Sheep and cheeses from the meadows...

Only a few steps from St André les Alpes, where the Issole flows into the Verdon, the traditional rural landscape is still preserved. A kaleidoscope of fields, farms, groves and typical country cabins still resist to the agricultural land conversion. 

The Gibert, sheep breeders for several generations, have made the choice of diversification. The breeding method has changed: instead of moving the whole flock to the high mountains pastures, they keep the milk ewes home, and make sheep’s cheese. They also produce various organic labelled vegetables. Theirs is a real farm with poultry, rabbits, pigs, a horse and a donkey, dogs, cats… and of course the milk ewes and their lambs, lovely-looking and the very core of the farm.

Under the tree cover, Christine leads you along the canal to the free-ranging chickens and pigs on the Issole banks, then towards the seven-arch bridge, the remnant of an aqueduct that brought water to Saint André.

The view over Saint André and the castle of Méouilles opens other perspectives about the evolution of the landscape and the history of the village : lavender fields, ancient cloth factories…
…
 

Stirring up from their midday rest- for sheep rest during the hot midday hours- the ewes and gimmers may draw near to take an inquiring look at you.
Their milk is skilfully processed into cheese, and the ripening phase defines the final result : fresh and barely dry, or creamy, semi-matured, matured, or even dry – what a difference of taste it makes ! .  
Now it’s time for a mid-afternoon snack, prepared by Christine with various cheeses, while children get a chance to meet the many other animals of the farm.


 

The Gibert offer direct sale of :
• organic labelled vegetables and potatoes
• fresh or matured sheep's cheese
• eggs
•rabbits

Direct sale at the farm every day (except Sunday) from 5.30 pm to 7 pm, from May to September

You can find the on the markets in :
Saint-André-les-Alpes, on Wednesdays and Saturdays mornings
Barrême, on Mondays
Colmars-les-Alpes, on Fridays in July and August