France and Italy may feud over whose blue came first, but you can't beat the French for sheer variety. You may have to go online to find some of these, but it's worth it.

When it comes to cheese, France is best known for three broad varieties:

• Brie, Camembert and similar soft cheeses
• Chevre and other goat cheeses
• Roquefort and other blue-veined cheeses

This article focuses on the blues. And there are scores of them. As Charles DeGaulle famously said:

"Comment voulez-vous gouverner un pays qui a deux cent quarante-six variétés de fromage?" How can you govern a country which has 246 kinds of cheese? (from Les Mots du Général, Ernest Mignon (1962)

Make no mistake. They're not all Roquefort wannabes. What makes them different? Part of it is the animal: cow or sheep or goat (or buffalo! Not here, That's the Brits ), Part of it is method: using raw or pasteurized milk, how long the cheese is aged. But the big factor is terrior, or as a real estate agent would put it: "Location - Location - Location." Just as with wine, terroir encompasses everything that goes into the sense of place:

• What grasses, herbs and wildflowers the animal is grazing on;
• The minerals in the soil;
• The water they drink; and even
• The air they breathe.

Whether you're picking a cheese to crumble over a steak, or one to snuggle up next to a wedge of pear, or one simply to spread on a hunk of baguette, here's a sampler of French blues and some aspects of each one's terroir to help with the decision. (Part of the decision may be expense, so also included is an indication of relative cost based on various web sources.)

Roquefort

• Made in Aveyron, Rouergue from raw milk from Red Lacaune sheep
• Cave-aged 3 months minimum - Soft, slightly crumbly texture - Intensely pungent flavor
• $$$-$$$$$

Bleu Chevre

• Made in the Loire region from goat's milk
• Aged about 3 weeks - Thick and smooth texture - Soft blue tang combined with goat cheese flavor
• $$$$

Bleu d'Auvergne

• Made in the Auvergne region from unpasteurized cow's milk
• Aged 4 weeks minimum - Crumbly - Spicy, salty and intensely pungent without being sharp or biting
• $$$

Bleu de Basque

• Made in the Basque region on the French side of the Pyrénées from sheep's milk
• Aged 3-5 months - Creamy and slightly crumbly - Rich and complex flavor without being overly sharp or salty
• $$$ - $$$$$

Bleu de Bresse

• Made in Bresse from pasteurized cow's milk
• Aged 2-4 weeks - Creamy, brie-like texture - mild, mushroomy flavor
• $$$$$

Bleu de Gex (also known as Bleu du Haut Jura and Bleu de Septmoncel)

• Made in the Jura Mountain region of Comte from unpasteurized cow's milk
• Aged 2-3 months - Supple, creamy texture - Rich, nutty, fruity flavor, milder than Roquefort
• $$$$

Bleu de Laqueueille

• Made in the mountainous Auvergne region from the milk of Salers cows
• Aged about 3 months (Only made during the summer and autumn months) - Creamy - Salty, spicy, fresh and full-bodied flavor
• $$

Bleu des Causses

• Made fin Rouergue from unpasteurized cow's milk
• Aged 3-6 months in limestone caves in Peyrelade, in the heart of Tarn Gorge - Creamy and crumbly - Sharply tangy taste, especially in winter
• $$$$

Fourme d'Ambert

• Made in Ambert, Auvergne from raw cow's milk
• Cave-aged 2 months minimum - Creamy texture - - Buttery, mild flavor
• $$

Fourme au Sauterne

• Made with Fourme d'Ambert (see above), from raw cow's milk
• Ripened 2 months with white Sauterne wine
• $$$$$

Saint Agur

• Made in Monts du Velay, Auvergne from pasteurized cow's milk enriched with enough cream to qualify as double-cream
• Aged 2 months minimum - Creamy texture, spreads easily and melts well - Buttery, mild, spicy flavor, not as salty as other varieties
• $$$

Blue Cheese Recipes:

• Blue Cheese Potatoes au Gratin
• Macaroni & Cheese for Grownups
• Smoked Sturgeon & Blue Cheese-Stuffed Mushrooms
• Three-Cheese Polenta

Hungry for more? Find out what's happening in French Cuisine, Check out more recipes that demystify the basic techniques and ingredients of French Cuisine. Explore the cuisine of France's Regions beyond Paris