The Maison de la Tête de Moine in Bellelay is dedicated to the history and making of Tête de Moine AOP, a cheese born at the neighbouring abbey. Here you can explore an audio-guided museum, taste the cheese at the café and shop at the boutique.
Cheeses
Main highlights
- Audio-guided museum tracing over 800 years of history of the Bellelay Abbey cheese
- Tasting in rosettes shaved with the Girolle at the panoramic café, overlooking the abbey
- Regional products shop offering Tête de Moine AOP at various stages of ripening
Overview
The Maison de la Tête de Moine stands in Bellelay, opposite the abbey where the cheese was born, on the border between the Jura and the Bernese Jura. It combines a museum, a café and a shop selling local products, all run by the Interprofession Tête de Moine.
The abbey, founded in 1140, has been linked to cheese production since 1192. Back then, the cheese was used to pay dues. The name “Tête de Moine” appeared at the end of the 18th century. The Girolle, invented in 1981, allows it to be served in rosettes. The cheese has held AOP status since 2001.
"*" indicates required fields
What to see and do
The museum offers an interactive tour with audio guides in several languages. The permanent exhibition covers Bellelay Abbey, traditional and modern production techniques, and how the cheese has evolved over the centuries.
The tour details each stage in the making of this semi-hard cheese made from raw whole cow’s milk. The cows graze in summer and eat hay in winter. The cheese is pressed, soaked in brine for at least 12 hours, then ripened for a minimum of 75 days on spruce boards in a humid cellar.
At the panoramic café, you can taste Tête de Moine in rosettes, in fondue or alongside other regional specialities, on a terrace facing the abbey. The shop sells the cheese at different stages of ripening, from young (from 75 days) to the most mature, as well as other products from the Jura.
Practical information
Getting there : the site is poorly served by public transport. Come by car or on foot from Tavannes station, about a 1 hr 30 min walk.
Visit duration : around 1 hour for the museum, at your own pace.
On site : café with terrace, shop and bike parking.
Pets : not allowed inside the Maison, including the museum, but welcome on the terrace.
Visiting tips
Allow extra time beyond the museum for the café and the shop. The staff are happy to advise you on the different ripening stages.
The Maison is a stop on several waymarked trails, including the Tour de Moron, the Chemin du Jura bernois and the ViaJura, which cross pastures and forests.
Nearby
- The Bellelay Abbey Church, just opposite, reveals a light-filled Baroque nave.
- The Les Cerlatez Nature Centre showcases the forests, ponds, wildlife and peat bogs of the Franches-Montagnes.
- The Roman Catholic Collegiate Church of Saint-Ursanne, a Romanesque church with a cloister, towers over the medieval town.
Report an error or complete the informations
Reviews about this place