Are you searching for the best cheese shop in Toulouse? I have the answer for you!
The fromagerie Xavier, considered the best cheese shop in Toulouse, and it received the award of being the “MOF-Meilleur Ouvrier de France”.
It is worth every penny.
When I first moved to Toulouse/Paris in 2015, I just fell in love with French food. Thanks to my wonderful boyfriend at the time, who is now my husband, I was introduced to French gastronomy. He shared it with me in ways that I wouldn’t have discovered on my own as an expat. And I am very grateful to him because of it.
Right before moving to France, I spent a few years in Africa and Latin America doing fieldwork in poor communities. I visited very remote villages in rural Ethiopia or spent time in the poor (and dangerous) slums in Sao Paulo.
So, when I moved to France and started discovering gastronomic food, it was such an amazing experience of personal “rest” after going through some challenging years of fieldwork.
And the Fromagerie Xavier was one of the experiences that my lovely boyfriend shared with me.
If you are an expat like me, trying to discover France and the wonderful gastronomy that Toulouse has to offer, then you can’t miss the best cheese shop.
First of all, the service at the fromagerie Xavier is really great. The staff is thoughtful and knowledgeable. And they will recommend some hidden gems when it comes to cheese. You can also discover different types of cheese through a cheese tasting or a monthly membership box. We haven’t tried those options yet, but either one would definitely be a great gift idea for a wine/cheese fan. Second, the cheese is beyond delicious. When you pair it with the right wine, it brings the experience to a whole new level.
The fromagerie Xavier has two locations in Toulouse: Place Victor Hugo and Place Dupuy.
My husband and I recently did an in-home date night. He surprised me with a selection of cheese and pates. We normally like a mix of soft and hard cheese, and cow’s and goat’s cheese. The cheese selection included:
The pates were paired with pickles and included:
- Nemrod Chauvreuil
- Rillette de porc
We paired it with a bottle of white wine from the wine store Le Temps des Vendanges in Saint Cyprien, voted the best cellar in France in 2021.
A tip for choosing a great wine to go with a selection of cheese. You can opt for a dry white wine with good acidity as it pairs well with the fat found in cheese. This is a great option if you want to keep the experience simple with only one bottle. For perfect pairing, you can obviously pair each specific cheese with a specific wine. For example, blue cheese pairs well with a sweet white bottle, and camembert pairs well with a light red. You can find suggestions for the wine pairing in their website when you select a cheese (examples in the links above).
If you like this post, then keep an eye for an upcoming post on some gastronomic affordable restaurants not to miss on Toulouse.
By the way, who am I?
I am a family and baby photographer who does mostly documentary work, serving families with children ages 0-6. I love discovering France with my family, especially because my husband and my two sons are French. And I love sharing my discoveries with young expat families like us.