Maison du Camembert

What You See

The museum fills an 18th-century Normandy farmhouse in the heart of the village, between the church and the town hall. It tells the story of Camembert and how it has been made, from farmhouse cheese to modern dairy, and shows a collection of Camembert labels from around the world.

The visit continues through a glazed corridor into the Fromagerie de Beaumoncel, the first dairy built in the village itself. Videos explain each step from milk to Camembert de Normandie AOP. Come in the morning, Monday to Friday: Camembert is moulded Tuesday to Saturday, and on Mondays the dairy moulds Pont-l'Évêque.

The visit ends in the shop, built in the shape of a Camembert box, with a plate of three Camemberts to compare: pasteurised, thermised and raw milk.

The Dairy

The Fromagerie de Beaumoncel started making cheese on 18 August 2021. It turns the milk of 150 cows from Arthur Danière's Ferme de Val Danière into farmhouse Camembert de Normandie AOP, ladled by hand, about 1,000 cheeses a day. Its Camembert won bronze at the Concours Général Agricole in 2022, the first farmhouse Camembert de Normandie to win a medal there, and silver in 2023.

Marie Harel

The modern Camembert is credited to Marie Harel, a farmer born in Crouttes in 1761, who worked at the manor of Beaumoncel above the village. The story goes that a priest hiding there during the Revolution passed her the secret of the cheese.

Hours and Tickets

In 2026 the Maison opened from 1 April to 1 November. Last admission to the museum:

• April and October: Wednesday to Sunday, 10 to 11:30am and 2 to 4:45pm.
• May, June and September: every day, 10 to 11:45am and 2 to 4:45pm.
• July and August: every day, 9:30 to 11:45am and 2 to 5:15pm.

The shop keeps longer hours, up to 6pm in summer. Tickets are €4.50 from 14, €2.50 for ages 11 to 14, and €3.50 each for groups of more than 15. The price includes the tasting.

Practical Details

The address is 61 Le Bourg, 61120 Camembert, 4 km from Vimoutiers. Park in front of the town hall (cars, coaches and campervans); there is a picnic area at the entrance to the village. The Maison is accessible to disabled visitors. Dogs are not allowed.

Nearby

The Maison recommends two cider farms nearby, La Galotière in Crouttes and the Vergers du Chouquet in Roiville. For Livarot and Pont-l'Évêque, continue to Graindorge in Livarot, or follow the Normandy cheese route.