Pouligny-Saint-Pierre

Pouligny-Saint-Pierre is a soft, slightly salty French goat's milk cheese made exclusively from raw whole milk and shaped as the frustum of a narrow pyramid with a square base. Produced within a defined area of the Indre department, it is obtained from lactic curd by slow curdling and natural draining, and comes in two sizes distinguished by minimum weight and dry-extract thresholds.

About this designation

Pouligny-Saint-Pierre holds PDO status registered under file number PDO-FR-0128, with EU protection dating from 21 June 1996 and eAmbrosia identifier EUGI00000012911. The cheese is made exclusively from raw whole goat's milk and shaped as the frustum of a narrow pyramid with regular edges and a square base. It is obtained from lactic curd by a process of slow curdling and natural draining. The rind is wrinkled and ivory-white and marbled, but may also be slightly bluish. The paste is firm when cut, fresh, homogeneous, smooth, and white in colour with occasional ivory shades. The specification defines two sizes: the standard Pouligny-Saint-Pierre must weigh at least 250 grams at the end of the minimum ripening period with a total dry extract of at least 90 grams; the small Pouligny-Saint-Pierre must weigh at least 150 grams with a total dry extract of between 55 and 85 grams. The minimum dry-matter fat content is 45 %. The standard cheese leaves the ripening room not earlier than the 10th day after renneting and is sold not earlier than the 11th day; the small cheese leaves not earlier than the 9th day and is sold not earlier than the 10th day. Milk production, cheesemaking, and maturation must all take place within a defined list of municipalities in the department of Indre. At least 75 % of the dry matter of the total annual feed ration of the milk goats must be produced within that geographical area. Grass silage and maize silage are forbidden in the feed of the milk goats. Labels must bear the name of the designation in bold characters at least two-thirds the size of the largest characters on the label, and must display the AOP logo of the European Union. The cheeses are presented and sold individually to the final consumer.

Source: The register document this entry was written from · retrieved August 26, 2026

Distinctive facts

• Registered as a PDO on 21 June 1996 under file number PDO-FR-0128; eAmbrosia identifier EUGI00000012911.
• In 1972 Pouligny-Saint-Pierre became the first caprine controlled designation of origin to be recognised in France.
• Grass silage and maize silage are expressly forbidden in the feed of the milk goats; the specification permits no such feeds.
• The standard size must weigh at least 250 grams with a total dry extract of at least 90 grams; the small size at least 150 grams with a dry extract of between 55 and 85 grams.

Tasting notes

Berry goat's milk pyramid-shaped soft cheese (truncated pyramid, the "Eiffel Tower of cheese"), aged 10+ days. Ivory paste with thin natural rind evolving from white-cream to bluish, semi-soft to firm texture, fresh tangy goat flavor with grassy and almond notes.

HoReCa use

Plateau de fromages chèvre selection (visual showpiece); pairs with Sancerre, Quincy, Reuilly; on toast with honey.

Packaging

• pyramid-250g
• pyramid-150g

Seasonality