Camilla Bojsen-Møller, a Cheese Journeys co-host and owner of Danish-based blog CheeseTalks, takes us on a cheese adventure while never leaving the city of Paris, France!
Normally dairies are quite close to the source of milk, often in the countryside where farm animals roam freely. From my own experience, I have driven many miles off main roads to visit a specific dairy.
But in recent years, small creameries are popping up in Paris, right in the middle of the big city and some quite far away from the milking animals. These urban dairies are an attraction per se, and consumers as well as local restaurants (when open!), happily indulge in these delightful, Parisian fromages.
While there are a few Parisian dairies I’d like to introduce you to, let’s start with the aptly named, La Laiterie de Paris.
In the hip neighborhood of La Goutte d’Or - in the 18th arrondissement, close to Montmartre - you’ll find what’s touted as the first real Parisian dairy, run and owned by Pierre Coulon. This young Frenchman’s taste for cheesemaking came during an internship on a farm with goats, after which he became a farmer and cheesemaker on his own, in France’s western Loire Atlantique region.
Photo credit: Camilla Bojsen-Møller
After six years of selling his cheeses to wholesalers, specialty shops, and at organic markets, Pierre was eager to get back to Paris and landed a lucrative position with the legendary cheese shop “chain,” Maison Androuët, While this position afforded Pierre the opportunity to learn even more about cheeses, he missed the art of cheesemaking. And so he asked himself, why couldn’t he simply make cheese in the city? His idea was further triggered by a trip to San Francisco where he met the Cowgirl Creamery gals! Pierre was inspired by these pioneering women whose creamery and cheesemaking was in downtown Point Reyes.
Photo credit: Camilla Bojsen-Møller
After touring cheesemaking producers in Europe for about a year and a half, it was at the end of 2017 that Pierre opened his doors to the Laiterie de Paris. He sources organic milk from cows, goats, and sheep from Bretagne as well as the Seine Maritime region.
As Pierre explains, it’s seasons and the fresh milk that inspires him and his team: Spring and summer cheeses include feta and tomme, while the winter cheeses might include their take on Britain’s favorite – Cheddar. A true dairy, Laiterie de Paris also produces butter, yogurt, and fromage blanc.
In addition to his own cheeses, which make up more than half of the shop’s sales, Pierre hand-selects an assortment of other European cheeses as well as beer, wine, jam, and honey which make splendid accompaniments.
La Laiterie de Paris: 74 Rue des Poissonniers, 75018 Paris
Photo credit: Camilla Bojsen-Møller
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Camilla Bojsen-Møller works as a cheese communicator in Denmark. She has blogged about cheese (in Danish) since 2012. Follow her cheese universe (in English) on her blog www.cheesetalks.com as well as Instagram and Facebook.