Dec 23 2025
France produces some of the most famous cheeses in the world, and it is easy to stick to a much-rehearsed routine of enjoying these well-established names, particularly when they consistently deliver epic flavours and intoxicating aroma and texture. So it is no surprise that names such as Brie, Bethmale, Cantal, Comte, Munster and Roquefort continue to be the biggest selling and most popular French cheeses around. But any cheese connoisseur will agree that enjoying speciality cheeses is something of a journey, and you should never restrict yourself to just a limited range of products when there is such a wealth of taste experiences out there.
So here we have identified some of the lesser-known French cheeses in a bid to introduce your palate to some new flavour profiles. Stick these on your New Year shopping list and turn over a new leaf by getting familiar with what you have been missing.
While Roquefort or Bleu Saint Flour might be the go-to Blue cheese for those cheese aficionados who love some strong pungent cheese, Bleu d’Auvergne is a variation you should definitely sample. Bleu d’Auvergne was first produced by a farmer from the Auvergne region in central France in 1845, and today it is still ripened for 28 days and is a creamy blue cheese with a pronounced taste. Many people say Bleu d’Auvergne is a more accommodating blue cheese, for those that need a gentle introduction, but that underplays its creamy texture and what is still a distinctive taste with a singular character.
Bleu d’Auvergne is a very smooth blue cheese, but is also crumbly. Hence it is a versatile cheese used in many forms of cooking, such as souffles or melted on a steak or a burger. Despite its strong flavour many people use it in sweet dishes also, while it is a perennial favourite on a French cheeseboard too.
Quite rightly, people might opt for Brie as their soft cheese of choice, but for some variation Coulommiers really hits the spot. It is known as the ‘little Brie from Coulommiers’ because it shares many similar characteristics, a white bloomy rind containing a deliciously creamy soft cheese. But Coulommiers offers so much on its own that such a comparison is downplaying its many special qualities. Coulommiers comes from specially selected raw milk and is ripened over a two-month period, during which it enjoys almost constant attention.
You can taste the raw milk in the resulting cheese, and while many people also compare it to Camembert it has a slightly more delicate taste that is very more’ish. Coulommiers originates from the Lorraine region of northeastern France and is also characterised by its rind growing darker as it ages, making it easy to age the cheese and select the perfect flavour profile for you.
Another Auvergne cheese is Mont Brie Bleu which uses milk sourced from the region to merge two great cheeses into one. Fusing together the brilliance of Brie and blue cheeses, the result is a unique cheese that delivers an authentic taste to die for. Mont Brie Bleu is very spreadable and with a mild taste and creamy texture is a surefire crowd-pleaser on a cheeseboard.
The taste of blue cheese is delicate and subtle while the softness of Brie is delightfully indulgent. But Mont Brie Bleu somehow develops a character of its own, and you should definitely sample it before too long.
The mountainous Pyrenees region brings us Ossau Iraty, a distinctive name for a truly distinctive cheese. The mild climate and natural feed helps the local sheep produce this firm but smooth ewe’s milk cheese which has a thick rind and an enticing yellow appearance. The rind should be embossed with a ewe’s head, if you are looking for signs of authenticity, but you should achieve that with the first bite.
Ossau Iraty has a melt in the mouth quality that is impossible to replicate, and is a versatile cheese that can be enjoyed in almost every possible way.
It doesn’t take a genius to guess where Tomme de Pyrenees also originates from, but there are two variations which each have their own character and appeal. Tomme Noire comes in a black rind, while the stronger tasting Tomme Doree has a golden rind. Take your pick, or pick both, because they each offer a smooth and creamy finish and their own delicate taste.
The two variations essentially differ in their ripening time which helps to develop the full-bodied flavour which can be enjoyed melted into waffles or onto some bread for a simple and delicious snack.
You can select and order all these cheeses from our French cheese range at Sodiaal.
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