Yes, unpasteurized cheese is legal in France, but production and sale are tightly controlled under EU and French food safety laws. France’s Agence Nationale de Sécurité Sanitaire de l’Alimentation (ANSES) and Direction Générale de la Concurrence, de la Consommation et de la Répression des Fraudes (DGCCRF) enforce strict hygiene and aging requirements, including mandatory 60-day maturation for raw-milk cheeses. The 2026 EU Farm to Fork strategy may tighten raw-milk sourcing rules, but France’s cultural exemption preserves traditional AOP (Appellation d’Origine Protégée) cheeses like Roquefort or Comté.
Key Regulations for Unpasteurized Cheese in France
- Mandatory Aging Period: Raw-milk cheeses must age ≥60 days (EU Regulation 853/2004), reducing microbial risks while preserving sensory qualities. Shorter aging is permitted only for AOP cheeses with historical precedents (e.g., Camembert de Normandie).
- Hygiene Controls: Producers must comply with HACCP principles and register with DGCCRF, which conducts unannounced inspections. Dairies using raw milk must document pathogen testing (e.g., Listeria monocytogenes) every 3 months.
- Labeling Requirements: Cheeses must display “au lait cru” (raw milk) and origin details. AOP labels require additional certification from INAO (Institut National de l’Origine et de la Qualité), verifying terroir-specific production methods.
Local exceptions exist for farmstead producers selling directly to consumers, but these require microbiological self-monitoring and traceability logs. Non-compliance risks fines up to €750,000 under French Code de la Consommation (Article L413-1).