Cheeses from France

A guide to cheeses from France, highlighting the country's most notable and diverse varieties.

Clear Filters

Blue

A type of cheese injected or inoculated with Penicillium mold to create blue or green veins, resulting in a tangy, sharp flavor and creamy or crumbly texture.

Country: France
Milk Type: Cow, Sheep, Goat
Texture: Creamy , Crumbly , Granular , Soft
Flavor: Sharp, Tangy, Savory, Salty, Pungent

Brie

Brie is a soft cheese named after the French region from which it originated. It’s famous for its creamy interior and edible white rind. Brie has a rich, buttery flavor with hints of mushrooms and almonds. It’s often served at …

Country: France
Milk Type: Cow's milk
Texture: Buttery , Creamy , Smooth , Soft
Flavor: Nutty, Mushroom

Camembert

Camembert is a famous French cheese with a soft, creamy interior and a <a href="https://anycheese.com/glossary/bloomy-rind/" title="Detailed Article About Bloomy Rind Cheeses">bloomy rind<a>. It's made from cow's milk and has a rich, buttery flavor with earthy undertones. True Camembert from Normandy …

Country: France
Milk Type: Cow's milk
Texture: Soft
Flavor: Sweet

Roquefort

Roquefort is a famous blue cheese from the south of France, made from sheep's milk. It is known for its strong, tangy flavor and moist, crumbly texture. The cheese is ripened in the natural Combalou caves of Roquefort-sur-Soulzon, where it …

Country: France
Milk Type: Sheep's milk
Texture: Moist, very creamy
Flavor: Mild to strong

Reblochon

Reblochon is a soft washed-rind and smear-ripened French cheese from the Alps region of Savoy. The cheese has a creamy, nutty taste under its orange-colored rind. It was traditionally made using the second milking of cows, which produces a richer …

Country: France
Milk Type: Raw whole cow’s milk
Texture: Ivory-colored, creamy and supple
Flavor: Creamy, nutty

Mont d'Or

Mont d'Or, or Vacherin Mont d'Or, is a seasonal, soft cheese made from cow's milk in the Jura region of France. Available from September to May, it has a delicate, creamy texture and a rich, earthy flavor. Mont d'Or is …

Country: France
Milk Type: Cow's milk
Texture: Soft
Flavor: Resinous, mild to pungent

Mimolette

Mimolette is a hard cheese from the region of Lille, France, known for its bright orange color and spherical shape. It has a firm texture and a nutty, sweet flavor that deepens as it ages. Older Mimolette is known for …

Country: France
Milk Type: Cow's milk
Texture: Smooth, creamy body
Flavor: Sweet, less acidic, fruity, nutty, caramel

Munster

Munster is a strong-smelling, soft cheese from the Alsace and Lorraine regions of France. It has a washed rind, which gives it a red-orange color and a distinctive pungent aroma. The flavor is rich and tangy, often enjoyed with cumin …

Country: France
Milk Type: Cow's milk
Texture: Semisoft
Flavor: Strong, gamey

Époisses

Époisses is a strongly flavored, washed-rind cheese from Burgundy, made from cow's milk. It is known for its creamy texture and rich, intense flavor with hints of barnyard and bacon. The rind is washed with Marc de Bourgogne brandy during …

Country: France
Milk Type: Cow's Milk
Texture: Soft and creamy
Flavor: Subtle, fruity, distinctive, balanced

Comté

Comté is a French cheese made from cow's milk in the Jura region of France. It is one of the most popular AOC (Appellation d'Origine Contrôlée) cheeses, known for its complex flavors which can include hints of apricot, chocolate, butter, …

Country: France
Milk Type: Cow's Milk
Texture: Smooth; Semi-hard
Flavor: Nutty, creamy, sweet to meaty, roasted

Ossau-Iraty

Ossau-Iraty is a traditional cheese from the Basque and Béarn regions of France. Made from sheep's milk, it has a smooth, creamy texture and a rich, nutty flavor. This cheese is often enjoyed on its own or used in cooking, …

Country: France
Milk Type: Sheep's milk
Texture: Homogeneous, uncooked, pressed
Flavor: Fruity, herbaceous, nutty

Chèvre (Goat Cheese)

Chèvre is the French word for goat, and it refers to any cheese made from goat's milk. These cheeses can vary widely in texture from soft and creamy to firm and crumbly. Chèvre flavors range from mild and smooth to …

Country: France
Milk Type: Goat
Texture: Crumbly , Soft
Flavor: Tangy

Cantal

Cantal is one of the oldest cheeses from France, originating from the Auvergne region. It comes in two varieties: young Cantal, which is soft and buttery, and aged Cantal, which is more robust and tangy. This firm cheese is similar …

Country: France
Milk Type: Cow's milk
Texture: Firm
Flavor: Varies

Saint-Nectaire

Saint-Nectaire is a semi-soft, washed-rind cheese from the volcanic region in the Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes of France. Made from cow's milk, it has a creamy, supple texture with earthy notes and hints of nuts and mushrooms. Saint-Nectaire is typically aged for at …

Country: France
Milk Type: Cow’s milk (Holstein, Montbéliarde, sometimes Salers)
Texture: Soft and tender
Flavor: Delicate hazelnut

Rocamadour

Rocamadour is a small, round goat cheese from the Midi-Pyrénées region of France. It belongs to the Cabécou family of cheeses and has a creamy texture with a nutty, sweet flavor that intensifies as it ages. Rocamadour is typically eaten …

Country: France
Milk Type: Goat's milk
Texture: Soft and creamy; becomes drier (matured)
Flavor: Mild; becomes stronger

Livarot

Livarot is a strong-smelling, washed-rind cheese from Normandy. It is nicknamed "The Colonel" because of the five strips of raffia that encircle the cheese, similar to the stripes on a French army colonel's uniform. This cheese has a spicy, pungent …

Country: France
Milk Type: Cow's milk
Texture: Chewy, Melts in the mouth
Flavor: Pungent

Beaufort

Beaufort is a smooth, creamy cheese from the Savoie region of France. Known for its distinct concave wheel shape, it is produced from raw cow's milk and aged in mountain caves for a minimum of five months. Beaufort has a …

Country: France
Milk Type: Cow's milk
Texture: Hard

Valençay

Valençay is an unpasteurized goat cheese from the Berry province of France, known for its distinctive truncated pyramidal shape and ash-covered rind. It has a soft, creamy texture and a mild, lemony flavor with a hint of saltiness. The cheese's …

Country: France
Milk Type: Goat’s milk
Texture: Fresh: fine and creamy; Mature: slightly crumbly
Flavor: Goat, undergrowth, floral hints

Brie de Meaux

Brie de Meaux is a variety of Brie that is considered one of the finest cheeses in the world, holding AOC designation. It features a more complex flavor profile than regular Brie, including a rich, creamy interior with flavors of …

Country: France
Milk Type: Cow's milk
Texture: Soft
Flavor: Cream, butter, hazelnuts

Brillat-Savarin

Brillat-Savarin is a decadent triple-cream cheese named after the famous French gastronome. This cheese is exceptionally rich and creamy with at least 75% butterfat content. It has a mild, slightly tangy flavor with a smooth, melt-in-your-mouth texture, often enjoyed with …

Country: France
Milk Type: Cow's milk
Texture: Semisoft
Flavor: Luxurious, tangy, sour, mushroomy softened butter

Was this page helpful?