In brief: Vacherin Fribourgeois AOP is a semi-hard cow’s-milk cheese made only in the canton of Fribourg, known for its wonderfully creamy melt. The industry body recommends a Classic or an Extra for raclette, and people who have tried it don’t always go back.

Sheet checked on 11/02/2026 against the official websites of producers and industry bodies. Do you make this cheese? Write to us to be listed in the directory.

Fact sheet: Vacherin Fribourgeois AOP

CountrySwitzerland
Regioncanton of Fribourg (plus the Bernese municipality of Münchenwiler)
DesignationAOC decided on December 22, 2005, registered on 02/28/2006 (aop-igp.ch), now PDO (AOP)
Milkcow, raw or thermized (Alpage: raw alpine milk only)
Texturepressed, uncooked, semi-hard
Aging9 to 25 weeks depending on the variety: Classic 9 to 12 weeks, Extra at least 12 weeks, Rustic 12 to 25 weeks, Organic at least 9 weeks
Shaperound wheel of 6 to 10 kg (13 to 22 lb), 30 to 40 cm (12 to 16 in) across, 6 to 9 cm (2.4 to 3.5 in) high
Tastemild (Classic) to full-bodied (Rustic)
Melt5/5: it melts at a low temperature into a very supple cream, so keep an eye on it so it doesn’t cook

Its story

The word vacherin is mentioned as early as 1420, according to the industry body, which claims six centuries of history. It is said to come from the Latin vaccarinus, the little cowherd: originally it was a small cheese the cowherd made for his own use, no doubt to tide him over until the next meal without complaining. One legend tells of a Fribourg monk named Vaccarinus, at the Montserrat monastery in Spain, who supposedly inherited the recipe from his father. More prosaically, an arbitration ruling required the prior of Broc to deliver twelve vacherins to the prior of Lutry, proof that the cheese was already worth something. Vacherin Fribourgeois received its protected designation of origin by decision of the Federal Office for Agriculture on December 22, 2005, now PDO (AOP). In 2024, 69 village dairies and 40 alpine dairies produced 3,137 tonnes of it, up from 2,304 tonnes in 2005, and exports reached 445 tonnes. Half the canton seems to be working for our fondues and raclettes.

Taste and melt: what happens in the pan

What you remember about Vacherin Fribourgeois in raclette is its melting softness. Its supple paste melts at a low temperature and quickly turns into a cream, runnier than a classic raclette, so heat it gently, as the industry body recommends, so that it melts without cooking. The Classic, aged 9 to 12 weeks, is creamy and slightly tangy, with fruity notes and a little bitterness on the finish. The Extra, at least 12 weeks, has a more forthright character and a longer finish. The Rustic, up to 25 weeks, brings floral meadow notes and real intensity: best kept for guests who aren’t scared off by a cheese with something to say. The Alpage version, according to the trade body, offers complex and refined aromas. The rind, rubbed on spruce boards, can be scraped off if it is thick.

On the nose and palate: creamy and slightly tangy in the Classic, fruity notes and a hint of bitterness, more forthright and floral in the Extra and Rustic

How to serve it

Plan on about 200 g (7 oz) per person, a little less if you mix it with a firmer raclette. Cut thin slices, about 3 mm (1/8 in), because Vacherin melts fast. In the raclette pan, set the grill to moderate heat and take the cheese off as soon as it is smooth and coating, before it bubbles too much. It is less suited to a half wheel in front of the heat: its supple paste tends to run faster than you can scrape. Serve it over potatoes in their skins, with pickles and dried meat, or try the industry body’s recipes with sweet potato or spinach. Party tip: alternate a pan of Vacherin with a pan of classic raclette, just to start a debate that will last until dessert.

Pairings

  • Wines: Chasselas from Vully, Chasselas from Lavaux, light Pinot noir, Freiburger (Freiburger from Vully)
  • On the table: potatoes in their skins, pickles, jambon de la borne or dried meat, poire à botzi, sweet potato for a modern version

Our recipes with this cheese

  • Traditional raclette, the basic recipe
  • Raclette stuffed mushrooms
  • Oven-baked raclette potato

How much should you buy? Our guide to raclette cheese quantities per person does the math, and our comparison of the best raclette cheeses stacks it up against the others.

Vacherin Fribourgeois AOP producers: the directory

Four families of producers, from the giant to the small alpine dairy. Contact details taken from their official websites; logos are displayed from those sites, with credit.

The biggest producers

The largest volumes: industrial producers and big cooperatives.

Logo Cremo SA

Cremo SA

Villars-sur-Glâne, Switzerland

Large Fribourg dairy group that ages and sells Vacherin Fribourgeois AOP and uses it in its half-and-half fondue.

  • Address: Route de Moncor 6, 1752 Villars-sur-Glâne, Switzerland (mailing address: P.O. Box, CH-1701 Fribourg)
  • Phone: +41 26 407 21 11
  • Email: info@cremo.ch
  • Website: cremo.ch/fr
  • Contact: form
  • Social: LinkedIn
  • Distinction: Gold medal at the World Cheese Awards 2024 for the Vacherin Fribourgeois AOP Rustic, silver for the Classic (source: https://cremo.ch/en/2025/07/01/du-cote-marche/)

Logo: © Cremo SA, displayed from its official website.

Fromagerie Moléson SA

Orsonnens, Switzerland

Industrial dairy and Fribourg affineur whose range includes a Vacherin Fribourgeois AOP Extra; social accounts are listed under the name of its Crèmerie du Gibloux.

  • Address: Route de Villarsel 30, 1694 Orsonnens, Switzerland
  • Phone: +41 26 653 91 91
  • Email: info@moleson-sa.ch
  • Website: moleson-sa.ch
  • Contact: form
  • Social: Facebook · Instagram · LinkedIn
  • Distinction: Diploma at the Swiss Cheese Awards 2026, Vacherin Fribourgeois AOP category (Michel Grossrieder) (source: https://www.cheese-awards.ch/fileadmin/Switzerland/SCA_2026/Gewinner_SCA_2026_def_261013.pdf)

The best known

The brands you come across in stores.

Logo La Maison du Gruyère

La Maison du Gruyère

Pringy-Gruyères, Switzerland

Demonstration dairy opened in 1969 at the foot of Gruyères, famous for Gruyère AOP; it states that Vacherin Fribourgeois AOP is also produced on site.

Logo: © La Maison du Gruyère, displayed from its official website.

The most renowned

Medalists, award winners or renowned affineurs, with a sourced distinction.

Fromagerie de Montbovon (Marc Delacombaz)

Montbovon, Switzerland

Village dairy in the upper Gruyère region, 2026 Swiss Cheese Awards winner in the Vacherin Fribourgeois AOP category, which also makes a Vacherin Fribourgeois AOP fondue and a Montbovon raclette.

  • Address: Chemin des Recards 18, 1835 Montbovon, Switzerland
  • Phone: +41 26 928 11 43
  • Distinction: Winner of the Swiss Cheese Awards 2026, Vacherin Fribourgeois AOP category (source: https://www.cheese-awards.ch/fileadmin/Switzerland/SCA_2026/Gewinner_SCA_2026_def_261013.pdf); Réserve du Conseil d’État 2021 (source: https://fribourg.ch/fr/terroir-fribourg/producteurs/fromagerie-de-montbovon/)
Logo Laiterie du Mouret SA

Laiterie du Mouret SA

Ferpicloz, Switzerland

Dairy and cheese factory in the Mouret region, a member of Raclette Suisse, which works with local producers and turns its waste into biogas.

Logo: © Laiterie du Mouret SA, displayed from its official website.

Logo Fromagerie/Käserei Friseneit

Fromagerie/Käserei Friseneit

Schmitten, Switzerland

Bilingual dairy in the Sense district that showcases Gruyère AOP and Vacherin Fribourgeois AOP, with a cheese vending machine open 24 hours a day.

  • Address: Friseneit 157, 3185 Schmitten FR, Switzerland
  • Phone: +41 26 496 00 33
  • Email: louis-a.yerly@bluewin.ch
  • Website: friseneit.ch
  • Distinction: Diploma at the Swiss Cheese Awards 2026, Vacherin Fribourgeois AOP category (Louis-Alexandre Yerly) (source: https://www.cheese-awards.ch/fileadmin/Switzerland/SCA_2026/Gewinner_SCA_2026_def_261013.pdf)

Logo: © Fromagerie/Käserei Friseneit, displayed from its official website.

Small local producers

Farms, alpine pastures and village dairies.

Logo Fromagerie de Prayoud

Fromagerie de Prayoud

Châtel-St-Denis, Switzerland

Village dairy in the Veveyse district, run by the Cavuscens family, which makes a classic and an organic Vacherin Fribourgeois AOP and a 100% Vacherin fondue.

Logo: © Fromagerie de Prayoud, displayed from its official website.

Fromagerie de Grandvillard (Laiterie de Grandvillard)

Grandvillard, Switzerland

Village dairy in the Gruyère region that makes Vacherin Fribourgeois AOP and pure Vacherin fondue certified Fribourg-regio.garantie.

  • Address: Chemin de la Fruitière 11, 1666 Grandvillard, Switzerland
  • Phone: +41 26 928 11 40
  • Website: laiterie-de-grandvillard.ch
  • Distinction: Diploma at the Swiss Cheese Awards 2026, Vacherin Fribourgeois AOP category (Laurent Python) (source: https://www.cheese-awards.ch/fileadmin/Switzerland/SCA_2026/Gewinner_SCA_2026_def_261013.pdf)
Pinterest pin : Vacherin Fribourgeois AOP Raclette: The Creamiest Melt from Fribourg
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Where to buy it

You can find Vacherin Fribourgeois AOP in dairies across the canton of Fribourg, at cheesemongers in Switzerland and elsewhere, and in supermarkets. The industry body lists more than a hundred points of sale on an online map. To spot the real thing, look for the words Vacherin Fribourgeois AOP and the AOP logo. Each wheel is wrapped in a band bearing the dairy’s number. Choose the variety to suit your taste: Classic for mildness, Extra for more character, Rustic for thrill-seekers. Be careful not to confuse it with Vacherin Mont-d’Or, a soft-paste cheese that is eaten with a spoon, not in a raclette pan.

More places to look in our guide to where to buy good raclette cheese.

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Frequently asked questions

Can you make raclette with Vacherin Fribourgeois?

Yes. The industry body even offers raclette recipes and recommends a Classic or an Extra, heated gently so that it melts without cooking.

What is the difference with Vacherin Mont-d’Or?

Vacherin Fribourgeois is a semi-hard cheese from Fribourg. Vacherin Mont-d’Or is a soft-paste cheese, bound in spruce, enjoyed with a spoon or hot from the oven.

Is Vacherin Fribourgeois made with raw milk?

It can be made with raw or thermized milk under the specifications. The Alpage version is made only with raw alpine milk.

What is half-and-half fondue?

An equal-parts blend of Gruyère AOP and Vacherin Fribourgeois AOP, the great Fribourg specialty.

Read also: all raclette cheeses, the secrets of a successful raclette and what is raclette?

Sources