More than mere camembert: why France leads the world in cheesemaking

The opening of France's first cheese museum in Paris complements the city's high concentration of top fromageries

Homage to fromage: cheese museum opens in Paris

France is not the only player when it comes to fromage. Outstanding cheeses are being produced in Great Britain, Switzerland and even the US. And the most recent winner of the World Cheese Awards - Nidelven Bla - comes from Norway.

Still, no other cheese-producing nation can match France in terms of the sheer number of exceptional cheeses. The French tradition of cheesemaking began more than 2,000 years ago and, since then, they have figured out a thing or two: which animal breeds thrive best in certain areas, how to harness moulds and bacteria to produce safe cheeses with deliciously complex flavours, and how to pair them with wine.