Roquefort or ròcafòrt in Occitan Rouergat is a French cheese designation for a blue-veined cheese made exclusively from raw sheep's milk.

In 1925, in France, it was the first Appellation d'Origine (AO) to be recognised and given special protection. Since 1979, it has had an Appellation d'Origine Contrôlée (AOC) and, since 1996, an Appellation d'Origine Protégée (AOP).

This cheese dates back at least to the 11th century, when it was first mentioned in writing, making it a historical symbol of the Causses and valleys of the Aveyron region.

This rural region, established on a land that is sometimes very difficult to exploit, has made it its financial and cultural wealth.

It has an international reputation and is associated with the excellence of French agriculture and its gastronomy.

It has even become the emblem of the resistance of raw milk cheese producers against repeated demands for the generalisation of milk pasteurisation.

Today it only exists in an industrial and dairy form; its farm form having disappeared at the very beginning of the 20th century. Charlemagne is said to have tasted the famous blue-veined cheese during a ride home from Spain.

The bishop of Albi is said to have served him blue-veined cheese, was it already Roquefort? The emperor, on one of his journeys, came down unexpectedly and without being expected at a bishop's house. It was a Friday. The prelate had no fish, and he did not dare, because of the day's abstinence, to have meat served to the prince.

So he presented him with what he had at home, fat and cheese. Charles ate the cheese; but, taking the marbled spots for rottenness, he took care beforehand to remove them with the point of his knife. The bishop, who was standing by the table, together with the prince's retinue, took the liberty of representing to him that what he was throwing away was the best of the cheese. Charles therefore tasted the marbled cheese;

He found that his host was right, and even asked him to send him two cases of such cheese to Aachen every year. The latter replied that it was well within his power to send cheeses, but that it was not within his power to send blue cheese, because it is only by opening them that one can be sure that the merchant has not deceived. Well," said the Emperor, "before sending them off, cut them in the middle; it will be easy for you to see if they are as I wish.

You will then only have to bring the two halves together, securing them with a wooden peg; then you will put the whole thing in a box.