Camembert, commune in canton of Vimoutiers, department of Orne, Normandy, France
Camembert is a small administrative commune in Orne, Normandy, recognized for being the birthplace of the world-famous cheese that shares its name. The village sits in a rolling countryside of small fields separated by hedgerows, where local producers continue cheesemaking using traditional methods.
The commune developed gradually like many rural settlements in Normandy over centuries, but gained worldwide attention in the late 1700s when Camembert cheese was created. This single invention transformed the small village from an obscure rural place into a name recognized across the globe.
The village name is deeply linked to the cheese that made it known worldwide. Local cheesemakers continue to shape daily life here by passing down traditional methods and keeping production close to the land and its people.
The village is small and easy to walk around, with several cheesemakers and a museum welcoming visitors and showing how production works. Visiting on a weekday during warmer months offers the best chance to see active production and find local shops open for tasting and shopping.
The village owes its global fame to a woman named Marie Harel, who developed the cheese recipe in the late 1700s that remains in use today. Her name and story appear in local museums and on monuments that honor her role in creating one of the world's most recognized foods.
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