French Cheese
A country of a thousand cheeses - from creamy Brie and Camembert to blue Roquefort and pungent washed rinds, the glory of the French table.
Updated 4 September 2026
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France is a country of cheese, with hundreds of varieties, and de Gaulle famously wondered how one could govern a nation with so many. From the creamy Brie and Camembert of Normandy to the blue Roquefort, the nutty Comte, the pungent washed-rind Epoisses and the fresh goat cheeses of the Loire, the cheese course is a glory of the French table.
What to look for
- Soft cheeses - the creamy Brie, Camembert and washed-rind Epoisses.
- Blue and hard cheeses - Roquefort, Comte and the mountain cheeses.
- Goat cheeses - the fresh and aged chevre of the Loire and beyond.
- The cheese board and fromagerie - the cheese course and the specialist shops.
When to go
Year-round; a cheese course after a meal, or a market and fromagerie for a picnic. A good fromagerie will advise and let you taste.
Good to know
The variety is overwhelming, so ask a fromagerie for advice and to taste. The strongest, pungent cheeses are an acquired taste. Unpasteurised versions, the finest, are the real thing but not to all palates.
Nearby
Fromageries and markets across France sell it; it belongs with a baguette and a glass of wine.
What to pack for French Cheese
Chosen from what this place is for. Tap a kit for the full checklist.
- A reusable bag or container - For market produce and cutting down on packaging. Find on Amazon
- Wet wipes + hand sanitiser - Street food and washbasins do not always go together. Find on Amazon
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