Maison du Comté

Maison du Comté, a fabulous sensory journey!

In Poligny, the remarkable architecture of the Maison du Comté is a contemporary take on the traditional farm buildings of the Haut-Doubs and Haut-Jura regions. Its three distinct buildings, visible from the road to Lons, echo the three links in this interdependent industry: the milk producers, the cheese-makers and the ripeners, who have been united in the heart of the Jura mountains for 700 years!

Opening in May 2021, the Polinois interpretation centre offers a superb immersive journey through Comté country, delightfully appealing to the five senses of the whole family. Poetic films, videos featuring the actors, discovery of the key gestures of Comté cheese, sensory games and even nuggets for history buffs... A unique experience for sharing the taste of Comté cheese with the whole family.

In the very special atmosphere of spruce wood, supported by an interior of soft shapes and enveloping light, the incredible scenography reveals three worlds: The farm & the milk producer, The cheese dairy & the cheese maker, The cellar & the master ripener. It's as if the Jura mountain farmer, the cheesemaker and the cellar master were taking you by the hand and leading you into their world!

Smell the hay in the cowshed, admire the flower-filled meadows, try your hand at milking and experience the magic of milk becoming cheese. Listen to the sound of the probe as it rings the cheese wheel...

Lulled by this flood of sensations, it's time to move on to the ultimate stage of the adventure: the Comté cheese tasting. This takes place at the end of the visit, in a large glassed-in room overlooking the wooded grounds. It's a tasty, convivial experience that makes you want to set off on the Routes du Comté to meet the farms, fruit orchards and maturing cellars of the region.