Top 13 French Fresh Cheeses

Le roule is a French fresh cheese originating from the city of Rians. The cheese is made with cow's milk, and it is hand-rolled into a log that is enriched with garlic and various herbs. Its texture is creamy, melt-in-the-mouth, and smooth, while the flavors range from sweet to tangy and spicy. Le roule can be spread on bread, used in sandwiches or placed on baked potatoes. Try it with crusty bread and a Mimosa for a perfect breakfast.Expand

Fromage frais is a French fresh cheese made from whole or skimmed cow's, goat's, or sheep's milk which is sometimes enriched with the addition of cream. Its texture is smooth and creamy. In flavor, it is similar to cream cheese (milky, tangy, acidic, smooth), but fromage frais is much lower in fat. It's important not to confuse it with fromage blanc, which doesn't contain live cultures, while fromage frais does. The cheese is often used as an accompaniment to caviar, but it can also be enriched with fruit or honey. It pairs well with sparkling white wines and fortified wines.Expand

Brocciu is a cheese that can be fresh or matured, made on Corsica island from goat's or sheep's milk and whey. It can act as a lactose-free replacement for the Italian Ricotta cheese. It has a smooth, creamy and crumbly texture and its fat percentage is in the ranks of 40-50 %. If eaten young and fresh, it is best to strain it through a cheesecloth or a sieve to remove the excess liquid from. When it is sold as matured cheese, it matures from a few weeks to a month. It has a sweet, milky taste and is best used in making omelettes, baked good such as pastries, or used in making soups. On its own, it is best to pair it with red wine, or with Corsican white wines.Expand

Fromage blanc is a French fresh cheese made from cow's milk. It shouldn't be confused with fromage frais, which must contain live cultures, while the fermentation in fromage blanc has been stopped. Its texture is soft, creamy, and spreadable. The aromas are fresh, while the flavors are mild, smooth, and citrusy. Cream is often added to fromage blanc in order to enrich its flavors. It is recommended to serve fromage blanc as a dessert with fruit or jams, flavor it with herbs, use it as a pastry filling, or spread it on bread.Expand

Faisselle is a fresh white cheese originating from France. It is usually made from cow’s, sheep’s, or goat’s milk. Due to its soft, delicate texture, this rindless cheese is typically sold in a plastic mold called faisselle, hence the name of the cheese. Faisselle can be consumed in two ways: savory, served with salt, pepper, and either shallots or chives, or sweet, when the cheese is served with nuts and honey or sugar. The cheese is also suitable for making desserts such as tarts and cakes.Expand

Despite its name, petit-suisse (lit. little Swissman) is not a Swiss cheese. It comes from Normandy, where it has been produced since 1850. However, there was a Swiss worker in the dairy of Auvilliers, who suggested adding cream to the curd because he thought it would enrich the flavor of the cheese, and it turns out that he was right. This fresh and soft cow's milk cheese has a smooth and creamy texture, and its flavor is quite mild, with sour, sweet, and tangy hints. It is usually eaten with honey, fruit jams, sugar, and nuts, although some like to season it with salt, pepper, and fresh herbs.Expand

Madame Loïk is a French cheese made from cow's milk. It's a type of fromage fouetté, meaning whipped cheese. Its texture is creamy, fluffy, and light, while the flavors are mild and fresh. There are a few versions of this cheese, and the most common one is lightly seasoned with Guérande sea salt. Other varieties include honey and nuts, shallots and chives, and red pepper purée. It is recommended to serve it with honey or spread it over a baguette, then sprinkle it with chopped herbs. Madame Loïk can also be used in a variety of cooked dishes.Expand

Boulette d'Avesnes is a French cheese made with cow's milk. The cheese is characterized by its conical shape. It is flavored with tarragon, cloves, parsley, and pepper. The rind is traditionally washed with beer and colored with paprika, imparting a reddish hue to the cheese. The aroma is pungent and stinky, the textures are smooth and creamy, while the flavor is sharp, strong, and peppery. The cheese matures for 2 or 3 months in humid cellars. Originally, Boulette d'Avesnes was made using the leftovers from cheeses which hadn't formed correctly in the molds. It is recommended to pair this cheese with a glass of beer or gin on the side.Expand

Brousse de Rove is a French cheese originating from the region of Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur. The cheese is made with raw goat's milk. It is named after a village where the cheese was first produced. Brousse de Rove is sold in plastic containers and has a conical shape. Its texture is grainy, tender, and creamy, while its flavors are mild, milky, salty, and slightly sweet. It is recommended to serve this cheese for dessert or use it in savory dishes such as omelets. When consumed as a dessert, Brousse de Rove is typically served with figs, honey, and sugar.Expand

Cailladou is a French cheese originating from Allassac in the department of Correze. This fresh farmhouse cheese is made from raw cow’s milk. The texture is creamy, moist, soft, dense, and slightly grainy. The aromas are reminiscent of fresh milk, while the flavors are delicate, milky, and tangy. When consumed, the cheese is slightly melting on the palate.Expand