Five Cheeses to Try in France

One of the best things about traveling is connecting to the history of your destination through food. In a globalized world, it is easy to overlook the history behind what you are eating. While you don’t have to travel far to taste the food of a particular country, it is always enjoyable to try certain food from the source.

If you’re a foodie in France, or just a cheese aficionado, then there are a few cheeses you might want to try while in France. The history of most of these cheeses date back to the Middle Ages and originated from various Monasteries and Abbeys.

Maroilles cheese - this cow’s milk cheese is named after it's place of origin, Maroilles, in northern France. It was a favorite among French kings and created by French monks thousands of years ago (~7th century). It’s soft, notably square, aged for 100 days, and strong in smell. Dunking this cheese in coffee is popular in the northern part of France.

Munster cheese - a soft, ‘aromatic’ cheese from the Alsace region of France that is still made using the traditional methods (read: AOC certified).

Abondance cheese - Another AOC designated cheese from the French Alps that is harder than the above listed cheese but also smelly.

Brie de Meaux and Brie de Melun - While Brie is a widely known and popular cheese, the real deal is not imported into America. These two cheeses are AOC protected, while the Brie you get in America is not due to importation laws around pasteurization.

While in Paris, you can try all of these cheeses here.