This farm in Brittany produces exceptional mozzarella

Italy doesn’t have a monopoly on the production of this cheese, which has become a favorite among the French over the past twenty years… Using milk from her buffalo raised in Brittany, Suzanna Lemoine makes an amazing mozzarella, as well as other similar products.

Pierrick Jégu Published today at 09:24

According to historical sources, the Asian water buffalo is believed to have been introduced to Italy between the 6th and 8th centuries. Thriving in wet environments, this sturdy animal was initially used for draft work—particularly in the rice paddies of the Far East—before our neighbors across the Alps began processing the milk of female buffalo into cheese. In central and southern Italy—particularly in the Campania region, where mozzarella di bufala is distinguished by a protected designation of origin—it’s no surprise to see these sturdy animals moving about in a gentle, graceful manner. This sight is far more surprising in France, where buffalo farms are rarer. And in Brittany, there are only two.

Head to the area around Vitré, in Ille-et-Vilaine, in the countryside of Erbrée, at a place called l’Aufrairie: here, Suzanna Lemoine founded her farm, Ty Bufala, in 2023—a career change for this native of Rennes, who was originally a veterinarian. “I really enjoyed treating animals, but I was fed up with dealing with people… And since I’ve always been drawn to animals and farms, I finally took the plunge! ” Driven by a desire to take a unique approach—hence her decision to focus on raising female buffalo—she wanted to oversee every step of the process, from production to marketing.