Our Christmas orders are now closed. You can still buy our Cheese Subscriptions to start in January, as well as book our courses and tasting events. If you want to purchase vouchers you can do so until the 20th December but please note that it can take up to 48 hours for the vouchers to be emailed to you as we process these manually.
We have a full counter of cheese in our shop in Pangbourne so you can still come in and purchase items in store
£8.50
What I love about Pavé d’Affinois is how it balances tradition with a bit of modern know-how. It’s got all the elegance of a classic French cheese, but it’s made to be easygoing and versatile, perfect for sharing or just enjoying on your own.
Pavé d’Affinois is 150g of soft, gooey delicious cheese. It is a double cream cheese, with a rich, deep flavour without the pungency of a Brie. Soft, creamy and delicious, it is a small square of joy.
Pavé d’Affinois is one of those cheeses that always gets people talking. It’s French, incredibly creamy, and if you love triple-cream cheeses but want something even silkier, this one is a real treat. The white rind is soft and pillowy, and the inside is buttery and just melts away on your tongue. It’s often compared to Brie or Camembert, but I think Pavé d’Affinois has its own thing going on; it’s smoother, milder, and always seems to win over a crowd.
Pavé d’Affinois isn’t centuries old like Brie; it was created in the 1980s by Fromagerie Guilloteau in Rhône-Alpes. It offers a modern take on traditional French bloomy-rind cheeses, using new techniques to ensure consistent creaminess.
The name is a bit of a clue. “Pavé” means paving stone in French, which makes sense when you see its neat square shape. “Affinois” comes from the region near Pélussin, where it all began. It might look a bit like Brie at first, but Pavé d’Affinois is made quite differently. Instead of the old-fashioned draining and ageing, this one uses ultrafiltration, which gives it that velvety texture and a bit more protein. It ripens nicely but stays easy to slice, always a bonus when you’re putting together a cheese board.
These days, you can find Pavé d’Affinois in cheese shops and even some supermarkets all over the world. It’s become a favourite for entertaining or simply treating yourself; reliable, a touch fancy, and always delicious.
Pavé d’Affinois is made from pasteurised cow’s milk. It is classified as a double-cream cheese, though its richness often feels closer to that of a triple-cream cheese due to its texture. The cheese is inoculated with Penicillium candidum, which forms the delicate white bloomy rind during ageing.
It ripens in two to four weeks. The thin, edible white rind forms while the centre softens. When ready, the middle is creamy, holds briefly, then relaxes into a soft puddle, perfect for spreading. The rind is thin and mild, avoiding the strong ammonia notes sometimes found in overripe cheeses. Its square shape is also visually distinctive and easy to portion.
Pavé d’Affinois is prized for its refined, approachable flavour. It is less earthy than Camembert and milder than many aged Brie varieties. It smells fresh and milky, with just a hint of cream, butter, and maybe a little mushroom. You won’t find any of those strong, farmyardy whiffs that sometimes come with other bloomy cheeses.
Its most defining characteristic is texture. The interior is exceptionally smooth, almost whipped in consistency when fully ripe. It coats the palate luxuriously without feeling heavy or greasy. The mouthfeel is creamy, slightly tangy, and delicately elastic.
Flavour-wise, its sweet cream and butter notes, gentle tang, and a hint of mushroom from the rind define its taste, with subtle nuttiness at the finish. Even at peak ripeness, Pavé d’Affinois stays gentle and never overpowers. Because of its gentle flavour, it’s an excellent introduction to bloomy-rind cheeses for those wary of stronger varieties.
Jen’s note: Apparently, back in the 15th century, some local woodsmen saved the future King Louis XI from a bear in the 15th century by offering him this cheese, leading him to introduce it to the royal court.
Sizes and Prices
Storage Advice
Delivery and Collection
Ingredients (Allergens are listed in capitals)
MILK, cream (MILK), ferments, salt, microbial enzymes
Normal opening Monday – Saturday 9am – 4pm until:
Sunday 22nd 9am – 4pm
Monday 23rd 9am – 4pm
Christmas Eve 9am – 12pm
Christmas Day Closed
Boxing Day Closed
Friday 27th Closed
Saturday 28th 9am – 4pm
Sunday 29th Closed
Monday 30th 9am – 2pm
Tuesday 31st 9am – 2pm
New Year’s Day Closed
Thursday 2nd January Closed
Friday 3rd 9am – 4pm then open as normal
After Christmas our courier delivery slots start from 8th January.
