"Brie de Meaux" Meaux by kokoryko

Meaux Travel Guide: 31 reviews and 159 photos

I almost can smell it from the pic! - Meaux

Brie de Meaux, but not a cheesy city

Brie de Meaux, bris de mots ? Pris de maux ? Prie de mots? Brocs de mie? Maux d’épris? . . . . well, just playing a bit with words and, a minimal knowledge in French language is needed to follow. . . In fact this VT page is – among other subjects – about the KING OF CHEESES! It is not only me who calls the Brie de Meaux the king of cheeses, many celebrities and anonymous people think the same since a few centuries.
Most important, one day you have to taste it and make your opinion about this very important matter, and your opinion is the most important.
I love to eat cheese, there is no real meal, in many parts of France without cheese, and if there is no Brie on the cheese platter, I know people who would say: something may be missing!
But to make your own opinion, there is a big difficulty since sanitary rules and laws, more than pleasure and taste regulate the production of cheese in Europe; in France less than 16% of cheeses are made with raw milk, and raw milk cheeses, if not banned from supermarkets, are more and more difficult to find in shops and supermarkets; what one can find are “fake cheeses” made with microfiltered, pasteurized milk, which are allowed to keep the names like Camembert, Brie, Reblochon, Saint Nectaire, etc. . . . For the real cheeses, the raw milk cheeses, (which, by the way, bear health risks ** only for Euro-technocrats, American FDA and industrial food companies) you need to go to the production areas, or very specialised shops in big cities, and there, check carefully the labels, be sure the cheese is made with “lait cru” (Raw milk). Camembert or Brie you find in New York, Berlin or Tokyo are not real ones in general, it is very difficult to import these cheeses, and you get only ersatz. Ah! Just a short diatribe, to tell I love real cheese, also the “cooked or pasteurized milk cheeses” like the Beaufort, Emmental, Stilton, and many more; some cheeses are good when they are made with raw milk, other wonderful cheeses are done with cooked milk!
Ah it is a travel page, and it is about Meaux, in the Île de France, the cradle of France, but Meaux without Brie cheese is not Meaux.
**https://www.inra.fr/la_science_et_vous/apprendre_experimenter/questions_d_actu/le_lait_dans_tous_ses_etats/qu_est_ce_que_le_lait_cru

Holy places, holy people

Nativity

Meaux is well known for its cathedral and the Episcopal palace where the very famous bishop Bossuet, a nightmare for students in French literature classes, wrote most of his works. And, indeed, the Episcopal palace, the garden, the museum, all located close to the cathedral are worth to see. Nice walks under the ramparts offer nice views of the city, and strolling in the old medieval streets is a nice thing to do withy nice weather, cross the bridges over the Marne river, see the market hall, even be lucky to be there a market day. . .
Little is known about the early settlers of Meaux, the Meldes, who lived on the shores of the Marne River; after the conquest of Gallia by Caesar, the Roman built a military post and remains of ramparts of that time can be seen. Battles and wars ruled the life in the cradle of France in high Middle Age till the construction of the cathedral which began at the end of the 12th century. Meaux is sadly known for the Meaux treatise, which ends the crusade against the Cathars and the submission of southern France to the kings of France. From time to time during the hundred years war, Meaux was English.
The 17th century was marked by the presence in Meaux of the Eagle of Meaux, Bishop Jacques-Benigne Bossuet, preceptor of the future Sun King (Louis XIV).
Meaux is located on the east of Paris, that means on the road to Germany (or road to Paris for the German) and was the transit point of protestant ideas or German philosophical thinking, but also passage of German troops since Napoleonian wars till WW II. Many battles took place in Meaux and surroundings and not a lot of the medieval city is left; most of the stained glass windows of the cathedral have been destroyed during the battles, old houses have disappeared. . . . Meaux is not a martyr city like many in eastern France, but it has suffered from the two last wars, and luckily few of the medieval windows of the cathedral have “survived” and have been renovated: beautiful colours, of course, but also incredibly sensitive representations of Biblical characters.

And other little things to do. . .

Quiet walk along the Marne

Meaux is located about 40 km East of Paris and can be very easily be reached by train from Gare de l’Est (35-45 mn), by car, and what I prefer, and did a few times, by bike, along the “Canal de l’Ourq”, a very pleasant and easy ride along a canal, passing in villages of the “Craddle of France”. Good is to go one way by bike and the other way by train.
Many people visiting Paris like to go for another place, one or two days, as I read from the VT forum, and Meaux could be one of these places easily accessible (ah! I do not have a hotel tip). I will take you to visit a few nice places in Meaux, with cathedral, market, banks of the Marne. . . . . . and wish you to find a real cheese on the market, not to bring back home, but to enjoy on the spot or take for the picnic, if you bike back to Paris. . . . :)))
You also can have a walk along the Marne banks and enjoy the views of the boats, and see the cathedral dominating the city.

Last visit to Meaux: May 2009
Intro Updated Jun 10, 2009
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Reviews (21)

Many small restaurants near the... Restaurants (1)

In rue St Remy, with view on the cathedral are a number of small restaurants. I tried a Turkish restaurant and was quite... more travel advice

Bike to Meaux along the Canal de l'Ourq Transportation (2)

A very enjoyable way top go to Meaux is to go there biking; it is a bit long, but as the road and tracks follow a canal,... more travel advice

Train to Meaux Transportation (2)

Meaux is 30 to 45 mn distant from Paris Est train station; there is a train about every half hour, so Meaux is very easy... more travel advice

The lingerie shop and the gothic door - Meaux

Buy sexy lingerie in a catholic church! Shopping (1)

I do not often write shopping tips, and shopping in general is not a “touristy activity” I praise, but I thought the... more travel advice

Things to Do (17)
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Comments (7)

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BruceDunning Jan 4, 2012 at 2:13 PM

You Brie description is wonderful and also one of my favorites-but I eat Tilamook, Oregon white aged cheese in USA. It tastes/smells like good Europe quality. The pictures and comments are very good; keep up the nice presentations.
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nickandchris Oct 12, 2010 at 1:12 AM

What a an in-depth page, so much information and wonderful pictures. Gargoyles fascinate me, like you! And the church windows....... Oh, for real, unpastuerised cheese here....! No chance.
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nomorewars Jan 15, 2010 at 7:37 PM

Hermann, there is nothing more invigorating, more peaceful, and more inspirational than the great outdoors. I think either a bike ride or stroll along the Canal de l'Ourq would be unforgettable.
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Mikebb Nov 15, 2009 at 2:56 AM

Interesting page, nice photos and even cheese photos. Thanks for the Birthday Greeting, from the land of "Oz" - downunder!
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Elisabcn Sep 9, 2009 at 8:56 AM

It is said that gargoyles were devil's creatures turned into stone statues condemned to listen to mass forever (that's why they are so sufferer eheh).You were right:Meaux looks a good idea for a sunny Sunday. . . I can already smell the brie!!:-) :-) :-)
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robertgaz Jun 20, 2009 at 7:46 PM

I would have thought that the French character would have rebelled against outsiders intruding on their delight in eating Brie's made with unpasteurised milk! Unfortunately that's all we can buy down under :(
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hquittner Jun 10, 2009 at 2:43 PM

Than you for the Virtual Trip to Meaux! We have planned to stop (next time) on our driving to or from Ch.de Gaulle. It is one of the few Gothic Cathedrals in France we have missed. Looks like a smart last night place before flying out.