Bleu du Vercors-Sassenage is a mild pasteurized

natural rind cow's milk blue cheese originally

produced by monks in the Rhône-Alpes region of

France in the 14th century. Now made in the

Dauphiné area, the cheese has been a protected

Appellation d'origine Contrôlée since 1998.

As a requirement, the cheese has to be

composed of milk from Montbéliard, Abondance

or Villard cows. The cheese is unpressed and

uncooked and contains the mold Penicillium

roqueforti. In Larousse Grand Dictionnaire

Universel of the 19th century, King Francis is

described as being quite fond of the cheese.