Hard Cheeses from France

Comté is a hard cheese from eastern France, made daily from raw cow's milk in village dairies called fruitières. It holds PDO status, has the largest production of any French PDO cheese, and tastes mild, nutty, salty and slightly sweet.

Gruyère is a hard Swiss cheese from the cantons of Fribourg, Vaud, Neuchâtel, Jura and Bern. It is sweet with a salty edge, creamy and nutty when young, sharper and earthier with age, and it melts well enough to carry …

Beaufort is a firm raw cow's milk cheese from the Savoie region of the French Alps, part of the gruyère family. Its wheels take a concave shape from the beechwood hoop, and the cheese melts easily enough to be a …

Mimolette is a hard, bright orange cow's milk cheese made around Lille in northern France. It is sold at several ages, from young wheels that taste like Parmesan to extra-old ones with a hazelnut flavor and a grey, mite-worked rind.

Ardi Gasna is a French sheep milk cheese, counted among the country's traditional sheep milk varieties alongside Roquefort, Ossau-Iraty and Abbaye de Bellocq.

Cantal, also known as Fourme de Cantal, is a traditional French cheese made entirely from cow's milk. It is characterized by a dry crust that thickens as it ripens and a hard, uncooked paste that is pressed twice. The cheese …

Essex Comté is a hard cheese made from unpasteurized cow's milk in the Franche-Comté region of France. Known also as Essex Reserve Comté, it offers a rich, buttery flavor with hints of citrus and cream. Its aroma is predominantly buttery, …

Sancerre is a French cheese made from goat's milk, known for its hard texture and natural rind. With a fat content of 40%, it offers a strong, nutty flavor that appeals to those who enjoy bold tastes. This cheese pairs …

Tomme Brulee is a French cheese made from pasteurized sheep's milk. This hard cheese is known for its smokey flavor and has a fruity aroma that adds to its appeal. The cheese is typically enjoyed as part of a cheese …