No golden bells or TV ads. And yet, the Cévennes goat is a true local celebrity. Discreet, robust, agile like a wild boar on a wet carpet, it perfectly embodies the spirit of the Cévennes . Here are 7 things you (perhaps) don't know about this four-legged icon.
1. She is 100% local
Originating from the Cévennes mountains, the Cévennes goat is a rustic French breed , once almost forgotten. Thanks to a few passionate breeders, it is now making a remarkable comeback in the drailles and undergrowth.
2. His hair is a combat outfit
Long, often black or speckled with gray, its coat allows it to withstand the cold, the rain, and even the wind of the causse. It does not need a coat: it was born with the cloak of the Guardians.
3. She climbs where wild boars hesitate
Steep terrain, slippery trails, rocky chaos? No problem. The Cévennes goat is an acrobat. It finds food where other ruminants give up.
4. It gives milk that tastes... like freedom
Its rich and fragrant milk is used to produce exceptional farmhouse cheeses . Tommes, pélardons, tender logs... each bite of which tells the story of the mountain.
5. She is a symbol of autonomy
Raising Cévennes goats means choosing independence , a life in harmony with nature, and a return to one's roots.
She eats little, takes care of the landscape, and only needs patience and respect .
6. She sometimes has a more noble name than you.
In some hamlets, goats are given names like Ariane, Floribelle, or Ségurane . And don't laugh: they know it. It's even said that an upset goat can ignore you for months.
7. She has her legends
It is said that in some families, a goat accompanied the watchmen during transhumance , and that it recognized the stars. Another legend tells of a goat that saved a child by guiding him out of a ravine. Coincidence or miracle? The elders are undecided.
In summary:
In the Cévennes, the true queen of the mountains doesn't wear a crown... she has two horns and a lot of character.
