Transport yourself to the pastures, caves and fromageries of France for an immersive Academy of Cheese masterclass of discovery, history and exceptional taste – featuring 12 celebrated cheeses from the Level 2 & 3 Cheese Library.
£69.00 + VAT
In stock
| Language | English |
|---|---|
| Location | London, UK |
| Date | Monday 18th May 2026 |
| Time | 10am – 1pm |
Join us on Monday, 18th May, from 10am – 1pm at the Language Centre of the stunning Institut Français in the heart of South Kensington, for an unforgettable French cheese tasting experience!
France is the undisputed motherland of cheese. Its cheesemakers invented, perfected and codified the techniques that now underpin the finest fromages on earth – from the bloomy rinds of Brie to the washed-rind pungency of Époisses, from the crumbled blues of the Massif Central to the great mountain wheels of the Alps and Auvergne. Countless celebrated cheeses around the world – British, American, Australian – owe their very existence to French methods.
This advanced masterclass takes you deep into those origins. We’ll taste five carefully curated flights, tracing the defining French cheese styles back to their roots.
Twelve exceptional French cheeses* from the Level 2 & 3 Cheese Library: each flight exploring a defining make style, the techniques behind it, and its global influence on modern cheesemaking.
Among the twelve cheeses, expect some genuinely rare finds rarely encountered outside France, including the magnificent Salers Tradition PDO and the extraordinary Basque blue, Zelu Koloria.
The Loire Valley’s ancient chèvre tradition – where Islamic cheesemaking techniques from the 8th century merged with French terroir to create some of the world’s most elegant fresh and aged goat’s cheeses.
The technique of encouraging Penicillium candidum to bloom on the surface, creating the silky white rinds that changed cheese forever. France’s gift to every brie-style cheese worldwide.
Born in French monasteries, where monks discovered that washing their cheeses in brine, beer or spirits encouraged B. linens – giving a distinctive orange rind and, famously, one of the most assertive aromas in the cheese world.
The great mountain cheeses – wheels built for winter, aged in alpine cellars and Auvergne farmhouses. Here we encounter the true soul of French fromage de terroir, including one of France’s most extraordinary farmhouse wheels.
From the volcanic plateaux of the Massif Central to the lush pastures of the Basque Country – France’s blue cheeses are among the most complex and varied in the world. The final flight ends with a genuinely rare find.
These twelve cheeses span the breadth of France – from the Atlantic coast of the Loire to the high Alps, from the volcanic heartland of the Auvergne to the ancient Basque country. Each region’s geology, climate, pastoral culture and cheesemaking tradition is entirely its own.
| Loire Valley | Pouligny-Saint-Pierre, Sainte-Maure de Touraine – cradle of French chèvre tradition |
| Île-de-France | Coulommiers – the ancient ancestor of Brie, birthplace of the bloomy rind |
| Languedoc / Rhône: | Pélardon, Saint-Félicien – southern French soft cheeses of uncommon richness |
| Haute-Marne / Thiérache | Langres, Maroilles – the great monastery washed-rind tradition of northern France |
| Savoie & Haute-Savoie | Tomme Crayeuse, Beaufort – the majestic Alpine wheels of the French mountains |
| Auvergne | Salers Tradition, Bleu d’Auvergne – volcanic terroir and farmhouse artistry |
| Pays Basque | Zelu Koloria – rare, ancient, and utterly distinctive blue from the Basque mountains |
*cheeses are subject to change depending upon availability
Taste the breadth of French cheesemaking in a single evening: from delicate fresh chèvre to pungent washed rinds, buttery mountain wheels to rare Basque blues. Several are genuinely hard to source in the UK.
Drawing directly from the Level 2 and Level 3 Cheese Library, this masterclass bridges structured Academy study with hands-on, guided tasting. Each flight is contextualised with cultural and historical depth.
Understand how French techniques: bloomy rinds, monastic washing, alpine pressing, spread across the world and how the cheeses you already know and love were born from these ancient traditions.
We’ve secured exceptional examples including Salers Tradition PDO, one of France’s most storied and difficult-to-find farmhouse cheeses, and Zelu Koloria, a remarkable Basque blue barely seen outside its region.
Join fellow Academy students, cheese professionals and passionate Francophiles for an evening of shared discovery. The best conversations always happen over the finest cheese.
The masterclass takes place in the Language Centre of the beautiful Institut Français in South Kensington.
The Institut Français du Royaume-Uni has been at the heart of French cultural life in London for over a century. Its Language Centre, where this masterclass takes place, is nestled in South Kensington’s elegant streets, home to some of London’s great museums and cultural institutions.
| Essential Details | |
|---|---|
| Date: | Monday 18th May 2026 |
| Time: | Morning Session: 10am – 1.00pm |
| Location: | Institut Français (Language Centre) 13 Cromwell Place South Kensington London SW7 2JN See on map |
| Price: | £69 plus VAT |
Don’t miss out on this incredible opportunity to taste, learn, and indulge in the finest French cheeses.
Book your spot now – limited availability!
Matthew brings nearly a decade of London cheesemongering experience to the role. He began at Paxton & Whitfield’s Jermyn Street shop before joining Buchanans Cheesemonger, where he honed his affinage skills and developed a passion for selecting and ageing young cheeses to his precise standards. His work gave him deep, sometimes delightfully niche, knowledge across cheese styles — supplying cheeseboards to Michelin-starred restaurants and collaborating closely with UK cheesemakers, including making cheese at several dairies.
A cheese-awards judge and active voice in the artisan community, Matthew relocated to Plymouth in 2025 and now brings his expertise and enthusiasm to the South West.
Noémie is “Maître Fromager” (Cheese Master) of the Guilde International de Fromagerie and a leading international figure in the industry. She comes from the French Alpes, a region known for its cheese traditions. In 2013, Noémie created L’école du Fromage (cheese school) and today continues in her mission to spread cheese education across Europe, in her role as Head of Cheese Education and Product Development’ for the French cheese company Savencia UK. She is also part of the training team of the Academy of Cheese and a judge in many international competitions, including the World Cheese Awards, Mondial du fromage and the British Cheese Awards.
We reserve the right to cancel an event should circumstances beyond our control make this unavailable or if minimum numbers are not met. In the unlikely event of this happening, delegates will be offered a place on the re-scheduled date, or given a full refund. Please note once tickets are booked, they are non-refundable. All bookings are final, however, if you are unable to attend you can reassign your booking to a new available date or to another person. We require 14 days’ notice prior to original booking date.
