LES ALPAGES

What LES ALPAGES does

Fromagerie Les Alpages is a privately held, family-operated artisanal cheese retailer and affineur founded in 1978 in Grenoble, France. The business was acquired in 1984 by Bernard Mure-Ravaud, who holds dual world-class credentials as Meilleur Ouvrier de France 2007 and International Caseus Award (World Champion Cheesemonger) 2007. The fromagerie offers over 150 cheese varieties, including AOC/AOP Savoyard cheeses (Abondance, Beaufort, Comté, Tomme de Savoie), rare mountain cheeses sourced from fewer than six producers globally (Bleu de Termignon, Persillé de Tignes, Beaufort d'Alpage), and specialty products; it holds two Guinness World Records for largest cheese platters. Its core technical capability is a cave d'affinage (aging cellar) supported by proprietary affineur expertise and exclusive supplier relationships with high-altitude Alpine producers.

The business operates a single brick-and-mortar boutique at 4 rue de Strasbourg, Grenoble, open Tuesday through Saturday, complemented by an e-commerce storefront (les-alpages.fr) offering cold-chain home delivery via Chronofresh, free in-store pickup, and bicycle delivery within the Grenoble metropolitan area. Revenue streams include retail cheese sales by weight, prepared dishes (fondues €8.50-11/person, raclettes €6.40-6.50/person), cheese platters (€21-76), gift cards from €10, a monthly subscription Box du Fromager, and a recent extension into Chartreuse liqueurs. Go-to-market targets individual gourmets as the primary segment, with secondary exposure to professional chefs and Rhône-Alpes fine-dining establishments, corporate gifting, and food tourists; distribution relies on the boutique experience, e-commerce, and B2B supply relationships.

The team comprises approximately 10 people, including family members (Bernard, Mireille, Renaud, Margaux) and staff. The company is debt-free and self-funded with no institutional investors, partners only with promotional bodies (Editions Glénat, Rhône-Alpes Tourisme, Atout France), and has remained a single-location operator since the 2009 relocation to its current address. Pricing is uniformly per-portion or per-person, and there is no disclosed subscription or contract revenue concentration outside the small Box du Fromager cohort.

Name

LES ALPAGES

Legal name

Fromagerie Les Alpages

Website

https://les-alpages.fr

Company type

Private

Founded year

1978

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Fromagerie Les Alpages is a family-owned artisanal cheese retailer and affineur in Grenoble, France, offering 150+ premium and rare French cheeses via a single boutique, e-commerce with cold-chain delivery, and direct supply to fine-dining establishments.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Specialty Cheese Retail

NAICS

Specialty Food Retailers (4452), Other Specialty Food Retailers (44529), All Other Specialty Food Retailers (445298)

SIC

Retail-Miscellaneous Shopping Goods Stores (5940)

akta.pro industry

PRIMARYCRAHAGAD

Cheese Shops & Fromageries

Consumer Products & Retail/Grocery & Food Retail/Specialty Food Stores (Deli, Cheese, Gourmet, Bakery)

SECONDARYCRAHAGAG

Gourmet & Fine Food Stores

Consumer Products & Retail/Grocery & Food Retail/Specialty Food Stores (Deli, Cheese, Gourmet, Bakery)

Keywords

• Artisan cheese retail
• AOP cheese varieties
• Fondue and raclette
• Cheese affineur services
• Specialty cheese shop

Headquarters

HQ city

Grenoble

HQ country

France

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Supply Chain, Operations, Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Retail Cheese Sales: In-store and online sales of over 150 varieties of cheeses including Savoyard AOC/AOP cheeses, rare mountain cheeses, and specialty products. Sales by weight (250g, 500g, 1kg portions) and prepared items.
2. Prepared Cheese Dishes: Ready-to-serve fondue and raclette preparations. Fondues range from €8.50-11.00 per person, raclettes from €6.40-6.50 per person. Minimum 2 persons for fondues.
3. Cheese Platters: Custom cheese plates and assortments for events and gifting. Prices range from €21.00 (initiation plate) to €76.00 (gourmet plate).
4. Gift Cards: Gift cards starting at €10.00, usable in installments, valid for 1 year.
5. Specialty Spirits and Liqueurs: Sale of Chartreuse liqueurs and other spirits including mignonnettes (6x3cl Chartreuse box at €36.00).

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Fromagerie Les Alpages is a traditional specialty cheese shop (fromagerie) in Grenoble offering over 150 varieties of artisanal French and Alpine cheeses, prepared cheese dishes (fondues and raclettes), cheese platters, gift cards, and specialty spirits. The business operates a single retail boutique in central Grenoble supplemented by an e-commerce platform with refrigerated cold-chain delivery nationwide via Chronofresh.

Product overview

Fromagerie Les Alpages is a traditional cheese shop (fromagerie) established in Grenoble since 1978, operated by Bernard Mure-Ravaud, a Meilleur Ouvrier de France and World Champion Cheesemaker (Caseus Award 2007). The business offers over 150 varieties of artisan cheeses, including AOP/IGP protected regional cheeses (Abondance, Beaufort, Comté, Gruyère, Tomme de Savoie), rare mountain cheeses (Bleu de Termignon, Persillé de Tignes), and specialty products. The product portfolio centers on premium French cheeses sold both in-store and via e-commerce, supplemented by prepared cheese dishes (fondues, raclettes), charcuterie, accompaniments, and gift items. The company is renowned for sourcing exceptional products from small producers, including cheeses made at high altitude during short summer seasons, and has set Guinness World Records for largest cheese platter (479 varieties) and largest farm cheese platter (150 varieties).

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Abondance fermier AOP
• Beaufort Chalet d'Alpages AOP
• Comté de montagne millésimé
• Emmental Suisse AOP
• Gruyère Suisse AOP
• Tomme de Savoie IGP
• Bleu de Termignon
• Tomme de brebis de Haute-Savoie
• Reblochon fermier AOP
• Persillé de Tignes
• Tomme de chèvre de Haute-Savoie
• La fondue des 2 Savoies
• La fondue des Alpages – 5 fromages
• La fondue Suisse moitié-moitié

Quantifiable outcome

• Guinness World Record for largest cheese platter: 479 varieties on 64m²
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers5 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration2 records

Feature2 records

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• Editions GlénatminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerBernard Mure-Ravaud co-authored 'Les fromages du fromager' (The Cheeses of the Cheesemonger) published by Editions Glénat, a major French publishing house. The book retails for €25.00.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves9 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Fromagerie Quatrehomme: Parisian fromagerie run by MOF Marie Quatrehomme, focused on rare and aged cheeses with strong restaurant supply. Comparable as a credentialed French cheesemonger serving both retail and fine-dining B2B clients.
• Fromagerie Marie-Anne Cantin: Renowned Paris-based affineur and fromagerie specializing in aged AOC cheeses, supplying starred restaurants and retail customers. Directly comparable as a premium French fromagerie-affineur with MOF-adjacent expertise and B2B/wholesale supply.
• Fromagerie Rodolphe Le Meunier: Tours-based affineur and co-champion of the 2007 International Caseus Award (alongside Bernard Mure-Ravaud). Comparable as a same-tier world-champion French affineur serving retail and starred restaurants.
• Fromagerie Androuët: Historic Parisian fromagerie founded in 1909 with multiple locations and nationwide e-commerce, selling AOC/AOP cheeses and running a cheese-based restaurant. Closely comparable as a specialty cheese retailer with strong brand recognition, B2B/restaurant supply, and prepared cheese dishes.

Broad incumbents

• Fauchon: Iconic Parisian upscale food retailer offering gourmet cheeses, prepared dishes, gift sets, and e-commerce with global brand recognition. Comparable as a premium French gourmet food retailer with multi-category gift and e-commerce operations, though much larger and broader in assortment.
• Hédiard: Historic Parisian gourmet food retailer specializing in fine foods, gift hampers, and online luxury food sales. Comparable as a premium French specialty food retailer with gift/hamper and nationwide e-commerce channels overlapping Les Alpages' platters/gift-card business.
• La Grande Épicerie de Paris (Le Bon Marché): Luxury Parisian food hall (part of LVMH) with an extensive cheese counter, prepared dishes, and gourmet gift offerings. Comparable as a high-end French specialty food retail destination with a strong cheese focus and gift-driven revenue.

Regional players

• Borough Market (London): Iconic London artisan food market with multiple specialty cheesemongers and AOC-style product focus. Comparable as a curated destination for premium and rare cheeses with strong tourism and educational content angle, though UK-focused rather than French.

Emerging players

• Maison Boissier: French gourmet specialty retailer (historically chocolates and candies) with cheese-adjacent gift platters, online sales, and gift-card business. Comparable in gift/hamper and premium e-commerce retail mechanics, though with a different core product.
• Terroirs d'Avenir: Paris-based curated network of small French artisan producers with B2C e-commerce and chef/restaurant supply. Comparable as a premium artisan food retailer sourcing rare, small-batch products and serving both consumers and starred restaurants — overlapping Les Alpages' producer-curation model.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/les-alpages

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles9 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about LES ALPAGES