Last year while hiking the Tour du Mont Blanc, Hikrguy and I fell for Beaufort, the Savoie-area cheese. We stopped along the way at a farm where it's made and had tastes of 3 ages of it. It was so fabulous -- especially since we bought it from the cows who produced it! We'd love to have it again while we're in Paris in October.

I looked here in NYC when we came home, and there's only one place that sells it infrequently, and it is extremely expensive. Paris experts, do you have a favorite fromagerie where they might sell Beaufort?

also, just thinking aloud, do you think they could wrap it well enough to come home with? or is that not permitted?

thanks!

As I understand it, fresh food aren't allowed through customs. I think the best cheeses are unpasteurized and is likely the reason they tend to be unavailable far from the source.

I take cheese through customs with no problem. Not meat.

http://www.priet-fromager-paris.fr/fr/

I don't know about getting unpasteurized cheeses through the Ag line, but you can buy cheese right at CDG airport, and they will shrink-wrap it for you to take on the plane.

Murray's or Fairway doesn't carry Beaufort?

Or Zabar's?

I'm not disputing the fact that you've successfully brought cheese home, Gretchen, but I don't believe it's "officially" allowed, an "animal product" mentioned on the customs form, below. But I don't blame you for wanting to. I confess to bringing a few flower seeds in my pocket in the past.

Customs Declaration:
I l. I am (We are) bringing
(a) fruits, vegetables, plants, seeds, food, insects.
(b) meats, animals, animal/wildlife products.

You can order it from fromage.com:

http://www.fromages.com/en/fromage/26-beaufort

IMDonehere, Murray's is where I checked last summer -- they don't have it as a regular listing, but when they do, they want $45 a pound. no way!
My Fairway in NJ heard of it, and could get it if I want, but again, over $40 a pound. Didn't check Zabar's, but that's a good idea.

St. Cirq, thanks for the tip about cheese shopping at CDG. Maybe we will do that for the return trip.

You can bring up to 6 lbs of almost any cheese you like as long as it is for personal consumption. The exceptions are liquid cheeses which are prohibited.

https://help.cbp.gov/app/answers/det...2w%3D/search/1

Quatrehomme is my favorite fromagerie:

http://www.yelp.com/biz/fromagerie-quatrehomme-paris-2

They have looked at it--that's all I can say. It came through.
I think you are misinterpreting "animal products" which I believe to be meat, sausage and such. (And I DO recognize that cheese is a product of animals).
I have also brought back foie gras.
Just as an aside, your seeds are more of a problem than unpasteurized milk cheese.

VACROUX ET FILS - 5 rue Daguerre

The Customs Declaration, as I have always understood it, isn't a list of prohibited products. It's a list of things you need to declare. If you check off anything on the list, you have to go to the Ag line, where inspectors will review what you've got and say it's ok, or confiscate it. I went to the Ag line every time I returned to the USA. The only things I ever had confiscated were a jar of goose fat and a tin of foie gras (with a big truffle in it - WAH!) that didn't have a proper commercial label on it. I brought back cheese countless times and never had a problem with it. The whole thing is rather capricious, though, and depends in good measure on what sort of Ag inspector you end up dealing with.

Gretchen, I meant no offense.

There's a difference in the flavor and texture when you buy Beaufort which has been aged for different periods of time. Some fromageries will let you taste, others won't unless you're buying a whole lot of cheese. I wouldn't go across town to anyone's favorite fromagerie just for Beaufort, because virtually every fromagerie sells it. This type of cheese usually runs around 28EU/kg. depending on how long it has been aged.

However, if you're interested in trying out the different "ages" of Beaufort (or a similar cheese, like Abondance), I recommend Laurent Dubois, because he always has a good range of this type of cheese and will let you taste it. He will vacuum-pack cheese if you ask - pack it in your checked luggage where it will stay cool and won't be confiscated. As Sarastro said, you just aren't allowed to bring in huge amounts of cheese that are obviously meant for re-sale.

Just don't buy the crap sold in supermarkets.

Also, be aware that some cheeses (not sure about Beaufort, not very familiar with it) freeze well, so if that's true for Beaufort, get a lot!

I even froze some camembert not long ago due to one of those damned Monoprix specials (2 for the price of 1), and when I defrosted it, it was still absolutely perfect.

Now that I know I was wrong about bringing cheese home, I like the sound of "vacuum-pack".

Androuet and Laurent Dubois have been very good to me!

Favorite cheese in your favorite fromagerie?