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Less than 3 hours from Paris, this cheese has just been crowned the best in the world!

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The Editor

Fromagerie Groendal

There's no need to rush off to Auvergne or Savoie to taste the best cheese right now. The cheese just crowned "best in the world" in 2026 is made less than three hours from Paris, just a stone's throw from the Belgian border. It's a gem made from cow's milk, celebrated in France, and it's already driving cheese lovers wild!

Every year, the highly prestigious International Competition of Lyon brings together the crème de la crème of cheese producers from around the world. In 2026, more than 2,200 cheeses from 23 countries were blind-tasted by 630 judges. So, winning first place is nothing short of a remarkable feat.

And yet, this edition served up a huge surprise: it was a Belgian cheese that won everyone over, achieving the rare score of 100/100 and the supreme title across all categories. An unexpected honor in the land of camembert and comté.


L'Ancienne Belgique, a Gem from Fromagerie Groendal

Head to Rumbeke, in West Flanders. That’s where Fromagerie Groendal crafts L'Ancienne Belgique, a cow's milk gouda aged for ten months. It’s a labor of love that results in a cheese of remarkable precision.

More intense than a classic gouda, it still maintains a soft and creamy texture. When you take a bite, fine crystals, a hallmark of advanced aging, provide a subtle crunch that's highly sought-after. The result? A perfect balance of aromatic power, roundness, and elegance. An absolute triumph that has charmed a jury well-versed in the most refined references.


A symbolic victory… and a tasty getaway from Paris

The award has a special flavor: being crowned the best cheese in the world in France, during the largest cheese competition in the country. When the results were announced, the cheese shop team initially thought there was a mix-up, believing they had won the best Belgian cheese award. It was indeed the world title.

For Parisian food lovers, the great news is the closeness. Rumbeke is located less than three hours by train or car from the capital. Perfect for planning a gourmet weekend in Belgium, or keeping an eye out for its gradual arrival in some French dairies in 2026. Because production is limited and the marketing will be gradual.

One thing is for sure: Ancienne Belgique is set to become one of the stars of the stages this year. And it will show, if it even needed to, that the best cheese in the world can be found just on the other side of the border.