leo bétemps

The farm for 3 generations has been producing one of the highest Fontina cheese of Valpelline, in fact it is situated at 1600m of height in the municipality of Bionaz.

The work of Leo Bétemps is mainly concentrated in summer, that's why the Fontina produced is exclusively of alpine pasture, made with the milk that the cattle produce feeding on the green pastures of Bionaz. In summer the herd is transferred to the two alpine pastures situated always in the commune of Bionaz and they spend there a period which lasts from the beginning of June to the end of September; the first one is situated in the locality Plan de Veyne at 1600 m.; the second one alpe Arpeyssau, is situated on the left ridge of the Place Moulin at 2100 m.

The production is mainly based on D.O.P. fontina cheese and, in smaller quantities, on goat's cheese, toma cheese and yoghurt. The farm has about forty head of cattle: 30 cows of the Valdostan Pezzata Rossa breed, 15 goats of the Saanen breed, but during the transhumance period about thirty cows from other farms are also taken up to the mountain pastures.

During the winter period (from mid-November to mid-May), the animals are kept in the stable of the farm at the bottom of the valley in the municipality of Bionaz at 1500 metres. During this period, the feed consists of hay and cereal-based supplements. The company is known in Aosta Valley for the excellent Fontina produced and the many awards received over the years bear witness to this.
The sale of the cheeses takes place directly on the farm in Plan de Veyne di Bionaz, or in the summer in the sales point located in Place Moulin di Bionaz.

The family also runs the cross-country skiing and biathlon track in Bionaz, which is the only activity in winter.

www.biathlonbionaz.it