"that took place in the region. The Touques River flows through Pont-l'Évêque, which takes its name from a bridge (""pont"") built over the river. Starting in the 10th century, the local bishop (""évêque"") took responsibility for building and repairing the bridges and roads in France. Pont-l'Évêque thus means ""Bishop Bridge."" It was Latinised as ""Pons-Episcopi"". Pont-l'Évêque was the birthplace of: Pont-l'Évêque, Calvados Pont-l'Évêque is a commune in the Calvados department in the Normandy region in northwestern France. It is known for Pont-l'Évêque cheese, a type of soft cheese, the oldest Normandy cheese in production. During World War II, the town"
"Camembert, Orne Camembert is a commune in the Orne department in north-western France. It is the place where camembert cheese originated. Camembert has been called ""The largest small village in France."" This is because the area of the commune itself is out of proportion to the center of the village which consists of the Cheese Museum (in the shape of a Camembert cheese), the Town Hall (Mairie), the Church of St Anne, the ""Ferme Président"" (a museum), Beamoncel (the house where Marie Harel, the creator of camembert cheese lived) and 3 other small houses. The rest of the commune is"
"of official French breeds (Marinelandaise and Betizu) endangered. The area has many quality labels (""Veau fermier élevé sous la mère"", Limousin beef ...). Goats (regional breeds: Poitevine, Pyrenees and Massif Central) are mainly concentrated in the north of the region (Charente, Charente-Maritime, Deux-Sèvres and Vienne) and are used for cheese production (chabichou, Mothais sur feuille, ""Jonchée""). These four departments alone account for 30% of French goat herd, more than 200,000 heads. Some departments complement this area (Corrèze and Dordogne with a part of the production of Rocamadour AOC). Sheep farming (regional races: Basque-béarnaise, Landes, limousine, manech black head, red head"
"by the monks of the Grande Chartreuse. Since the 2014 administrative reform, the ancient area of Auvergne is now part of the region. One of its leading chefs is Regis Marcon. Oysters come from the Oléron-Marennes basin, while mussels come from the Bay of Aiguillon. High-quality produce comes from the region's hinterland, especially goat cheese. This region and in the Vendée is grazing ground for ""Parthenaise"" cattle, while poultry is raised in Challans. The region of Poitou-Charentes purportedly produces the best butter and cream in France. Cognac is also made in the region along the Charente River. Limousin is home"
"scattered over . The village is most noted for the early development of camembert cheese by Marie Harel in 1791. Camembert, Orne Camembert is a commune in the Orne department in north-western France. It is the place where camembert cheese originated. Camembert has been called ""The largest small village in France."" This is because the area of the commune itself is out of proportion to the center of the village which consists of the Cheese Museum (in the shape of a Camembert cheese), the Town Hall (Mairie), the Church of St Anne, the ""Ferme Président"" (a museum), Beamoncel (the house"
"Coulommiers cheese Coulommiers is a soft ripened cheese from Coulommiers in the Seine-et-Marne department of France. It is made from cow's milk, and is usually in the shape of a disc with white, bloomy, edible ""Penicillium candidum"" rind. When produced as an artisanal or ""farmhouse"" cheese from unpasteurized milk, it has some reddish blush in parts of the rind. The period of ripening when made of pasteurised whole milk is about four to six weeks. The fat content is 40 per cent. Coulommiers is a lesser-known cousin of Brie, although it has been produced for longer. It is smaller and"
"Champagne-Ardenne Champagne-Ardenne () is a former administrative region of France, located in the northeast of the country, bordering Belgium. Mostly corresponding to the historic province of Champagne, the region is known for its sparkling white wine of the same name. The administrative region was formed in 1956, consisting of the four departments Aube, Ardennes, Haute-Marne, and Marne. On 1 January 2016, it merged with the neighboring regions of Alsace and Lorraine to form the new region Grand Est, thereby ceasing to exist as an independent entity. Its rivers, most of which flow west, include the Seine, the Marne, and the"
"Saint-Félicien cheese Saint-Félicien is a cow's milk cheese produced in the Rhône-Alpes region of France. In France, it is designated a ""dauphinois"" cheese, referring to the former French province Dauphiné where it originated. It is a close cousin of another dauphinois cheese, Saint-Marcellin, and bears a similar texture and taste, though it can be almost twice as large in diameter. The name originates from the small town where the cheese was first produced and sold. It was originally made from goat's milk, but since then it has become more common to produce it with cow's milk. Its creamy interior is"
"Brie Brie (; ) is a soft cow's-milk cheese named after Brie, the French region from which it originated (roughly corresponding to the modern ""département"" of Seine-et-Marne). It is pale in color with a slight grayish tinge under a rind of white mould. The rind is typically eaten, with its flavor depending largely upon the ingredients used and its manufacturing environment. It is similar to Camembert, which is native to a different region of France. Brie may be produced from whole or semi-skimmed milk. The curd is obtained by adding rennet to raw milk and warming it to a maximum"
"and camembert are also made. The state of Guanajuato is known for its reproduction of European cheeses, especially those from France. In Chiapas, personnel from the Universidad Autónoma de Chiapas have been investigating a Spanish cheese called ""la Serena"", which is made in the region of Extremadura with the aim of creating a certified version of it in Mexico. This includes the importation and raising of Merino sheep, as well as learning the methods behind this cheese. The reason behind the effort is that large parts of the state have a similar climate to Extremadura, making the raising of this"
"Saint Albray Saint Albray is a cheese which comes from the Aquitaine region of France. Invented in 1976, the cheese is a French soft cheese and roughly similar to Camembert cheese, it has the same attributes, but is not quite as strong and more fat than the latter. Made with pasteurized cow's milk, this popular cheese is ripened for 2 weeks and formed into a shape like the head of a flower with each ""petal"" forming a half pound of cheese. The ""petals"" are formed around a disk, when removed, it creates a hollow center giving the impression of the"
"Chevrotin Chevrotin is a soft goat's milk based cheese produced in the historical region of Savoy, (France). Since 2002 it has enjoyed an AOC designation. Chevrotin has been produced since the 17th century in the Alpine foothills of the Savoyard Chablais, Bauges and districts. The landscape presents difficulties to agriculture, with steep gradients, a damp climate and a thin limestone based soil that supports a restricted vegetation. The only domesticated animals that can feed here are goats: these are also able to move around with the same sure-footedness as the chamois who live nearer the mountain peaks. Chevrotin is made"
"Manche. To the north is the Baie de la Seine, part of the English Channel. On the east, the Seine River forms the boundary with Seine-Maritime. Calvados includes the Bessin area, the Pays d'Auge and the area known as the ""Suisse normande"" (""Norman Switzerland""). The most notable places in Calvados include Deauville and the formerly elegant 19th-century casino resorts of the coast. Agriculture dominates the economy of Calvados. The area is known for producing butter, cheese, cider and Calvados, the apple spirit that takes its name from the area. The President of the General Council is the centrist Jean-Léonce Dupont,"
"Chaumes Chaumes is a cow's milk cheese from Saint-Antoine-de-Breuilh in the Périgord (South West of France), made by traditional cheese-making processes. Translated literally, ""chaumes"" is French for ""stubble"". The cheese is mass produced in factories. Based upon traditional Trappist-style cheeses, it is a rather popular cheese among modern French varieties, in particular with children. It is a soft pale cheese with a rich full-bodied flavour and smooth creamy and quite rubbery texture. Its aroma comes from the soft rind, which has a bright tangerine-orange color. The rind appears after several washings of the crust, along with brushing with some ferments."
"was granted an Appellation d'origine contrôlée or AOC in 1990. The region has been known for its cheese since at least the 14th century when monks from the ""Sainte Marie d'Abondance"" Monastery are recorded to have supplied cheese to the papal conclave at Avignon. Abondance cheese can be either artisanal or farm-made; it is now made exclusively in the area of Abondance in Chablais, Haute-Savoie. The ageing period for Abondance is a minimum of three months on specially-prepared spruce boards. Abondance cheese Abondance is a semi-hard, fragrant, raw-milk cheese made in the Haute-Savoie department of France. Its name comes from"
"terms of taste, camembert has a stronger, slightly sour, and sometimes chalky taste. The texture of camembert is softer than that of brie, and if warmed, camembert will become creamier, whereas brie warms without losing as much structure. Brie Brie (; ) is a soft cow's-milk cheese named after Brie, the French region from which it originated (roughly corresponding to the modern ""département"" of Seine-et-Marne). It is pale in color with a slight grayish tinge under a rind of white mould. The rind is typically eaten, with its flavor depending largely upon the ingredients used and its manufacturing environment. It"
"of Belley and the location of Belley Cathedral. Belley is the home region of St. Peter Chanel, the famous 19th-century Marist missionary martyr and proto-martyr of Oceania. The town is famed for its cheese, ""la Tome de Belley,"" also known as Chevret or still ""Le pavé d'Affinois"". It is also at the centre of the Bugey wine region. It is also home to a sizeable Volvo production unit producing compact excavators, Comatel and Ciat. Belley Belley (, Arpitan: Bèlê) is a commune in the Ain department in eastern France. Belley is of Roman origin, and in the 5th century became"
"Rocamadour cheese Rocamadour is a French cheese from the southwest part of the country. It is produced in the regions of Périgord and Quercy and takes its name from the village of Rocamadour in the ""département"" of the Lot. Rocamadour belongs to a family of goat cheeses called Cabécous and has benefited from being accorded an AOC (appellation d'origine contrôlée) designation since 1996. It is a very small whitish cheese (average weight 35 g) with a flat round shape (see illustration). Rocamadour is usually sold very young after just 12-15 days of aging and is customarily consumed on hot toast"
"cheese, cream and butter). Laguiole cheese Laguiole (, locally ), sometimes called Tome de Laguiole, is a French cheese from the plateau of Aubrac, situated at between 800 - 1500m, in the region of Aveyron in the southern part of France. It takes its name from the little village Laguiole and has been protected under the French Appellation d'Origine Contrôlée (AOC) since 1961 and by the amended decree in 1986. Laguiole is said to have been invented at a monastery in the mountains of Aubrac in the 19th century. According to historical accounts, the monks passed down the recipe for"
"referred to as lakes), the majority of which are man-made and were created during the Middle Ages. The regions to the south of Lyon produce fruits, vegetables and wines in the Vallée du Rhône (En: Rhône Valley). In the Ardèche, a department in south-central France named after the Ardèche River, farmers continue to develop the cultivation of chestnuts, which are a key ingredient in the traditional French Christmas dish, turkey with chestnuts. The Dauphiné region, which is known for its pork products and cheeses such as the ""Saint-Felicien"" or the ""Saint-Marcellin"", is also located to the south of Lyon as"
"Roquefort Roquefort ( ; ; ) is a sheep milk cheese from the south of France, and together with Bleu d'Auvergne, Stilton, and Gorgonzola is one of the world's best known blue cheeses. Though similar cheeses are produced elsewhere, EU law dictates that only those cheeses aged in the natural Combalou caves of Roquefort-sur-Soulzon may bear the name Roquefort, as it is a recognised geographical indication, or has a protected designation of origin. The cheese is white, tangy, crumbly and slightly moist, with distinctive veins of blue mold. It has characteristic odor and flavor with a notable taste of butyric"
"Champagne (wine region) The Champagne wine region (archaic ) is a wine region within the historical province of Champagne in the northeast of France. The area is best known for the production of the sparkling white wine that bears the region's name. EU law and the laws of most countries reserve the term ""Champagne"" exclusively for wines that come from this region located about 100 miles (160 km) east of Paris. The viticultural boundaries of Champagne are legally defined and split into five wine producing districts within the historical province: Aube, Côte des Blancs, Côte de Sézanne, Montagne de Reims,"
"or in salads. Rocamadour can be aged further. After several months it takes on a more intense flavor and is typically eaten on its own with a red wine toward the end of the meal. Production: 546 tonnes in 1998 (+24.1% since 1996), 100% with raw, unpasteurized goat milk (50% on farms). Rocamadour cheese Rocamadour is a French cheese from the southwest part of the country. It is produced in the regions of Périgord and Quercy and takes its name from the village of Rocamadour in the ""département"" of the Lot. Rocamadour belongs to a family of goat cheeses called"
"be the ""smelliest"" of 15 French and British cheeses that they tested. A follow-up test done by the same institution using ""electronic nose"" sensors in March 2007 reaffirmed Vieux-Boulogne's status as the world's ""smelliest"" cheese. Vieux-Boulogne Vieux-Boulogne (also known as Sablé du Boulonnais) is an unpasteurized, unpressed cow's-milk cheese made in the Pas-de-Calais ""département"" around the town of Boulogne-sur-Mer in France. It was developed in 1982 by Antoine Bernard and Philippe Olivier . This ""artisanal"" cheese is square in shape, at around across and high, and weighs up to . It has a soft, elastic central pâte, surrounded by a"
"cattle during the alpages to the local buronniers, the owners of burons, or mountain huts. french-cheese.com describes the flavor as: Today, Laguiole is made in three different ""départements"": Aveyron, Cantal and Lozère by the coopérative ""Jeune Montagne"". It is the only producer currently licensed to produce this cheese. With a 45% fat content, Laguiole has a pressed, uncooked paste made exclusively from raw, unpasteurized French Simmental or Aubrac cow's milk collected between May and October above 800m altitude. 666 tonnes were produced in 1998 (-9.14% since 1996) from 20,000 - 30,000 litres of milk collected from 79 different farms. The"
"Brie (region) Brie is a historic region of northern France notable in modern times for Brie cheese. It was once divided into three sections ruled by different feudal lords: the western ""Brie française"", corresponding roughly to the modern department of Seine-et-Marne in the Île-de-France region; the eastern ""Brie champenoise"", forming a portion of the modern department of Marne in the historic region of Champagne (part of modern-day Grand Est); and the northern ""Brie pouilleuse"", forming part of the modern department of Aisne in Picardy. The Brie forms a plateau with few eminences, varying in altitude between roughly in the west,"
"are often listed in the ""Maroilles family"". These include Baguette Laonnaise (made in Laon), Boulette d'Avesnes (Avesnes-sur-Helpe), Boulette de Cambrai (Cambrai), Cœur d'Arras (Arras), Cœur d'Avesnes (Avesnes), Dauphin (Nord), Gris de Lille (Pas-de-Calais), Guerbigny (Picardy), and Rollot (Somme). The very successful 2008 French movie ""Bienvenue chez les Ch'tis"" joked about the strong smell of maroilles cheese. Maroilles cheese Maroilles (pronounced ""mar wahl"", also known as Marolles) is a cow's-milk cheese made in the regions of Picardy and Nord-Pas-de-Calais in northern France. It derives its name from the village of Maroilles in the region in which it is still manufactured. The"
"Roquefort is a blue cheese that is usually made from the unpasteurized milk of Lacaune sheep. The semi-soft cheese usually has a creamy and crumbly texture. Lacaune sheep The Lacaune is a breed of domestic sheep originating near Lacaune in southern France. The native region of these sheep is the Tarn and Aveyron departments and surrounding areas. This region is collectively known as the ""Roquefort Sector"" which references the milk collection area. The Lacaune is the most widely used dairying sheep breed in France, with a population of about 800,000 ewes. Notably, it is the predominant breed used in the"
"Raviole du Dauphiné Ravioles du Dauphiné (in English, 'Dauphiné ravioli'), also known as ""Ravioles de Romans"" ('Ravioli of Romans'), are a French regional speciality consisting of two layers of pasta made out of tender wheat flour, eggs and water, surrounding a filling of Comté or French Emmental cheese, cottage cheese made of cow's milk, butter and parsley, akin to Italian ravioli or Russian pelmeni. As the name suggests, they are usually associated with the historical region of Dauphiné in South-Central France, particularly around the town of Romans-sur-Isère in the department of Drôme, Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes. The ""Ravioles du Dauphiné"" appellation has been"
"in 1946. They were all making brie de Coulommiers (by definition) of different sizes, but only the specific size, diameter 13 to 15 cm (5.1–5.9 in), was unique to the Coulommiers market. Today, this cheese is commonly called Coulommiers. In 2009, local councillors led by the Franck Riester, Deputy Mayor, and journalists launched the PDO project to raise the importance of a unique Coulommiers cheese. Coulommiers cheese Coulommiers is a soft ripened cheese from Coulommiers in the Seine-et-Marne department of France. It is made from cow's milk, and is usually in the shape of a disc with white, bloomy, edible"
"since the pomace is a by-product of wine production. Champagne (wine region) The Champagne wine region (archaic ) is a wine region within the historical province of Champagne in the northeast of France. The area is best known for the production of the sparkling white wine that bears the region's name. EU law and the laws of most countries reserve the term ""Champagne"" exclusively for wines that come from this region located about 100 miles (160 km) east of Paris. The viticultural boundaries of Champagne are legally defined and split into five wine producing districts within the historical province: Aube,"
"Beaufort cheese Beaufort () is a firm, raw cow's milk cheese associated with the gruyère family. An Alpine cheese, it is produced in Beaufortain, Tarentaise valley and Maurienne, which are located in the Savoie region of the French Alps. There are three varieties of Beaufort: Beaufort was first certified as an appellation d'origine contrôlée in 1968. Beaufort is produced in the Beaufortain, Tarentaise and Maurienne valleys, as well as parts of the Val d'Arly valley, all located on 450,000 hectares of the Savoie region. The cheese is prepared using of milk for every of cheese desired. The milk used in"
"the invention of Camembert cheese was attributed to Marie Harel who would have benefited from the advice of a refractory priest, Abbot Charles-Jean Bonvoust, who was hidden in 1796-97 at the Manor of Beaumoncel where she worked. Supposedly, he was a native of Brie and passed along to Marie a recipe for a kind of cheese with a bloomy edible rind, such as was produced in his native area. In reality, Bonvoust came from Pays de Caux. This apocryphal story, for which there is no evidence, is still often accepted as true. Marie Harel did make Camembert cheese, according to"