While 10 varieties of cheeses might sound like a lot, naming only 10 French cheeses is a feat. There are so many excellent French cheeses; it's estimated that France produces approximately 200 different types of cheeses! Cheese is one of the staples of French food culture alongside bread, pastries, and wine. Whether you have a light cheese spread on your morning bread, a hard cheese in your baguette at lunch, or a potent after-dinner cheese following a delectable French dinner, cheese is a central element of the French diet. In fact, so central is cheese to French food that it often has it's own course at a meal!