The history of Reblochon

When the farmer “reblochait” after milking

There was therefore a beautiful story to tell during this climb to the mountain

pastures. Star;ng with the one that relates to the origin of the word “reblochon”

which dates back to the 13th century. In Savoyard dialect the word “blocher” means

milking and “reblocher” is to withdraw in a way. But why withdraw? At the ;me, the

peasants of the Thônes valley had to pay a “barge” duty to the nobles, even to the

monks who owned mountain pastures. This o6en corresponded to half the milking a

bit like in the sharecropping later in some areas of France. When the owner’s

representa;ve went up to the mountain pastures from ;me to ;me to check the

volume of milk coming out of the udders of the cows each day in order to visually

calculate the nobleman’s share, the cunning Savoy peasants did not draw all the milk

in front of him. They would therefore “reblocher” once the laKer left. This

clandes;ne milk, transformed into cheese without leaving the farm, took the name

of “reblochon” at that time.