In 1906, goat farmers from around Bougon teamed up to establish the Bougon dairy, at the heart of which was Pastor EYNARD. Over the twentieth century, the dairy specialised in producing Bougon, a goat’s cheese presented in a box made from wood shavings bearing the inscription ‘Le Bougon Boîte’ (the Bougon box).
In 2016, after two years of work and upgrading standards, Poitou Chèvre, a family company in the neighbouring village, took over operations at the dairy and dedicated it solely to the production of traditional cheeses such as le Chabichou, le Mothais sur Feuille and other regional delicacies.
A little history about Crottin
The name "crottin" is the habit of leaving cheese mature for extended periods, which means that it becomes brown and dried, hence the word "crottin," which means dung.
The rearing of the goats is part of a tradition of the region of Poitou-charente dates back to the 16th century. The size of the Crottin de Chavignol cheese is linked to its history, the milk produced by the goats is not sufficient to produce large cheeses. The crottin cheese is in the shape of a small round quoit and weighs about 60 grams. It is matured until dry in the cool, well ventilated cellar for 2 weeks.
