Gruyére protected in Switzerland and France

It’s official: there are now two types of AOC Gruyére. One is the tangy, flavourful hard cheese from the region in and around canton Fribourg in Switzerland. Most cheese fans regard this as the real Gruyére. After all, it is named after the Swiss town of Gruyéres which is in the middle of the production area. But this old favourite has been joined in the AOC ranks by a French Gruyére created in the region from the Haute Saȏne uplands of northeast France down to the Jura Mountains.

Actually, the French producers of this noble cheese, similar versions of which are marketed nowadays under the names Comté or Beaufort, point out that their version of Gruyére has been mentioned in literature since at least the time of Charlemagne. Even then, incidentally, it was recognised that another version was produced by Alpine farmers where Fribourg now lies. Both Swiss and French versions were competing for AOC certification right up to 2001 when the description was awarded to the Swiss Gruyére.

Now France’s continuous pressure to snap up AOC recognition for its own version of the cheese has paid off. But while the name might be the same the two versions differ physically. The French one features (pea-size) holes in the cheese body (pictured) and the Swiss Gruyére is solid except for fine cracks appearing in types that have been long matured. The EU officials also make it clear that the AOC Gruyére from France must be very clearly labelled with country of origin.