“Say cheese!” and Pierre Brisson beams with pride. As the mastermind behind France’s first ever cheese museum, Brisson is on a mission to not only celebrate this iconic food but also ensure its future. This isn’t just about enjoying a delicious meal, it’s about preserving the ancestral knowledge of cheesemaking for generations to come.
A Legacy at Risk
Brisson worries about the fate of traditional cheesemaking. “It’s not an easy job,” he admits, “but it’s a wonderful one. Sadly, there’s a real danger it could disappear.” He envisioned a museum to showcase the unparalleled skill involved in crafting cheese, something often overlooked compared to the fanfare surrounding winemaking.
“We hear endless tales about wine,” Brisson explains, “its production, subtleties, and tasting notes. But cheese? Silence. People love eating it, the demand is huge, yet fewer young people want to dedicate their lives to it.”
A Cheesy Journey Awaits
Brisson’s dream is finally taking shape in a stunning 17th-century building on Île Saint-Louis, just a stone’s throw from the iconic Notre Dame Cathedral. The Musée du Fromage (Cheese Museum) is set to open its doors, inviting cheese enthusiasts on a captivating journey.
For €20 (adults) and €10 (children), visitors can witness cheesemaking demonstrations, indulge in tastings, and delve into the fascinating history of cheese and its diverse regional varieties through interactive displays. The museum offers free entry to farmers and agriculture students, ensuring the next generation of cheesemakers are inspired.
A Passion Ignites
Brisson’s love affair with cheese began as a boy, thanks to his father, a Burgundian winemaker. “Every Sunday after mass,” Brisson recalls, “my father would take me to the cheesemonger. I’d stand mesmerized, gazing at the incredible cheeses before me. I became utterly fascinated by their origins and the art of their creation.”
After graduating from the prestigious National Dairy Industries School, Brisson founded Paroles de Fromagers, offering cheesemaking courses for the public and training for professionals.
A Parisian Playground for Cheese Lovers
Choosing Paris as the museum’s home was a strategic decision, designed to attract both French and international visitors while sidestepping any regional rivalry.
The museum proudly displays a plaque reminding visitors of General de Gaulle’s famous quote: “How can one govern a country where there are 258 varieties of cheese?” Another plaque showcases a lesser-known quote attributed to Winston Churchill: “A country capable of giving the world 300 different cheeses cannot die.”
Brisson observes, “Paris is brimming with places promoting wine and its culture, and countless cheese shops. But there’s nothing to unveil the magic behind cheesemaking itself.”
A Living, Breathing Museum
Brisson has assembled a team of expert cheesemakers to share the secrets of creating diverse cheese varieties. Visitors will learn about the crucial role of bacteria, the importance of the animals and their grazing lands, making this a truly “living museum.”
Agathe de Saint-Exupéry, one of the museum’s experts, will guide visitors through the intricacies of cheesemaking, including the art of “reading” the milk and how even the slightest detail can influence the final product.
“It’s a very individual process,” she explains, “influenced by so many factors, even the animals’ mood. You can make the same cheese every day, yet each one will taste slightly different. It’s simply impossible to achieve this level of quality industrially.”
A Journey Back to the Terroir
Guillaume Gaubert, a renowned cheesemaker, emphasizes the museum’s aim to reconnect the French people, particularly those living in urban areas, with their agricultural roots.
“We want visitors to rediscover the link between the land, the animals, and the cheese they enjoy,” Gaubert states. “The French adore cheese; we want them to understand every step of its creation. Hopefully, they’ll be inspired to try making cheese themselves.”
A Cheesy Wonderland
France boasts 56 official cheese appellations – registered regional varieties – a testament to the country’s cheesemaking prowess. This surpasses Italy’s cheese offerings and is more than triple the number found in the UK. Each French person consumes an estimated 20-27kg of cheese annually, making the cheese industry a €9 billion powerhouse. It seems de Gaulle and Churchill underestimated the country’s cheese-producing potential. The Campagne de France, a cooperative of milk producers, believes there could be as many as 1,500 varieties, excluding those crafted in small quantities at home.
“France is a cheesemaking paradise,” Brisson enthuses. “Our four distinct climates and incredibly diverse terrain make it possible to create an incredible array of cheeses.”
A Cheese Dream Takes Root
Brisson is disheartened by the response of Parisian children when asked about cheese’s origins. “They invariably answer, ‘The supermarket,'” he sighs.
The museum, he believes, will offer a “little window” into rural life in the heart of the capital.
“My dream,” Brisson concludes, “is that in 20 years’ time, someone will say they decided to become a cheesemaker after visiting our museum.”
