A Food Lover's Guide to Decadent French Cheese

How to eat your way through a country that has turned cheese-making into a fine art.

French Cheese

When it comes to cheese, the offerings in France are nothing short of overwhelming. Some estimates put the number of cheese varieties in France at around 400, though with the sub-types added in, it may be closer to 1,000 — and that’s not counting those artisanal products made by just one cheese maker.

Whatever your preference — soft or hard, creamy, blue, mild or knock-your-granny’s-socks-off strong — there is something here for you. I recommend that you visit a fromagerie and ask to taste whatever tickles your fancy; that’s common practice in France, so don’t be shy.

Like what you tried? Settle on the size of your wedge and pick up a freshly-baked baguette with which to enjoy your fromage de France. If you’re outside France, visit your cheese deli to see what they’ve imported, or to find a locally-made variety. (Though note that FDA regulations make it hard to find unpasteurized cheeses in the U.S.)

As a resident of France, I’ve compiled the following list of some of the finest, most quintessentially French cheeses to taste— and of course, there are many more where these came from as well.

Let the food lust begin.

Comté

Comte — Every wedge of Comté that you try is different from the last.

Cow’s milk; semi-hard
Region of origin: Franche-Comté

Comté is a rich and nutty-tasting unpasteurized cheese produced from the milk of cows grazing at altitude in the Jura Massif mountain range of eastern France. This cheese is manufactured collectively village-by-village using methods that have changed little over the centuries. In fact, Comté was one of the first cheeses to receive AOC (Appellation d'Origine Contrôlée) status in 1958, a designation that guarantees French cheese adheres to certain mandated standards, is made using specific traditional technique, and has consistent and distinctive flavor, texture and appearance characteristics.

The milk used can only come from within a few miles of the cheese maker, and is delivered daily and used immediately. Each round of cheese has a distinct range of flavors, and no two wedges will be the same. Comté comes in fruité (fruity) or salé (salty) varieties, with a texture that is hard and flexible, and a strong and slightly sweet taste.

This is a versatile cheese that is as good in a fondue or raclette as it is on a Croque Monsieur...or even on its own.

Tomme de Savoie

Cow’s milk; semi-hard
Region of origin: Savoie

Tomme de Savoie, from Savoie in the French Alps in northwest France, is a mild, pressed cheese with a pliable and firm texture. Like most tommes, this type is usually made from the skimmed milk left over after the cream has been used to make butter or richer cheeses. As a result, it has a relatively low fat content.

Tomme de Savoie often has tiny eyes (holes) pervading its ivory-colored paste. Its thick, crusty, brownish-grey rind with splotches of yellow or red mold may not seem appealing, but don’t let that put you off. Its character depends on what the cows have fed on — winter hay or summer grass — and the flavor can generally be described as nutty and earthy. Aging in traditional cellars for several months often imparts a slight cellar odor.

This is a pleasant, everyday type of cheese.

Beaufort

Cow’s milk; hard
Region of origin: Haute-Savoie

An Alpine cheese produced exclusively from unpasteurised cow's milk in the French Alps of the Haute-Savoie, Beaufort’s fruity taste and creaminess is highly prized. This cheese also has strict AOC labeling requirements and comes in three versions: Beaufort d’été (summer), Beaufort d'hiver (winter) and Beaufort chalet d’alpage, which must be made in a mountain chalet during the summer months from a single herd of cattle grazing in the mountain pastures.

Its characteristic shape — a large, thick wheel with concave sides — originally enabled farmers to easily transport the cheeses down the mountains by winding ropes around the weighty wheels, so as to lash them to a donkey.

Beaufort is richer and creamier than other mountain cheeses such as Gruyere, Comté or Emmental, and the smooth, supple paste has flowery and herb aromas. It melts well, making it another great choice for a fondue or a grilled sandwich.

Reblochon

Cow’s milk; semi-soft
Region of origin: Savoie

Reblochon continues to be produced by a small number of cheese makers in the Thônes and Arly valleys in the south-eastern Alps. It is made from unpasteurized full-cream milk, and is designated by both the AOC and AOP (Appellation d’Origine Protégée), one of four origin and quality labels recognized in France and Europe.

The story goes that during the 13th century farmers had to pay their landlords a tax on the amount of milk their cows yielded. However, when a payment was due the farmers would only partially milk their cows. Once the landowner had measured the yield, the farmers would milk their cows a second time (reblocher). This second milking yielded milk that was richer in fat, and this was used to make Reblochon.

This well-rounded, soft, creamy cheese is available in two formats: Reblochon, which can be sold cut in half, and Petit Reblochon. Its mild fruity taste and nutty aftertaste make it excellent on a cheese platter, melted on baked potatoes or as a classic ingredient in the Alpine dish, the Tartiflette.

Saint-Nectaire

Cow’s milk; semi-soft
Region of origin: Auvergne

Saint-Nectaire has been produced in the volcanic mountains of Monts-Dore in northern Auvergne for centuries. The grazing meadows are rich in phosphorus, potassium and magnesium, all minerals that are found in high concentration in the milk of the Salers cows that is used to make this AOC- and AOP-awarded cheese.

This makes for a cheese that is rich and creamy in texture and complex on the palate. As it is matured on rye straw mats, the rind has a typical earthy aroma. Saint-Nectaire melts in the mouth with flavors of nuts, mushrooms and cellars, though the brine, salt and acidity flavors are a direct result of the volcanic pastures.

It goes well with fruit and raw vegetables, olives, bead and salami — perfect for any apértif. It’s also great for cooking, so try it melted over roasted potatoes or in a quiche.

Brillat-Savarin

Cow’s milk; semi-soft
Region of origin: Normandy and Burgundy

Decidedly indulgent, Brillat-Savarin is a triple cream cheese best savored as a dessert (and an occasional one at that). Its high fat content of at least 75% is achieved by adding rich cream to whole milk. The result is a dense, moist and creamy cheese with flavors of butter, salt and cream, with an aftertaste of mushrooms and nuts on the rind.

Brillat-Savarin is the oldest of the cream-enriched cheeses. It was created in the 1930s by cheese maker Henri Androuët as a tribute to the 18th-century French gastronome and epicure, Jean Anthelme Brillat-Savarin. Brillat-Savarin enjoyed cheese so much that he is known to have said, “A meal without cheese is like a beautiful woman with only one eye.”

Enjoy this one responsibly.

Boulette d’Avesnes

Cow’s milk; semi-soft
Region of origin: Avesnes

Boulette d’Avesnes is a hand-molded and distinctly flavored conical-shaped cheese produced in Avesnes in the north of France. Its pungent aroma and taste are a result of its flavoring of parsely, tarragon, crushed peppercorns and cloves.

Boulette d’Avesnes was originally produced from buttermilk (the milk remaining after the manufacture of butter) but today is made using Maroilles paste. Most boulettes (cones) are sold fresh and are supposed to be eaten within 30 days. However, they can age quite well in ripening cellars where the rind is reddened either by adding annatto (a natural food coloring) or paprika.

Stinky and deliciously creamy and fresh, this cheese is best consumed with a good beer or traditional gin.

Maroilles

Cow’s milk; soft
Region of origin: Picardy and Nord-Pas-de-Calais

Said to be invented by a monk in the Abbey of Maroilles in the 10th century, Maroilles is an incredibly pungent cheese, though the taste is not as strong as the smells suggests; it’s mellow, earthy and nutty. This is one for those who love a good stinky cheese.

Maroilles’ AOC status means it must follow strict standards. Any Maroilles you buy must be aged for a minimum of five weeks and a maximum of four months. Other regulations ensure this cheese is always produced from cow’s milk and is always square. In addition to the shape, Maroilles is distinctive for its signature orange-red rind that bears the lines of the wire racks on which the cheese rests during the production process.

It is available in four formats (with varying ripening times): Maroilles (720g), sorbais (540g), mignon (360g) and quart (180g). Regulations also apply to location. In honor of the town of Maroilles, all Maroilles cheese must be made in the north of France, in the Picardy and Nord-Pas-de-Calais regions.

For a milder and creamier variety, try Munster from the Alsace, Lorraine and Franche-Comté region.

Mont d’Or

Cow’s milk; soft
Region of origin: Franche-Comté

Here’s a cheese that is as much an experience as it is a treat. Mont d’Or (also called Vacherin Mont d’Or or Vacherin du Haut-Daubs) is one of only a few French cheeses you have to eat with a spoon.

It is produced in the Jura region in Franche-Comté and has remained uniquely seasonal thanks to its AOC and AOP status, which determines the regulations for producing this cheese. Mont d’Or can only be made between August 15 and March 15, and sold from September 10 to May 10.

It is gooey, runny and sticky, and derives its woody aroma and nutty taste from the spruce bark container in which it is wrapped. If you get a really ripe Mont d’Or you can eat it straight out of the pot. Or bake it to bring out even more flavor.

Fourme d'Ambert

Cow’s milk; blue; semi-soft
Region of origin: Auvergne

Fourme d'Ambert is one of France's oldest cheeses, dating back to the Roman occupation. Produced in the Auvergne mountains in the central south of the country, it is a traditional, farmhouse blue cheese that can be either co-operative or artisanal. It also holds AOC status.

This cheese is more supple and dense than most blues. Although it matures in 40 days, it is cave-aged for two to three months for optimum quality. During the ripening time, it is injected with Vouvray Moelleux, a sweet white wine. Fourme d'Ambert is easily recognizable by its unusually tall cylindrical shape, described by the word fourme.

This cheese has a creamy texture with a distinctive musty, blue cheese aroma and a taste that is not overpowering. Try it as a snack with bread and fruit or crumble it over salads.

Bresse Bleu

Cow’s milk; blue; soft
Region of origin: Bresse

Similar in texture to Brie, Bresse Bleu is a mild blue cheese — a great starter blue for those fearful of the real stuff. Named after the town of Bourge-en-Bresse, in which this cheese is produced, the brand and trademark are wholly owned by European cheese giant Bongrain. Thus all Bresse Bleu is the same, and there are no regional varieties.

This cheese is a mix of French Brie and Italian Gorgonzola, originally brought to the Rhône-Alps by Italian immigrants who settled in the region after WWII.

The bloomy, edible rind of Bresse Bleu gives way to a creamy, spreadable interior with patches of blue-green mold. The flavor is rich and buttery, with an aroma of mushrooms. Include this on your cheese platter or spread it on a hunk of fresh baguette.

Bleu de Gex

Cow’s milk; blue; soft
Region of origin: Franche Comté

Here is another AOC- and AOP-designated cheese from the mountainous areas of Ain and Jura. Bleu de Gex is the work of the monks of the Saint-Claude Abbey in Franche-Comté, and today is still produced in small mountain dairies that employ the traditional methods that have been handed down from the 14th century.

Alpine pastures are crucial to this cheese’s flavor. The milk comes only from the Montbeliardes or Pie rouge de l’Est cows, which graze freely in the summer on the grasses, herbs and flowers in the Jura mountains.

Bleu de Gex is a lightly salted blue cheese with a creamy, smooth texture that is slightly crumbly. It has a characteristic nutty taste with a hint of mushrooms and vanilla. This goes to show that you needn’t love strong cheeses to enjoy a blue.

Rigotte

Goat’s milk; soft
Region of origin: Rhône-Alpes

Rigotte, also known as Rigotte de Condrieu, is an artisanal goat’s milk (chèvre) cheese with a bloomy rind. Originally hailing from the slopes of the Massif du Pilat, the cheese takes it name from the term rigot, which refers to the small streams that flowed towards the valley, and the town of Condrieu, south of Lyon, where it has been made since the 19th century.

According to its AOC label, Rigotte must be made from whole raw goat’s milk that is no more than 24 hours old. Goats must have access to fresh grass for at least 120 days per year, and free access to pasture for 180 days per year.

Like most fromages de chèvre, Rigotte can be eaten fresh, but the actual flavors develop on maturity. It has a firm texture that melts in the mouth, with a nutty, delicate taste of honey and acacia.