and parsley—or available in a plain version. This product is delicious in pasta, salads, on a bagel, and more.

Of course, there’s our cheddar (plain and pink peppercorn) and Le Lavallois, a soft, ripened cheese with a bloomy rind made from pasteurized milk. Its white, downy rind has woody notes and a pleasant taste of fresh mushrooms.

Our La Tomme du Haut-St-François cheese is excellent with a good beer (pale or red) as well as with a sweet or dry white wine. This summer, we served our goat cheese gelato, and it was a huge hit. So you definitely have to give it a try!

We also offer a variety of meats from our farm: goat sausages, goat meat salami, grain-fed chicken, and more.

Where can we find your products?

You can purchase our products at our store, the Fromagerie du Vieux-St-François, as well as at several specialty grocery stores, including Chez Hamel, Bleu et persillé, Moisson Ste-Thérèse, Metro, and IGA, and online at the Les Fermes Lufa website.