We stumbled upon this little fromagerie a short while back, as we were strolling along the ancient road of Rue Lepic in Montmartre, Paris. Seeing the countless cheeses of varied shapes and origins made me slightly giddy.
As far as I’m concerned, everything’s better with cheese. I just can’t get enough of the stuff. Pecorino Fiore Sardo from the island of Sardinia and Selles sur Cher from the Loire River in central France are some of my favourites. The palate-burning Gorgonzola Piccante needs a special mention. Salty, sweet, and sharp. B won’t go near it. His favourite is something like a Maffra cheddar from Victoria or a fresh goat cheese. I have long given up on the belief that he might grow to love blue cheese as much as I do.
As for Montmartre, we couldn’t recommend it highly enough as a base to explore Paris. We stayed in a cosy apartment tucked away in a laneway next to the Moulin Rouge and whilst you could regard this area as the ‘red light’ district of Paris, a wander around the more unassuming parts of the neighbourhood reveals a vibrant village filled with cafes, bakeries, markets and galleries.
At the heart of Montmartre on top of the steep hill is the Basilica de Sacre Cœur. Standing on the front steps, we took in the views of Parisian rooftops (touted as a view rivalling that of the Eiffel Tower), before we came across the only vineyard in Paris, the ‘Clos Montartre Vineyard’. Montmartre was once a favourite haunt of many of the greatest writers and painters such as Hemingway, Monet and Picasso. A bohemian arty vibe still resonates within the narrow cobblestone streets of this neighbourhood.
We took a stroll along Rue Lepic many times, listening to the sounds of the language spoken and got a sense of what it would be like living here as a local. To live life as a Parisian, with our own neighbourhood fromagerie around the corner would be heaven. I can’t wait to return someday.
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