2. Activities
3. Gastronomy
4. Cheese factory
5. GAEC di Vallecalle

The GAEC di Vallecalle cheese dairy is an integral part of the Nebbiu landscape. With its refrigerated lorry, the family-run farm delivers its farmhouse cheeses to the villages: fresh, matured, brocciu, tomme and yoghurts.

Practical info - Fromagerie Casanova (GAEC di Vallecalle)

• Address: Lieu-dit Saint Paul, 20232 Vallecalle (Nebbiu - Haute-Corse)
• Direct sales: 7 days a week, mornings until 12:30pm - Afternoons by appointment
• Village deliveries: Tours from January to July (Nebbiu, Conca d'Oro, Cap Corse, Bastia)
• Markets: Bastia (January to mid-July) - Oletta (mid-June to late September)
• Products: Fresh cheese, brocciu, tomme, ripened cheese, ewe's milk yogurt
• Cabri: Sale of cabri at Christmas and Easter.

Cheese delivery to Nebbiu villages for over 40 years

The Casanova cheese dairy was founded in 1980 by Pierre-Philippe and Angèle in the village of Vallecalle in the heart of the Nebbiu region. A family business that their children - Laetitia and Jean-Noël - took over more than ten years ago, following in the footsteps of their grandfather who already owned goats.

Jean-Noël Casanova and Patrick Sanchez joined forces in 2011, after attending agricultural school together. They take care of breeding and production, while Laetitia Casanova manages the commercial side, selling and delivering cheese to homes throughout the Nebbiu region (Haute-Corse) and to markets including Bastia.

A quality cheese with a useful delivery service, appreciated in the region by a loyal clientele. The herd has been expanded, and the project for a new cheese dairy is nearing completion. GAEC di Vallecalle is also a member of the Cagsiu Casanu association, and the artisanal cheese dairy is signposted on the Route des Sens.

Home delivery with refrigerated truck

If you're looking for an artisanal cheese dairy near Bastia or in the Nebbiu region, this has been the trademark of the Casanova cheese dairy for over 40 years. Home delivery of Corsican cheese by refrigerated lorry is available in the villages of the Nebbiu region from January to July, see below for tour schedule.

Service area

Cheese deliveries are made from Monday to Friday, depending on the area, to the villages of Nebbiu and Conca d'Oro, as well as the Bastia region: Olmeta, Oletta, Poggio d'Oletta; Murato, Rapale, Rutali, Biguglia, Furiani, Bastia as far as Montesoro, Patrimonio, Farinole, Olmeta du Cap, Saint-Florent. Please refer to the delivery schedule in the table below.

The Fromagerie laboratory

Built next to the family home, the laboratory has been designed to be as functional as possible, with modern machinery for all stages of production (Pasteurizer, production vat, cheese table).

Ewe's milk and goat's milk are stored in separate vats, so they can be processed and dosed differently.

Ewe's milk is used to make Corsican ewe's milk tomme and ewe's milk yoghurt, protein-rich brocciu is made from 75% goat's milk and 25% ewe's milk, while fromage frais is essentially made from goat's milk.

Ripened goat's cheese is square-shaped, while ewe's cheese is round, to distinguish them.

Corsican sheep's milk yoghurt

Since 2023, the cheese dairy has marketed plain ewe's milk yogurt, available for direct sale, during tours and at markets, sold at €1 a pot.

Brocciu production and curdled milk

Goat's and sheep's cheese

The farm has between 700 and 760 Corsican goats and 200 ewes.

Cheese prices

The Casanova cheese dairy can supply you with sheep's and goat's cheese:

• Goat's cheese: fromage frais, Corsican tomme, aged cheese, brocciu
• Fromage de Brebis: matured cheese, Corsican tomme

Cheese delivery: Nebbiu - Conca d'Oro - Cap - Bastia - Marché

From Monday to Friday, cheese deliveries in the villages take place in the morning until 12-13h, with the exception of Wednesday, when deliveries take place all day long.

Direct sales and village tours

The Vallecalle sheepfold is open 7 days a week for direct sales in the morning until 12:30, and in the afternoon by appointment.

La fromagerie Casanova mainly delivers its cheese (fromage frais, brocciu and matured cheese) to several micro-regions in Haute-Corse. Deliveries by refrigerated truck take place all week from January to July, except on Sundays. Tours have been a company tradition for over 40 years. Today, it's Laetitia who criss-crosses the roads from the Nebbiu to the Cap via the Conca d'Oro, at the wheel of her refrigerated vehicle, whose horn brings the village streets to life every week.

To take advantage of a tour and buy some cheese, don't hesitate to get in touch with Laetitia, who will let you know when she'll be passing by, depending on your address and commune.

Bastia market

On Saturdays, Laetitia is available at the Bastia market from January to July, and at the Oletta farmers' market every morning from mid-June to the end of September.

Catering

Several establishments buy from the Casanova cheese dairy:

• Saint-Florent: Restaurant La Gaffe, Restaurant L'Europe, Restaurant La Crique, Restaurant Basgi Basgi, Restaurant Le Petit Caporal, Restaurant Le P'tit Dernier
• Murato: Restaurant Le But
• Oletta: Restaurant A Forge, Restaurant Le Potager du Nebbiu
• Biguglia: Restaurant Le Mercure
• Furiani: U Chiurlinu grocery store

France 3 Corse Via Stella report on the cheese dairy

Report on the operation of the Fromagerie Casanova Gaec di Vallecalle and the problems of global warming, published in the JT du 19/20 on January 8, 2024 on France 3 Corse Via Stella, and with the Lycée agricole de Borgu, in the evening edition 19/20 on Sunday February 11, 2024.

Sale of Corsican lambs and goats for Christmas and Easter

The GAEC di Vallecalle farm offers the sale of Corsican lamb and goat for Christmas and Easter, and the rest of the year according to availability. The weight of the goats varies between 5 and 10 kg, depending on the season.

Address and Contacts : GAEC di Vallecalle