Langres (French pronunciation: [lɑ̃ɡʁ] ⓘ) is a French cheese from the plateau of Langres in the region of Champagne-Ardenne. It has benefited from an Appellation d'origine contrôlée (AOC) since 1991.

Langres is a cow's milk cheese, cylindrical in shape, weighing about 180 g. The central pâte is soft, creamy in colour, and slightly crumbly, and is surrounded by a white Penicillium candidum rind. Langres cheese is known for its vibrant orange rind, achieved through the use of annatto, and its concave dent known as the "fontaine." It is a less pungent cheese than Époisses, its local competition. It is best eaten between May and August after 5 weeks of aging, but it is also excellent March through December.

Production in 1998 was around 305 tons, a decline of 1.61% since 1996, and 2% on farms. In 2016, 605.5 tonnes of Langres cheese were produced by three dairies, including one farm producer.

Production

The specifications for this Appellation d'origine contrôlée (AOC), recognized since 1991, were approved by Decree No. 2009-49 of January 13, 2009, published in the Journal Officiel on January 15, 2009.

The specifications define an AOC area covering two districts of Haute-Marne (Chaumont and Langres), one canton in the Vosges (Neufchâteau), and four villages in Côte-d'Or. The authorized cow breeds are French Simmental, Montbéliarde, and Brown Swiss. Prim'Holstein cattle are tolerated as long as they do not exceed 50% of the herd. The specifications also state that cows must graze for a minimum of six months per year.

See also