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What to eat in Nord? Top 6 Local Soft Cheeses in Nord

Last update: Sat Feb 15 2025
Top 6 Local Soft Cheeses in Nord
TABLE OF CONTENTS

Best Nord Soft Cheese Types

01

Cheese

AVESNES-SUR-HELPE, France
4.1
Boulette d'Avesnes
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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. 
02

Cheese

MAROILLES, France
4.0
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Maroilles is a soft cheese made from cow's milk and produced in four sizes, with a reddish-orange rind. It has been made in the Nord-Pas-de-Calais region in France since the 10th century and must mature for at least 35 days. Unlike most other cheeses, it comes in the shape of a square and when it is fully matured, it develops an intense, pungent aroma with a flavor reminiscent of that of smoked bacon.


It has a nutty, mushroomy taste and the texture is soft and oily. As it is a strong cheese (it smells so strong that it has been nickname "old stinker"), pair it with red wine, light beer or a French cider.

THE BEST Maroilles Cheeses
1
Fromagerie Lesire et Roger Ets
Maroilles

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Concours International de Lyon - Gold 2025

2
Ferme de la Fontaine Orion
Mignon

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Concours International de Lyon - Gold 2025

3 Maroilles Quart Fauquet
Les Fromagers de Thiérache
Maroilles Quart Fauquet

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Concours International de Lyon - Gold 2025

4
Fromagerie Lesire et Roger Ets
Sorbais - Maroilles

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Concours International de Lyon - Gold 2025

03

Cheese

VENDEGIES-SUR-ÉCAILLON, France
n/a
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Domino is a farmhouse French cheese originating from Vendegies-sur-Ecaillon. The cheese is made from raw goat's milk. Underneath its ashy-and-white natural rind, the texture of this brick-shaped cheese is soft, dense, smooth, and melting. The aromas are reminiscent of hazelnuts and hay, while the flavors are sweet, goaty, and fresh, with a nice aftertaste in the mouth.


The flavors will become even stronger if the cheese is left to age further.

04

Cheese

SAINT-AUBIN, France
n/a
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Chaud biloute is a traditional cheese originating from the city of Saint-Aubin in the Nord department. The cheese is made from thermized cow’s milk, and it’s sold in a wooden box. After 4 weeks of maturation in cellars, it’s ready for consumption.


Underneath its brine-washed rind, the texture is soft, yielding, supple, and dotted with irregular eyes throughout the paste. The aromas are slightly pungent due to the washed rind, while the flavors are milky and creamy. This cheese is typically placed in the oven for a few minutes until it becomes gooey and runny, and it’s then served as an appetizer with fresh bread or a crusty baguette. 
05

Cheese

VENDEGIES-SUR-ÉCAILLON, France
n/a
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Aumonière de l'Ecaillon is a traditional cheese produced in the city of Vendegies-sur-Ecaillon. The cheese is made from raw goat’s milk, and it’s left to age for at least three weeks before consumption. It’s shaped like a square cobblestone with a hole in the center.


Underneath its natural rind, the texture is soft, dense, smooth, and slightly melting. The aromas are reminiscent of hay and dried fruit, while the flavors are fresh, delicate, and goaty, with a nice aftertaste. When tasting the cheese in restaurants, the central hole is sometimes filled with figs, fruit jams, or a tapenade.

06
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Crayeux de Roncq is a traditional cheese hailing from Roncq in the region of Nord-Pas-de-Calais. This semi-soft cheese is made from cow's milk and ages for 2 months. The word crayeux in the name refers to its chalky center. The rind is washed with beer and salt water.


The aromas are distinct, while the flavors are mild, creamy, subtle, and nutty, with a nice, yet unusual aftertaste. Due to the fact that Crayeux de Roncq is produced in limited quantities, it's rarely seen outside the region. It's recommended to pair it with structured red wines such as Graves or Médoc.

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