In the village of Lapte, in France’s Haute-Loire, along the Via Fluvia greenway connecting Lavoûte-sur-Loire and La Voulte-sur-Rhône, something unexpected catches the eyes of passersby: water buffalo. This is where Marie-Lise Masson and Thierry Mounier run Un Brin d’Auvergne, a unique farm producing authentic buffalo mozzarella.
A heartfelt new beginning
Originally from the region, Marie-Lise and Thierry weren’t always farmers. Their daughter Maëlys tells how her parents fell in love with the idea of making buffalo mozzarella. They brought in their first animals, built a small dairy facility, and became the first to produce raw buffalo milk mozzarella in Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes.
“We milk once a day – that’s our lifestyle choice”
The family lives with their four children. Buffalo are gentle, easily startled, and slow to trust. But once a bond is formed, they behave like loyal companions. Marie-Lise explains their decision to milk only once daily: “It’s about balance, a way of life.”
From art to agriculture
Marie-Lise studied art before turning to farming. After completing an agricultural program, she and Thierry took over her family’s farm. In the early 2000s, they explored various directions before choosing an unconventional path: raising buffalo.
A local, organic mozzarella like no other
Making mozzarella is an art form. The milk must ferment, be heated, stretched, and hand-shaped. Marie-Lise learned from Italian techniques and adapted them to her animals and environment. After trial and error, she developed a smooth, flavorful mozzarella.
She now makes yogurt, panna cotta, ice cream, and more—exclusively from buffalo milk.
Loved by gourmet chefs
Their mozzarella holds the AB – Organic Farming label and is featured in renowned restaurants in Lyon, Valence, Le Puy, Solignac, and Saint-Bonnet-le-Froid. Even Michelin-starred chefs praise its quality.
Buffalo meat, sold with honesty
Thierry also raises piglets that are sold directly to chefs. Buffalo meat, offered in limited quantities, is sold only on request. They rely on trust: “A cash box, a notebook, and honesty,” they say with a smile.
