French Cheese vs British Cheese - Who Wins the Battle of the Board?

Jul 04 2025

The cheesemaking community is a strong and proud one, with each hardworking producer appreciative of the other’s efforts. While it might be a stretch to say a French cheesemaker would share tips and secrets with a British cheesemaker, or vice versa, there is a mutual respect and admiration between them, and mainly because these are widely agreed to be the two best cheese-producing regions in the world. But when taking into consideration the history, tradition and high standards of each, who is the best? We wouldn’t want to drive a wedge between them, but while we decide, we’ll enjoy a wedge of cheese from each all the same.

The characteristics of French and British cheese

What do you think of when considering French and British cheese? And what makes one distinctive to the other?

French cheese – Is best known for its distinctive flavours and unique features, such as Morbier, Roquefort and Munster. Rind, coloured, layered and texture; there are some truly unique cheeses in the French canon. These are bound by centuries-old traditions and are still made using locally sourced herds. French cheese has been hugely influential and is a big part of French culture. Indeed, French cuisine is largely based around dishes with French cheese at their core.
British cheese – Although there is a similar traditional focus on British cheese, the industry in the UK has perhaps been more geared towards popularity, while in France the onus is on quality and history. That doesn’t mean there is less quality to British cheese, just that the cheese produced on British shores has more versatility and is produced to serve many different palates. You only have to look at the global popularity of Cheddar, Red Leicester and Wensleydale for example, to understand why British cheese continually wins global accolades.

How the French and British cheesemaking industries have evolved

In the UK it is fair to say that cheesemakers understand heritage, but are not restricted by it. While in France, cheesemaking heritage is everything. Both approaches have their merit, and in the UK modern cheesemakers like to take an artisan approach and draw inspiration from cheese tradition, to make new cheese from old cheese. There is a push towards innovation in British cheese which means the scene is ever-changing and always interesting. And it is fair to say that some of the quirky initiatives to serve and cook cheese in different ways win, and some don’t.

Across the channel it is a different picture, mainly because many French cheesemakers are restricted by AOC accreditation, and therefore can’t experiment with their methods, even if they wanted to. The culture of French cheesemaking isn’t about evolution and experimentation, it is about celebrating the classics and quite simply never changing. Why mess with something so good?

So what is the verdict: French or British cheese?

In truth, there is no clear winner in this debate, and while we might be accused of ducking out of making the big call, we have to say we love both French and British cheese equally. We can’t resist a Caerphilly or a Cheshire cheese, as much as we long for a Brie or a Camembert. If you like your cheesemaking tradition and indulging yourself on decadent quality, then there are plenty of French cheeses for you, while similarly, you can tour the British regions of Somerset, Wales, Sussex or North Yorkshire and find the producers of some of the most popular cheeses in the world.

At the crux of it, both France and the UK produce high quality cheeses and a diverse range of products that can be enjoyed as a snack, in a meal, or on a cheeseboard. And we won’t argue with any cheese lover over which is best, because with such a wealth of quality cheeses to select from, it all comes down to personal preference.

If you want to choose some of the best French cheeses for your café or restaurant in the UK, then check out our range at Sodiaal and order today.