The Culture of Cheese
A Family Farm Leads the Way on Quebec’s Tastiest Trail
By Andréanne Joly
Fromagerie La Station tells the story of a family and a landscape, where nearly a century of farming has evolved into world-class, seasonal cheesemaking that invites travellers to slow down and savour the Eastern Townships.
Hatley Road meanders through the bucolic beauty of Québec's Eastern Townships. Along the road, the scent of hay lingers in the air — a reminder of the strong agricultural roots of the region.
It was here, nearly a century ago, that Alfred and Aglaé Bolduc began life as farmers on a modest property in the municipality of Compton. They raised children, farmed and harvested maple sap to turn into syrup in the sugar shack that Alfred built. Time has passed, but the Bolducs have remained, and the farm has been passed down from generation to generation.
But now, alongside the smell of hay drifts something new: the unmistakable aroma of cheese. In these rolling fields, once known only for cows and maple trees, generations of the Bolduc family have crafted a legacy that blends tradition, innovation, and deep respect for the land.
In the 1990s, Carole (partner to Alfred and Aglaé’s grandson, Pierre) experimented with turning the farm’s organic milk into cheese. Her first wheels aged in nothing more than an unplugged refrigerator. Her son, Simon-Pierre, was fascinated.
What began as a family experiment soon grew into a vision: to open a full-fledged fromagerie.
As the fromagerie was taking shape, Simon-Pierre went to study at Alfred College (no, not named after his great-grandfather!) in Ontario to learn the secrets of cheesemaking himself.
Since the era of the unplugged fridge, Fromagerie La Station has grown steadily. New robot-assisted aging rooms and a new barn have been added to the organic farm. Administrative offices, a café-boutique, and a museum have also transformed the site.
Behind the façade, though, the cheeses are made with the same simplicity and passion for doing things right that have been the trademark of the Bolduc family since the days of Alfred.
“The joy of doing things well — it’s part of our family culture. It’s really that simple," says Simon-Pierre Bolduc. "We deeply love what we do.”
Today, Fromagerie La Station produces five farmhouse cheeses, with some seasonal products and variations. Every wheel is made from just four ingredients — milk, salt, cultures, and rennet — and from the understanding that no two seasons yield the same milk.
Photo: Cantons-de-l'Est © GouvQc Gaëlle Leroyer
Photo: Cantons-de-l'Est © GouvQc Gaëlle Leroyer
“We work with nature. The essence of our cheeses is the seasons. There isn’t a year that’s the same, there isn’t milk that’s the same," says Simon-Pierre. "It’s a big challenge, and that’s what makes the experience fun."
Gradually, their cheeses began winning acclaim. The Raclette de Compton au poivre won its first award in 2019 before being crowned Best in Show by the American Cheese Society in 2024. Alfred le Fermier, named Best Canadian Cheese at the International World Cheese Awards in 2018, earned the prestigious overall title in 2025. Both Comtomme and Chemin Hatley also boast long lists of accolades.
Despite the acclaim and world recognition, the cheesemaker insists that commercial considerations won’t erode the artisanal spirit of their work.
Sitting by the window, Simon-Pierre speaks about his fromagerie while gazing out at cows grazing in the pasture, dogs running around, maple trees, and the distant Appalachians. He loves his craft and sharing the world in which he practices it.
The site has gradually opened to visitors. As the farm expanded, the family sought to better welcome people. In the boutique, visitors can taste cheeses, pick up a picnic basket, or savour a grilled cheese sandwich whose reputation has spread far beyond the Eastern Townships. Like the cheeses of La Station, the recipe is simple and built on four ingredients: cheese, good village bread, regional butter, and maple jelly from the family sugarbush.
The idea is to encourage people to linger, take their time, feel the farm’s energy, and — as Simon-Pierre Bolduc says — “let the landscapes settle within them.”
“The joy of doing things well — it’s part of our family culture. It’s really that simple.We deeply love what we do.”
Cantons-de-l'Est © GouvQc Gaëlle Leroyer
Cantons-de-l'Est © GouvQc Gaëlle Leroyer
“When we built the new barns, the team asked: ‘We welcome a lot of visitors here — how can we make them feel more at home?’” Simon-Pierre recalls. “We’re farmers, we’re cheesemakers. We’d love to enrich the experience, but that’s not our expertise.”
So, La Station partnered with the Économusée network to create an informative and immersive experience that tells the story of cheese, from cows in the field to the maturing rooms.
The Farmstead Cheese Économusée is a feast for the eyes — and the nose! A “scent organ” delivers the aroma of earth musk, wildflowers, and dry hay, Simon-Pierre explains. A little further on, an immersive room built inside an aging cellar lets visitors smell the cheese as it matures on shelves.
“We pump air directly into this space. You can feel the atmosphere, the smells, the humidity, the temperature of the cellar.”
Children wrinkle their noses, while others inhale deeply. For Simon-Pierre, it is the comforting scent of his family legacy.
The Eastern Townships have become a cradle of cheesemaking in Quebec.
Simon-Pierre offers up a list of recommendations:
“There’s Fromagerie Nouvelle France, which makes exceptional sheep’s milk cheeses. There’s La Pinte dairy, which bottles milk in glass pints. In Compton, Flavora makes outstanding sheep’s milk yogurt.”
And not to forget La Station’s neighbour, Laiterie de Coaticook, famous for its squeaky cheese curds and ice cream.
"That’s an experience in itself,” he says.
Fourteen fromageries and dairies, including La Station, are grouped on the Cheesemakers Circuit Les Tête Fromagères, promoted by the regional tourism association.
More and more gravel cyclists take the route, stopping at the fromagerie along the way.
“People do tours — they stop at the Compton orchard, pick up vegetables and cider, visit the village bakery or chocolaterie.”
Simon-Pierre also enjoys the region’s abundance, even if summer days off are rare. Instead, he takes advantage of the beauty of the Appalachians in other seasons: cycling or hiking in the fall, skiing in the winter.
When spring comes, the family gathers around the maple sap vats that perfume the sugarbush, just as in Alfred’s time.
“Sugaring-off season is our time," he says. "A pause to recharge."
Andréanne Joly
Andréanne Joly enjoys exploring, digging into, and uncovering the Francophone culture of Canada. A journalist and writer, she regularly collaborates with various tourism organizations such as the Culinary Tourism Alliance and Francophone media outlets like Francopresse.ca, L’Express, Le Voyageur, and others.
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