The British Love Affair with French Alpine Cheeses

Dec 01 2025

The Alps are one of the most famous mountain ranges in the world, and hold a historic romance for British people based on name alone, but also for a link to winter sports and undoubtedly also for the quality of cheeses produced in the region. Spreading across France, Switzerland and Italy, but also touching on Austria and Germany, the Alps produces rich pastures and a unique climate which combine to create very accommodating conditions for quality cheesemaking.

What makes Alpine cheeses unique?

For hundreds of years during the May to October ‘pasture season’, Alpine herdsmen and women transported cattle, sheep and goats up and down the mountainside and left them to feed on the grass, herbs and flowers. Hence, Alpine cheeses are made directly in the Alps, using traditional artisan methods and in the peak pasture season months, with no need to transport milk into the valleys. This produces cheeses with rich flavour profiles and an exceptional quality.

Alpine cheeses are characterised by usually being semi-hard to hard. The processes used involve heating huge copper cauldrons and cooking and pressing the resulting curds, which removes any excess moisture. The large wheels produced allow for a longer shelf life but also mean they travel better back down the mountainside and to their eventual end location, which perhaps also explains why British people love Alpine cheeses, because they arrive on their plate in optimal condition.

Popular Alpine French cheeses

Of course many of the most famous Alpine cheeses are Swiss in origin, but French Alpine cheeses are amongst the most popular sellers at Sodiaal UK. These include:

Raclette – Becoming increasingly popular as a street food and in food markets and festivals, raclette is the ultimate melting cheese and can be devoured on bread and with dipping potatoes and pickles. The firm, smooth and ivory paste has a fruity and nutty taste.
Comte – One of France’s biggest-selling cheeses enjoyed the world over, Comte is a product of the Franche-Comte region using milk exclusively from the Montbeliarde and Simmental herds. Comte can be aged for more than 18 months and the process involves hand-turning the wheels and manually salting and rubbing them. The result is a smooth, sliceable cheese with good melting properties and a taste that varies between floral, sweet and tangy.
Beaufort – A classic Alpine cheese with a sweetness and nuttiness. This is a cheese which improves with age and somehow adds more depth, although there are noticeable differences in the summer and winter varieties.
Abondance – Possibly the French cheese with the most history, this is a medieval cheese that is firm and supple, but has melt in the mouth qualities. The herds that make Abondance cheese are fed on natural feed all year round and are suited to the harsh climate the Alps usually produces. The taste of Abondance is strong and earthy, but well balanced.
Cantal - This Alpine cheese has a unique flavour profile that changes as the cheese ages. It starts mild but develops a much sharper and earthier complexity as the cheese matures. Cantal is also distinctive in that it is commonly used on both sweet and savoury dishes.
Tomme de Savoie – A cheese with rustic qualities born from its farming roots. Tomme de Savoie has a unique taste and aroma but a well balanced and mild flavour profile. The earthy and fruity taste can vary across the year because of the temperature range and humidity levels in the natural cellars where it is matured. Tomme de Savoie is a very versatile cheese, ideal for melting in fondues or diced into a fresh salad.

Alpine cheeses have a wide appeal because the cheesemakers in the region have a strong commitment to quality, especially when it comes to milk. This improves the taste and character of the cheese but also helps with consistency. The range of French cheeses supplied by Sodiaal have a timeless quality and are all classic cheeses in their own way, and those from the Alpine region can lift an occasion whether used on a cheeseboard, in a dish, or melted into a fondue.