List of French cheesesThis is a list of French cheeses documenting the varieties of cheeses, a milk-based food that is produced in wide-ranging flavors, textures, and forms, which are found in France. In 1962, French President Charles de Gaulle once asked, "How can you govern a country which has two hundred and forty-six varieties of cheese?" There is immense diversity within each variety of cheese, leading some to estimate between 1,000 and 1,600 distinct types of French cheese.
Geographical indicationIndication of a product's source Intellectual property Authors' rights Copyleft Copyright Database right Farmers' rights Geographical indication Indigenous intellectual property Industrial design right Integrated circuit layout design protection Intellectual property infringement Literary property Moral rights Patent Peasants' rights Plant breeders' rights Plant genetic resources Proprietary software Related rights Sound recording copyright Supplementary protection certificate Trade dress Trade secret Trademark Utility model Patent infringement Related topics Abandonware Artificial intelligence and copyright Brand protection Copyright abolition Copyright troll Criticism of copyright Bioprospecting Biopiracy Idea–expression distinction Limitations and exceptions to copyright Fair dealing Fair use Paraphrasing Right to quote Orphan work Patent troll Pirate Party Public domain Outline of intellectual property Outline of patents Higher categories:Property and Property law vte A geographical indication (GI) is a name or sign protected by intellectual property used on products which corresponds to a specific geographical location or origin (e.g., a town or region) and possess qualities or a reputation that are due to that origin.
Institut national de l'origine et de la qualitéThe Institut national de l'origine et de la qualité (French:; INAO; previously Institut National des Appellations d'Origine) is the French organization charged with regulating French agricultural products with protected designation of origin (PDOs). It is controlled by the Government of France, and it forms part of the Ministry of Agriculture. The organization was co-founded by Châteauneuf-du-Pape producer Baron Pierre Le Roy.
French wineFrench wine is produced throughout all of France in quantities between 50 and 60 million hectolitres per year, or 7–8 billion bottles. France is one of the largest wine producers in the world. French wine traces its history to the 6th century BCE, with many of France's regions dating their wine-making history to Roman times.
TerroirTerroir (; French:; from terre, lit.'lands') is a French term used to describe the environmental factors that affect a crop's phenotype, including unique environment contexts, farming practices and a crop's specific growth habitat. Collectively, these contextual characteristics are said to have a character; terroir also refers to this character.
Côtes du Rhône AOCCôtes du Rhône (French:) is a wine-growing Appellation d'Origine Contrôlée (AOC) for the Rhône wine region of France, which may be used throughout the region, also in those areas which are covered by other AOCs. In a limited part of the region, the Côtes-du-Rhône Villages AOC may be used, in some cases together with the name of the commune.
Protected designation of originThe protected designation of origin (PDO) is a type of geographical indication of the European Union aimed at preserving the designations of origin of food-related products. The designation was created in 1992 and its main purpose is to designate products that have been produced, processed and developed in a specific geographical area, using the recognized know-how of local producers and ingredients from the region concerned.
Château-Grillet AOCChâteau-Grillet is a wine-growing AOC in the northern Rhône wine region of France, near Vienne, which produces white wine from Viognier grapes. The whole appellation, which is only 3.8 hectares (9.4 acres) in size, is owned by a single winery, Château-Grillet. The appellation was officially created in 1936. Château-Grillet AOC is effectively an enclave of the Condrieu appellation, which also produces Viognier-only white wines.
ButterButter is a dairy product made from the fat and protein components of churnedcream. It is a semi-solid emulsion at room temperature, consisting of approximately 81% butterfat. It is used at room temperature as a spread, melted as a condiment, and used as a fat in baking, sauce-making, pan frying, and other cooking procedures. Most frequently made from cow's milk, butter can also be manufactured from the milk of other mammals, including sheep, goats, buffalo, and yaks.
Communes of the Aude departmentThe following is a list of the 433 communes of the Aude department of France.
European UnionThe European Union (EU) is a political and economic union of 27 member states that are located primarily in Europe. A supranational union with a total area of 4,233,255 km2 (1,634,469 sq mi) and an estimated population of just under 452 million as of 2026, its member states generated a nominal gross domestic product (GDP) of around €18.802 trillion in 2025, accounting for approximately one sixth of global economic output.
RoquefortRoquefort (French pronunciation: [ʁɔkfɔʁ] ; Languedocien: Ròcafòrt) is a sheep-milk blue cheese from southern France. EU law dictates that only those cheeses aged in the natural Combalou caves of Roquefort-sur-Soulzon (in the Occitania region) may bear the name "Roquefort", as it is a recognised geographical indication and has a protected designation of origin. Roquefort is white, tangy, creamy and slightly moist, with veins of blue mold.*As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.