Frescolet, the South-West grocery and cheese store, in Pigalle

At Frescolet, Pigalle's grocery and cheese store, you'll discover all the best the South-West has to offer: cheeses direct from the producers, as well as fine groceries, organic wines and beers, foie gras, cassoulet, jams, honeys...

Just a stone's throw from the Pigalle metro station, we take you to a small grocery-cheese store in the South-West of France. Yes, a little sunshine in the capital and on our plates doesn't hurt!

Named Frescolet, this spot opened a few years ago by two friends, Jean Chimisanas and Hadrien Senegas, offers a (very) fine selection of cheeses, of course, but not only.

As for the cheeses, the star of the house is the goat, and it's a family affair. They all come from Hadrien's family farm, Ferme de la Carlarié in the Tarn region of France. The milk from the 200 or so Alpine goats gives rise to delicate, hand-curdled and hand-molded cheeses, ranging from creamy pavé to fresh, creamy crottins and refined buchettes.

But Frescolet also offers a thousand and one other cheeses, not only from the Tarn region (such as a fruity tomme, plain or peppered, Barralet a smoked cheese, or Saint-Germain) but also from surrounding regions. From the Basque region, for example, the cheese dairy unveils a traditional Ossau Iraty with an assertive taste and a tomette subtly seasoned with Espelette pepper.

Raclette cheese, Roquefort, bleu d'Auvergne, bleu de chèvre, curé nantais, timanoix, tomme de Chartreuse, brie de Meaux, comte fruité, comté vieux, cabécou, Mont d'Or, Appenzeller, fourme d'Ambert, gruyère- you name it, this fine cheese dairy has it. Let yourself be guided by the advice of the owners- they certainly know what they're talking about!

On the grocery side, the South-West is also showcased through carefully sourced local produce: pâtés, rillettes, foies gras and cassoulets for connoisseurs, lavender honey, organic and natural wines, organic beers from the Tarn, as well as fine artisanal charcuterie, jambon de pays, liver sausages and other sausages. Enough to fill a tasty basket for home!

At lunchtime on weekdays, Frescolet also offers ready-made sandwiches made to order from a wide selection of charcuterie and cheeses. And the price is more than reasonable: €5 for half a baguette filled with goodies!

In 2020, Frescolet will be launching a series of cheese-tasting workshops during which, for 2 hours, gourmets will be able to familiarize themselves with the world of cheese, taste, discover and exchange ideas over a glass of wine.