Corsican cheeses · L'Isle-sur-la-Sorgue
Corsican cheeses in L'Isle-sur-la-Sorgue
Ewe's tomme, brocciu, maquis-herb tomme, goat's cheese: at Via Notte, Corsican cheeses come as a sharing board on esplanade Robert Vasse. The local music bar puts the island at the centre of the table — charcuterie, wines and cheeses, to pick at between two bursts of live music.
The taste of the island
Cheeses straight from the maquis
The Corsican cheese board gathers what gives the island its character: ewe's tomme, maquis-herb tomme, goat's cheese, brocciu and passu brocciu, lifted with a fig jam. Honest, slightly wild pastes, marked by herbs and ewe's milk.
Via Notte is not just another restaurant: it's a music bar where the plate serves the mood. You share the board among several, you clink glasses, and the evening settles in around island produce rather than a seated dinner.
To share
The board, made for the table
Corsican cheeses are enjoyed like the rest of the menu: on a board, at the centre of the table. On their own or in a mixed version with island charcuterie — Prisuttu, Coppa, Lonzo — served with homemade anchoïade and aïoli.
You pick, you go back for more, you put the world to rights. Fresh brocciu sits beside aged tomme, and the fig jam softens the sharpest pastes: a board built to last a whole evening.
On the board
What you'll find
A Corsican selection, raw and generous, to share between two bursts of live music.
Ewe's tomme
A pressed ewe's-milk paste, clean and long on the palate — the backbone of the board.
Maquis-herb tomme
The same base, rolled in island herbs: rosemary, savory, a scent of garrigue.
Brocciu & passu brocciu
The fresh and the aged of the same iconic cheese, from mildest to sharpest.
From mildest to sharpest
How to taste Corsican cheeses
A Corsican cheese board reads in a set order: start with the most delicate milk and build up in intensity, so every paste keeps its place. Here is the path traced by the Via Notte board.
Brocciu
Fresh, supple, with a gentle milky taste: the most delicate on the board, to taste first.
Goat's cheese
Whiter and livelier, with a light acidity that brings contrast and freshness.
Ewe's tomme
The backbone: a firm, buttery paste, long on the palate. Best tasted in thin slices.
Maquis-herb tomme
Take a little rind: that is where the scent of the island herbs lives.
Passu brocciu
The same brocciu, salted then aged: firmer and bolder, to finish on a sharper note.
Keep the fig jam for the stronger pastes: it rounds off the tomme and the passu, but would smother a fresh brocciu. Between two cheeses, a bite of bread resets the palate.
Brocciu, tommes, village cheeses: discover the best-known Corsican cheeses in our guide.
The land
Where Corsican cheeses come from
Corsican cheeses are almost all made from ewe's or goat's milk, rarely cow's. On this mountain in the sea, with slopes too steep for dairy cows, the Corsican ewe and the Corsican goat give less milk but a richer one: it is what gives the island's pastes their density, chew and length on the palate.
The flocks graze the maquis, among strawberry tree, mastic, rockrose and sometimes myrtle. These slightly bitter, slightly resinous plant notes pass into the milk and then into the rind: the taste of the maquis is first and foremost a matter of diet.
Ewe's milk also has its season, from late autumn to early summer. Fresh brocciu follows that rhythm, while aged tommes and passu brocciu carry the island through the rest of the year.
The right pairing
Corsican cheeses, Corsican wines
Nothing suits a maquis tomme better than a glass from the island. The cellar leans firmly Corsican — an Aghione white, a Calvi rosé, Sartène reds — and the staff steer you towards the pairing that holds the board. All of it, Tuesday to Friday from 6 pm, to the beat of a live band and a DJ on Friday.
Explore
Carry the tasting on
Cheeses are only one slice of the menu. Open the page that suits you.
Good to know
Frequently asked questions
Where can I taste Corsican cheeses in L'Isle-sur-la-Sorgue?
At 12 esplanade Robert Vasse, right in the centre of L'Isle-sur-la-Sorgue (84800). Via Notte is the local music bar — not to be confused with the club of the same name in Porto-Vecchio.
Which Corsican cheeses are on the board?
The Corsican cheese board gathers ewe's tomme, maquis-herb tomme, goat's cheese, brocciu and passu brocciu, with a fig jam. An island selection, honest and generous.
What milk are Corsican cheeses made from?
Almost all from ewe's or goat's milk, rarely cow's. The Corsican ewe and the Corsican goat, suited to the island's terrain, give a rich milk that brings density and length to Corsican cheeses.
Which is the only PDO Corsican cheese?
Brocciu: recognised as an AOC in 1983 and as a European PDO in 1998, it can only be made in Corsica, from the milk of local ewe and goat breeds. Made elsewhere, a similar product is called brousse, sérac or ricotta.
In what order should Corsican cheeses be tasted?
From mildest to sharpest: brocciu first, then goat's cheese, ewe's tomme, maquis-herb tomme and finally passu brocciu. The fig jam mainly goes with the aged pastes.
Is the brocciu on the board fresh or aged?
Both: the board brings together brocciu and passu brocciu, its salted and aged version. Two textures and two characters for one of the island's iconic cheeses.
Can I have a mixed cheese and charcuterie board?
Yes. The mixed board pairs the maquis cheeses with Corsican charcuterie — Prisuttu, Coppa, Lonzo — all to share at the centre of the table.
Which Corsican wine goes with the cheeses?
The cellar leans firmly Corsican: an Aghione white, a Calvi rosé or a Sartène red all hold the board well. The staff will steer you towards the right pairing.
Do I need to book for a cheese board?
For a drink and a board at the counter, no. For a table with several people, especially on a live night, booking is recommended: it takes seconds online, or a quick phone call.
Is there music during the tasting?
It's the house signature. From Tuesday to Friday, live bands play from 6 pm and on Friday the DJ takes over. The board is shared to the beat of live music.
In the mood to share?
Book your table at Via Notte
A Corsican cheese board, a glass from the island, a band playing: Corsica has found its address in L'Isle-sur-la-Sorgue. Book online or give us a call.
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