Cheese Indulgence by the Fireplace

Oct 08 2025

French cheese has been providing comfort and warmth to the chilled and weather-beaten for many centuries. It has a unique warming quality that restores the body and the soul and brings you round with an instant impact to ensure you fully appreciate the winter season and the company of family and friends. So whether you are hitting the slopes or the January sales, you can hold the thought of returning to the fireplace at the end of the day and enveloping yourself in the warm blanket of a delicious French cheese.
While some French cheeses are naturally engineered to excel in the spring and summer months, when herds can feast on lush, green pastures and produce the very best fresh milk, other cheeses are geared towards the winter, when the ripening period hits the spot and the complex layers of richness and depth present us with indulgent cheeses to gorge on. Winter cheeses tend to be harder in texture and nuttier in flavour, but they also have great melting properties, for that extra gooey luxury when thawing out in front of the fire. Here we have listed our favourite winter French cheeses, which each offer versatility and depth for the perfect winter pick-me-up.

The perfect French cheeses for Winter

Raclette – An Alpine cheese widely referred to as the perfect apres-ski cheese. Its name literally means ‘to scrape’ and it has traditionally been eaten via crusty bread scraping its liquid loveliness out of a steaming pot. Also enjoy poured over potatoes for a succulent dark night treat.
Emmental – A medieval cheese that was historically used to feed crowds of villagers to see them through a long winter. Emmental is a mild tasting cheese but is versatile and adaptable for use in baking or on a cheeseboard.
Comte – Firm, nutty and a depth of flavour, this is a no-nonsense French cheese that goes well with some crusty bread for an equally no-nonsense winter treat.
Cantal – The characteristic ripening process ensures Cantal peaks in the winter period, where its crumbly texture and melt-in-the-mouth quality makes it a firm favourite on the winter dinner table.
Abondance – Another Alpine cheese, this is known as the classic mountain cheese, and its strong scent and well-balanced taste is the same whether you melt it for some indulgent loveliness or use it ‘as is’ on a cheeseboard for instant restoration after a day on the slopes.
Fourme d’Ambert – The distinctive appearance of Fourme d’Ambert could be mistaken for a snowy mountain top in itself, so it’s no surprise this is a firm winter favourite. Expect a creamy texture and a welcoming mild-blue taste from this ultimate crowd-pleaser.
Tommes de Savoie – A rustic cheese that screams winter, right down to the earthy aftertaste produced from being ripened in natural caves. This is a cheese with a complex taste profile which offers notes of fruitiness and savoury. But its ability to excel in a gooey fondue makes it ideal for settling in front of the fire and eating, drinking and chatting into the wee, small hours.