An expert's guide to finding the best cheese in Paris

Local cheese expert Emily Monaco offers her top picks for the best fromageries, restaurants and classes serving a beautiful tapestry of milk, mould and ash in the French capital.

While some come to Paris for the bread, pastries or three-hour bistro lunches, I came for the cheese. France is home to over a thousand of them, from the Loire Valley's days-old fresh chèvres (goat cheeses) boasting the barest whiff of the barnyard to the robust, cave-aged Roqueforts of the southwest, mottled with pungent green-blue veins. Centrally located Paris is the prime location to try as many as possible.

Cheese aficionados visiting the French capital will undoubtedly make a fromagerie (cheese shop) their first port of call, with an array of choices laid out as a beautiful tapestry of milk, mould and ash. But there are other spaces to lean into turophilia (love of cheese), be they cheese tasting workshops or restaurants devoted to France's most illustrious dairy product.

Whether you want to take full advantage of the tradition of gilded French cheese trolleys or pick up a few wedges to enjoy on a simple picnic, here are 10 ways to ensure that your cheesiest Parisian dreams do not go unfulfilled.

The eponymous family of shops MOF fromager (cheesemonger) Marie Quatrehomme once ran with her husband is now in the capable hands of her children, Nathalie and Maxime. The flagship boutique of Fromagerie Quatrehomme on rue de Sèvres is dominated by a central table of pre-cut portions adorned with hand-written labels, and staff in the bright, airy space are always available to give advice.

All of the classics can be found here, including Comté hand-selected by the team and aged in the capable hands of renowned, five-generations-strong affineur (cheese ager) Marcel Petite. But what really sets Quatrehomme apart is its range of house specialties like blue Fourme d'Ambert stuffed with fig jam, smoked Charolais aged in Nikka Whisky or Camembert mendiant (beggar) topped with nuts, dried fruit and a touch of chocolate. The team takes full advantage of a natural stone aging cellar beneath the shop to carefully coax goat cheeses and Brie noir (black Brie) into an almost Parmesan-like denseness. It is here, too, that the team transforms washed-rind Langres and Mont d'Or by rewashing them in Champagne and pine liqueur, respectively. Other specialties include house-made quiches and blue fourme d'Ambert verrines (small cups of creamy cheese perfect for an apéritif) seasoned with sweet white wine.

Quatrehomme's other Parisian boutiques are located in Paris' 9th, 12th and 13th arrondissements (administrative districts). There's also one in the nearby suburb of Issy-les-Moulineaux.

Website: https://www.quatrehomme.fr/en

Address: 62 rue de Sèvres, 75007 Paris, France

Phone: +33 (0)1 47 34 33 45

Instagram: @fromageriequatrehomme

Paroles de Fromagers gives a tempting first impression: an open, airy shop inspired by an alpine chalet. But the fromagerie run by Romain Ricciardi and Pierre Brisson is merely the tip of the iceberg (or should I say, the pyramid shaped Pouligny Saint-Pierre?). Paroles de Fromagers is also a cheese school for both pros and amateurs, with classes offered in English to small groups of up to 12 participants Tuesdays through Saturdays.

 Introduction to Cheese and Wine is a 1½-hour foray into the art of cheese tasting and pairing. Start your visit with a discovery of the shop and the onsite cellar, where cheeses age on fragrant spruce boards. After the visit, groups convene in the 17th-Century stone tasting room for a pairing of seven cheeses and three wines, guided by an English-speaking fromager.

The Art of Pairing course steps things up with nine top-notch cheeses and five exceptional wines, all tasted in 2¼ hours. And if you'd like to try your hand at cheesemaking, the two-hour cheesemaking workshop will give you a beginner's look at making fresh tomme-style (pressed) cheese and butter from scratch, concluding, bien sûr (of course), with a cheese and wine tasting. You can even bring your freshly made products home to enjoy.

In June, the team will also be opening an interactive cheese museum on Île Saint-Louis delving into the history, culture and techniques behind cheesemaking.

Website: https://parolesdefromagers.com/en/

Address: 41 rue du Faubourg du Temple, 75010 Paris, France

Phone: +33 (0)1 48 03 98 18

Instagram: @ParolesDeFromagers

When Pierre Coulon opened Laiterie de Paris in 2017, he became the city's first – and only – cheesemaker. And while his model of transporting raw milk into the city for transformation has since been replicated by a few others, he remains a true original.

Coulon now owns two shops: the flagship in the Goutte d'Or neighbourhood, where he produces and ages rich cow's milk Saint-Félicien and an assortment of goat cheeses, and a second shop just off the Canal de l'Ourcq in the 19th arrondissement, where he makes yogurts and desserts. Both boutiques tailor their offerings to the tastes of the younger demographic of these areas, notably in taking inspiration from international flavours. A house-made goat cheese with hazelnuts, creamy honey and za'atar from local spice purveyor Nomie is inspired by flavours from the Arab community surrounding the flagship shop and has become a stalwart.

In addition to house-made specialties, about half of Coulon's wares are produced by trusted cheesemakers from across France. Most lean towards the avant-garde; CBD-infused raclette is sold side-by-side with Imparfait Comté with slight imperfections that make it a total bargain. Double cream Brillat-Savarin may be split on-site and sandwiched around seaweed and smoked oil; Brie may be filled with a sweet, crunchy combo of dates and almonds. Fans of Camembert should be sure to grab a wheel, made in small batches by the team at their production facility a few hours away in Normandy.

Website: https://www.facebook.com/laiteriedeparis/

Address: 74 rue des Poissonniers, 75018 Paris, France

Phone: +33 (0)1 42 59 44 64

Instagram: @laiterie_de_paris_fromagerie_

In the more than 20 years American expat Jennifer Greco has been living in France, she has tasted more than 460 of France's over 1,000 cheeses – and she is keen to try them all. In the meantime, she's sharing her tastiest discoveries with visitors by way of her small-group cheese tastings (eight people max), which she offers in a cosy, woman-owned Parisian wine shop most Thursdays and Fridays (though there's flexibility for private tours on other days).

Each tasting features at least 12 cheeses ranging from seasonal specialties to beloved classics like rich Brillat-Savarin or buttery, nutty Beaufort. The cheeses are paired with fresh French bread and four to five wines for a consequential repast lasting about three hours that more than stands in for a meal.

With her natural flair for pedagogy and evident passion for the subject matter, Greco is the ideal person to guide any lover of cheese on a delicious discovery.

Website: https://chezlouloufrance.blogspot.com/2023/01/cheese-and-wine-tasting-in-paris-with.html

Address: given at time of booking (11th arrondissement)

Instagram: @chezlouloufrance

Spacious cheese-focused restaurant Monbleu run by entrepreneur Damien Richardot specialises in a range of offerings traditional and contemporary, from simple cheese plates (choose three, get one free) to airy Comté gougères (cheese puffs) stuffed with triple-cream Brillat-Savarin. You can even try Roquefort ice cream for dessert.

In addition to the à la carte menu, diners can opt to partake in raclette, a specialty hailing from the Alps whereby diners melt slices of both plain and flavoured raclette cheese (smoked, pepper-studded, truffle-infused and more) in individual frying pans placed on a special heating apparatus set in the centre of the table. Once melted, the cheese is scraped over potatoes and the diner's choice of charcuterie or seasonal vegetables. It's no surprise that this dish is the cornerstone of the menu, given Chartreuse native Richardot's Alpine upbringing. Be aware that if you want to try it, your party will need to be unanimous on eschewing the à la carte menu in favour of raclette.

The adjoining cheese shop peddles about a hundred farmstead cheeses, selected with help from MOF fromager Pierre Gay. And while the shop closes at 20:00, they're more than happy to hold your purchases while you dine.

In addition to the flagship restaurant, Monbleu also boasts two smaller outposts: wine-driven le Comptoir in the Marais (12 rue Dupetit Thouars) and Monbleu Père Lacheese (151bis rue de la Roquette) known for its croques (toasties), baked pastas and gratins (bakes).

Website: https://www.monbleu.fr/

Address: 37 rue du Faubourg Montmartre, 75009 Paris, France

Phone: +33 (0)1 45 89 23 96

Instagram: @monbleu

MOF fromager Laurent Dubois is known for his almost pastry-driven approach to cheese at his four shops dotted throughout Paris, boasting such creations as a layer-cake-esque Roquefort, sandwiching slabs of quince paste or yuzu-and-Timut-pepper-topped fresh goat cheese. He also transforms cheeses through his expertise as an affineur, rewashing creamy Langres in mirabelle plum liqueur or aging usually mild-mannered blue Fourme d'Ambert until it becomes crumbly, pungent and almost sweet.

But come lunchtime, in the sprawling upscale food court at the top of the Printemps du Goût department store, Dubois' cheeses are revisited in a host of culinary preparations, ranging from classic Comté-crowned French onion soup to a goat cheese salad starring a top-notch crottin de Chavignol goat cheese. The croques monsieur change with the seasons, but frequent variations include the Paristrami made with pastrami and cheddar and the Incontournable (literally, unmissable) with 12-month-old Comté and Paris ham from the Prince of Paris, the last purveyor to make this style of cooked ham in the city.

You can also, of course, opt for a simple but exquisite selection of Dubois' cheeses on a board, with or without charcuterie. (Though be aware that if you stumble on any cheeses you absolutely must bring home with you, you'll need to visit one of his boutiques located in the 4th, 5th, 15th or 16th arrondissement as cheeses are not sold for take away). 

Diners can also order from the steakhouse menu of Regain, Printemps du Goût's meat-focused restaurant just across the aisle, and desserts come from pastry chef Nina Métayer. All can also be enjoyed, weather permitting, on the terrace overlooking the ornate Opéra Garnier and the Eiffel Tower.

Website: https://fromageslaurentdubois.fr/fr/restaurant.html

Address: 70 boulevard Haussmann, 75009 Paris, France

Phone: +33 (0)1 42 82 40 05

Instagram: @laurentdubois_fromager_paris

Cheese carts are far less omnipresent than they once were in Paris, but two-Michelin-starred Le Clarence is a stalwart of the practice, with a beautiful cart boasting an average of about 10 cheeses at any given time, with selections that evolve with the seasons.

In the ornate dining room located within a former private mansion dating to the 19th Century, the cart arrives tableside after Chef Christophe Pelé's innovative, modern mains and before delightful desserts from pastry chef Thomas Zachariou.

For €30 (£26), clients can add this course to their meal and partake in as many cheeses as they like, though most opt for between one and five. Choices can be accompanied, if the client wishes, with Zachariou's house condiments, such as quince paste or a chutney marrying pears, mustard and olive oil.

Website: https://www.le-clarence.paris/

Address: 31 avenue Franklin Delano Roosevelt, 75008 Paris, France

Phone: +33 (0)1 82 82 10 10

Instagram: @leclarenceparis

Taka & Vermo puts a modern spin on the traditional French cheese shop, inspired in large part by the Japanese roots of co-founder Laure Takahashi. Sansho pepper Saint-Nectaire is a staple of the case, as is a fresh goat cheese topped with candied yuzu and lime.

Inspiration could also come from further afield. Seasonal offerings may see goat's milk Picodon paired with spring garlic flowers or triple cream Brillat-Savarin sandwiching thin layers of bright Meyer lemon and umami-rich bottarga (cod roe). Nostalgia is evident in a revisited, house-made Boursin seasoned with garlic and fresh herbs. Cheese can even straddle the line with dessert, as with the Sweet Marcellin, which sees cow's milk Saint-Marcellin topped with pistachio halva, sour cherries, pomegranate and mallow flowers.

These special creations are only one part of what makes this cheese shop so phenomenal. Alongside co-founder Mathieu Vermorel, Takahashi spent months sourcing only the best raw milk cheeses from sustainably minded producers in France and beyond. One may stumble across such rare offerings as Mont-Grêle, a Savoyard goat cheese hailing from a region far better known for cow's milk; Manigodine, a Reblochon-inspired cheese aged in a spruce ring for a woodsier flavour and creamier, more robust interior; or l'Azzurra, a goat's milk gorgonzola from Lombardy.

Website: https://takavermo.fr/

Address: 61bis rue du Faubourg Saint-Denis, 75010 Paris, France

Phone: +33 (0)1 48 24 89 29

Instagram: @takavermocheeseshop

Since 1950, Marie-Anne Cantin's eponymous cheese shop just steps from the Eiffel Tower has been known for a mastery of the classics: Comté is aged for 40 months to toffee-like exquisiteness, and Brie's funkier predecessor, Coulommiers, takes place of pride as one of Cantin's personal favourites. It's no wonder her cheeses are so popular in the dining rooms of five-star hotel Le Bristol.

In winter, pick up a fondue kit – a house blend of Emmental de Savoie, Beaumont de Savoie and Beaufort – to recreate this Savoyard recipe at home, or snag a sampler of tiny bouton de culotte (literally, buttons of trousers) goat cheeses perfect for a one-bite aperitif. In addition to cheese, the shop also peddles a selection of whole milk yogurts as well as artisan butter emblazoned with Cantin's name.

Much of the appeal of this diminutive shop is in its inviting layout: indeed, rather than being hidden behind a glass counter, the cheeses are arranged appetisingly along three of the fromagerie's four walls, with looping script indicating their names and ages. And if you simply can't choose, no problem. Cantin will happily assemble a coffret or selection box according to your tastes and budget.

Website: https://www.cantin.fr/

Address: 12 rue du Champ de Mars, 75007 Paris, France

Phone: +33 (0)1 45 50 43 94

Instagram: @marieannecantin

The Marché Maubert, which pops-up on Place Maubert each Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday, boasts more than one cheese stall, but those in the know seek out Manu of Le Petit Royaume. (Look for the snapshots of Manu with his cows affixed to the case – not to mention Manu's beaming smile and easy rapport with his regulars – and you'll know you've found him.)

A purveyor of farmhouse specialties from all over France, this stand is particularly known for two can't miss cheeses: Comté aged in hay to a whopping 60 months for a distinctive, grassy flavour and a rich Brie made according to the recipe for Brie de Meaux, albeit with the milk of the Salers and Aubrac cattle preferred in the cheesemaking areas of Cantal and Aveyron. The resulting cheese is rich, mushroomy and delightfully oozy.

Aside from these specialties, Manu recommends buying seasonally whenever possible, quipping that cheese is "like fruits and veggies". As for which ones are at their peak, trust the expert, and you'll never be disappointed.

Address: 47ter Bd Saint-Germain, 75005 Paris, France

Phone: +33 (0)1 48 85 93 30

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BBC Travel's The SpeciaList is a series of guides to popular and emerging destinations around the world, as seen through the eyes of local experts and tastemakers.

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