Salers and Cantal, cheeses at risk of disappearing due to repeated heatwaves

Temperatures are rising again, weather forecasts are predicting new heatwaves, and no one dares see this as a mere seasonal coincidence anymore. The summer heatwave is no longer an anomaly: It is becoming a permanent feature. Just like towns, gardens and vineyards, our culinary heritage must come to terms with these recurring heatwaves. And now, pillars once thought unshakeable are beginning to waver.

Reigning supreme on the platters that close festive feasts, just before dessert, two cheese varieties resonate as national emblems: Salers and Cantal. Both are at risk of disappearing from our plates within a few years. This has nothing to do with a jaded public or a passing fad. The culprit is drought.

It all starts with the pasture. The designations of origin governing these tommes require herds to graze, from spring to autumn, on almost exclusively fresh grass. Rooted in common sense, the requirement dates back to a time when high-altitude pastures remained green until the first frosts. The…