French Cheese Walk: Become French in One Afternoon in Paris

Highlights

• Tastings of 8-10 carefully selected French cheeses
• Learn how to buy and select cheese
• Learn to pair cheeses with your favorite drink (wine, tea or juice)
• Be familiar with France´s most famous cheeses
• Be outside and walk around!

Description

Introduction: Notre-Dame Cathedral
Meet just behind the iconic Notre-Dame Cathedral to begin a delicious journey through the history of French cheese. Your guide will introduce the major families of French cheese and explain how geography, tradition, and centuries of craftsmanship shaped the cheeses France is famous for today.

Medieval Paris: Île de la Cité
In the heart of medieval Paris, taste a fresh goat cheese inspired by early monastic recipes. During the Middle Ages, monks played a crucial role in developing and preserving cheesemaking techniques that later spread throughout the French countryside. (First cheese tasting)

The Great Rivalry: Pont Saint-Louis
Taste and compare two legendary cheeses: Brie de Meaux and Camembert. One was once known as the “king of cheeses” at royal tables, while the other rose to fame among everyday people during the French Revolution. (Curated picnic tasting)

From the Mountains to Paris: Marché des Enfants Rouges
At Paris’s oldest covered market, taste aged mountain cheeses such as Comté or Salers. These large wheels were designed to age for months and travel long distances, bringing the flavors of rural France to the capital. (tasting inside the market)

Royal Blue Cheeses: Place des Vosges
Relax in one of Paris’s most beautiful squares while tasting two historic blue cheeses: Roquefort and Bleu d’Auvergne. Roquefort has been protected by royal decree since the 15th century and was long considered a luxury reserved for the elite. (Curated picnic tasting)

Final Stop: Modern Parisian Cheesemakers
End the tour in a hidden garden in Le Marais with a tasting of contemporary artisan cheeses, such as truffle goat cheese. These creations show how today’s cheesemakers continue to innovate while building on centuries of tradition.

By the end of the tour, you won’t just know how French cheese tastes.
You’ll understand how history, geography, and culture shaped French cheesemaking.

*On rainy winter days we conclude the tour with a glass of wine inside a cheese shop.