Cheeses of Munster valley
An Alsatian valley in the Vosges, where monks first made Munster and farm-inns still serve it after a marcaire meal.
Made, aged and sold here
Best time: June to September, when the fermes-auberges are open.
Munster is a small town in a valley of the Vosges mountains above Colmar. Its name comes from the monastery founded here in the seventh century, and the monks are credited with first making the soft, washed-rind cheese named after it. Today Munster is made on both sides of the Vosges, in Alsace and Lorraine, from the milk of Vosgienne and other cows.
Munster cheese
Munster is a round, soft cheese whose rind is washed in brine as it ripens, turning orange and sticky. It smells strong but tastes milder, creamy and slightly sweet. It is often eaten with cumin seeds, potatoes boiled in their skins, and a glass of Alsace wine. On the Lorraine side it is also called Géromé, after the town of Gérardmer.
The marcaires
The marcaires were cowherds who spent the summer with their herds on the high pastures of the Vosges, making cheese in farm buildings called marcairies. Many mountain farms are now fermes-auberges, farm-inns where walkers eat the repas marcaire: a pie, smoked pork with potatoes, Munster and a tart. The Route des Crêtes runs along the ridge above the valley.
A trail idea for Munster valley
- Munster town The old abbey site and the cheese shops.
- A ferme-auberge Eat a repas marcaire at a mountain farm-inn.
- Route des Crêtes Drive or walk the ridge road through high pastures.
- Colmar Continue to the old town and the Alsace wine route.
Written by the EveryCheese desk with AI assistance. Background: "Munster, Haut-Rhin" on Wikipedia. Opening hours, markets, caves and tours change; check locally before travelling. If something is wrong, tell us.
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