Fodor's Travel: Where to find the world's stinkiest cheese
Nov. 3, 2018
It takes a lot for a cheese in France to be nicknamed “Lille Stinker.” But so pungent is its smell, you can almost see cartoonish clouds of smoke rising from its rind.
Not for the faint-hearted or squeamish, the Vieux Lille (its real name) radiates a deep, rich odor that can be described as ammonia, yeast, must, and feet all at the same time—a repellent to the uninitiated; a savory promise to others. Because fans of the Vieux Lille know that its bark is far worse than its bite. If you can get past the smell, which hits like a slow-motion punch at first, you’ll be treated to a milky, mild, salty cheese that sits smooth and buttery on the tongue.
A cousin of the Maroilles cheese native to Northern France, the Vieux Lille goes by several different names: Lille Stinker, Lille Grey (after its greyish-orange rind), and Macerated Stench. But the Vieux Lille is a slight misnomer, as it’s not produced in the city of Lille. To understand how the Lille Stinker came to be, you have to trace its origins back to the Maroilles, a famous and beloved cheese favored by the French monarchy, which was produced only in the neighboring region of La Thiérache. Before the invention of cars, Lillois would travel by horse and buggy to the village of Maroilles, where patrons would buy the cheese in bulk for consumption back home.
