Are you planning a trip to France? Apart from famous landmarks or monuments, France is one of the top places in the world for an authentic gustatory experience. When in France, don’t forget the best French cheeses to try for beginners to complete your French trip.
It is believed that the Romans introduced cheese to France, and it was the French monasteries that started to master the delicious French cheese tradition. These monks are very detailed in making these cheeses, and their well-crafted experimentation is why we have these great cheeses we have to date.
There are hundreds of cheese varieties in France. For French people, cheese is more than just something you eat. It is also something that defines their unique culture.
Read on if you want to know the best cheese to try for beginners or learn more about a food staple on the French table.
But before that, how do we choose French cheese anyway?
- First, assess what type of flavours and textures you’re usually drawn to if you like the strong or mild taste, soft, hard or creamy —or maybe a combination.
- Decide which French cheese you’d like to try.
- Ask for French cheese from a specific region if you prefer.
- Be prepared to tell the vendors the exact amount of cheese you want, as they can always unwrap and cut a smaller piece for you if needed.
- Ask the cheesemakers for their best cheese suggestions for you.
- Or grab a cheese tasting platter
Still confused?
No worries, because we’re here to help you decide on the best French cheeses to try as a beginner.
What are the Types of French Cheese?
- Soft – is made from cow’s milk, aged for about a month, and has white surfaces.
- Semi-soft – made from both pasteurized and raw milk.
- Hard – aged cheeses that usually become firmer and more pungent. They are often packed with more flavour. They also have a longer shelf life and are often used for grating onto dishes.
- Semi-hard – is often pressed during the production process to remove moisture.
- Bleu – have mould cultures introduced to deliver the final product with a blue-veined or spotted appearance
- Goat’s Cheese – created from goat’s milk, gives an earthy and sometimes barnyard flavour to the final cheese.
- Fresh – also known as unripened cheese, is made by a curdling cow, sheep, or goat milk, then draining off the whey.
#1 Brie de Meaux
Brie is my personal favourite. For someone slowly acquiring the taste for dairy products, this is a must-try. It is a soft cheese made from cow’s milk; Brie de Meaux is an instant hit. This flat cheese has a soft rind covered in white mould. It matures in cellars on straw mats in the Île-de-France area for at least four weeks. Brie de Meaux was also known as the cheese of royalty back in the day.
#2 Comté
Comté is a large, hard cheese produced from unpasteurized cow’s milk, with at least 45% fat and a pressed, cooked paste.
Each cheese wheel is unique, with many taste varieties that vary from milky, spicy, roasted, fruity, buttery, or plant-like. Its maturation time lasts at least 120 days, and it is turned and scrubbed regularly during the process.
#3 Emmental
Emmental is hard to miss with its hole formation. It is a yellow, medium-hard cheese with a savoury but mild taste. The inside is smooth, and the fragrance and flavour are smooth and sweet. This cheese can be used in several cooked dishes, including gratins and fondues.
Good to know: It is the most consumed cheese in France.
#4 Camembert de Normandie
Camembert de Normandie is the most iconic cheese in France. It is produced from raw cow’s milk and weighs an average of 250 grams. Camembert’s flavour is intense, sharp, and similar to mushrooms, grass, and butter, while the fragrance is mouldy and can be similar to that of a cabbage.
Good to know: This is one of the most popular French cheeses.
#5 Roquefort
Hailed as one of the greatest cheeses of France, Roquefort is made from full-fat, unpasteurized sheep’s milk. It contains blue veins scattered throughout its body, formed from the spores of Penicillium Roqueforti before the cheese is pressed.
It is locally called the “Cheese of Kings and Popes”.
#6 Reblochon
Reblochon is a semi-hard, pressed cheese. It weighs about 500 grams, made from unpasteurized cow’s milk that has to ripen for at least 15 days.
According to an old story, it exists today because a farmer created the milk into cheese to hide a portion of his milk production to lessen the ‘milk taxes’ he paid to the field owners.
#7 Fromage Blanc
Fromage Blanc is a fresh cheese made from cow’s milk. It has a known soft, creamy, and spreadable texture.
The flavours are mild, smooth, and citrusy, while the aroma remains fresh. The cream is often added to Fromage Blanc to enhance its rich flavours.
#8 Fromage Frais
Made from whole or skimmed cow’s, goat’s, or sheep’s milk, Fromage Frais is undoubtedly a cheese worth trying. It is sometimes enriched with the addition of cream. Smooth and creamy are its known textures.
This cheese is usually eaten together with caviar, but it can also be an accompaniment to fruit or honey. And yup, it also pairs well with sparkling white wines and fortified wines.
Good to know: Fromage Blanc shouldn’t be confused with Fromage Frais. The latter contains live cultures, while the fermentation in Fromage Blanc has ceased.
#9 Muenster
Muenster is a zesty cheese famous for its strong scent and soft, smooth interior, with a texture almost like melting chocolate.
The brick-red rind unveils a golden, barely sweet, slightly moist interior. In its native areas, this cheese is tamed by serving it with potatoes and cumin. Definitely not for the faint-hearted.
#10 Beaufort
This cheese is named after its town of origin, Beaufort. It is a hard cheese made from raw milk of the Tarentaise cattle breed. Beaufort is usually matured longer than the other French cheeses at about four to five months.
How to Eat French Cheese?
In France, Cheese is eaten in moderation. It’s more on quality rather than quantity.
Cheese is usually served after the main course, before dessert, and is often eaten in place of dessert.
According to French tradition, cheese should be served in odd numbers, usually three, five, or seven. It’s traditionally served whole or in large portions to remain moist.
Cheese is also often eaten with bread. It’s noteworthy to remember that the cheese is the main deal and shouldn’t be overpowered by the bread. Don’t eat your cheese with large pieces of bread. Instead, rip your bread into small pieces to compliment the cheese.
Good to know: It is not advised to put your bread onto the plate with your cheese. The bread should sit directly on the table, next to your plate. Salad, fresh fruit or wine are usually served with cheese
Any kind of regular cheese alone is already delicious. But to taste different cheese varieties will absolutely give you an authentic French experience.
The French have refined and perfected their cheeses for over a thousand years, so they are proud of it with hundreds of varieties. Therefore, it should be no surprise that it remains a daily food necessity for many people.
With that being said, no trip to France is complete without trying delicious French cheese. So keep in mind to try as many as you can when you visit the stunning country!
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If you had your French cheese experience, share it with us through our comments section.
