A Quick Guide to 6 of the Best French Cheeses

A Quick Guide to 6 of the Best French Cheeses

France is famous for its cuisine, each region boasting a signature dish, wine, and bread. Nothing stands out more than the cheeses, many of them unique to a particular province, with hundreds of varieties found throughout the Country.

Former French President Charles de Gaulle once said, "How can anyone govern a country which has two hundred and forty-six varieties of cheese?"

Today, that number has almost doubled since de Gaulle uttered those words in 1962. While it takes time to sample and appreciate all the Fromage France has to offer, this guide provides a crash course on a few varieties popular among French consumers.

1. Cantal that somewhat resembles English cheddar.
Dating back to the time of the Gauls, this is one of the oldest cheeses in France. Produced in farms and local dairies throughout the ALIvergne region of central France, Cantal comes in a milder, Jeune version and the stronger, more mature entre Deux for people who prefer a bolder flavor. The nutty, earthy taste of Cantal is a delicious addition for soups and salads, alongside nuts and fruit, or melted in a simple fondue. In France, it's a popular choice for gratins and aliquots. Any medium red wine makes for a nice pairing with Cantal cheese.

2. Tomme de Savoie
The word "tomme," a generic term meaning "a wheel of cheese," is often followed by the region or village that produced that particular cheese. One example is Tomme de Savoie, made in Savoy in the French Alps. This semi-firm cheese is made from skimmed cow's milk, resulting in its relatively lower fat content. Tomme de Savoie's milky texture holds a grassy, mushroomy flavor and an earthy aroma. It pairs well with sausages and fruits or a piece of a fresh, tasty baguette. A medium red wine from Côtes du Rhône or a full-bodied Shiraz brings out the earthy taste of this simple, rustic cheese.

3 Camembert
Arguably one of the most famous cheeses in France, Camembert has many imitators, but if it hasn't received its A.O.C. from Normandy, then that cheese isn't Camembert. The legend claims that Marie Harel produced the cheese in 1791 after leaming the craft from a priest hailing from Brie. Harel presented his creation to Napoleon IIl in 1855, and the emperor's fondness for it boosted its reputation.

The creamy, pungent cheese gained further popularity when surrealist painter Salvador Dali found inspiration for his famous melting clocks after seeing a wheel of the runny cheese softening in the sun. Camembert is best at room temperature on a fresh baguette, served with something like a Beaujolais or another light red wine, or the traditional glass of cold Normandy cider.

4. Brie de Meal
IX While Brie cheese is relatively widespread in the U.S., regulations forbid the import of genuine Brie de Meaux because it is non-pasteurized. Sometimes referred to as "Le Roi des Fromages" or, "the King of Cheeses," Brie de Meaux boasts a history that dates back to the days of Emperor Charlemagne in 774. Pairing well with champagne, it has a soft, buttery texture and a sweet, nutty taste, as well as a thick, white crust that also should get eaten.

Its mellow flavor is pleasing to those who aren't fond of stronger cheeses. Brie is also great for melting, making it an excellent ingredient for grilled cheese, quiche, and pizza.

5. Saint Nectaire
Saint Nectaire is a semi-soft cheese made from the milk of cows that graze on the volcanic terrain of the Auvergne region. This longtime staple has even graced the table of Louis XIV. Although you can find Saint Nectaire (and a significant difference between what you get from a farm and what comes from industrial dairies. Large-scale producers often sell their cheese without allowing adequate maturation, which results in a taste and texture interior to that of farm fare.

Saint Nectaire is smooth and creamy, has the earthy aroma of cellars and hay, and a nutty, mushroomy flavor that pairs well with any light, medium, or full-bodied red wine. A glass of Côtes d'Aivergne or Bordeaux is a nice complement to this farmhouse cheese.

6. Fourme d'Ambert
This blue cheese dates back to ancient Roman times. It is made from raw cow's milk from the Auvergne region of France, with a distinct, narrow cylindrical shape.