Its history

In the 8th century, Charles Martel repelled the Saracens in Poitiers. These descendants of Arabs living in the South of Spain little by little came up to live in France. When they had to leave the country, they left behind their goats, as well as their cheese recipes which enabled 5 quality goats' cheeses to be created it is quite amusing to notice that the word « Chabi », short for Chabichou is considered to be a distortion of the Arabic word « Chebli » which means goat. Located towards the South-West of the Loire, the Poitou is the most important region for goat breeding and produces many goats' cheeses, including the Chabis and the Chabichou, who share the same guaranteed origin label. The production area is limited to the Haut-Poitou, a calcareous region, the Deux-Sèvres, the Vienne and the North of the Charente. It is nearly necessary to habe a goat's cheese on a cheese platter, and the fact that these goats' cheeses are so diverse means that they match meals perfectly well.