Barthélémy
Founded in 1959, Fromagerie Barthélemy is one of Paris’ most respected cheese shops, known for its exacting selection and quiet authority in French fromages. The approach is deliberate—each cheese sourced and matured with precision, often destined for the city’s leading kitchens and institutions. Understated in presentation, uncompromising in quality, it remains a reference point for traditional French cheesemaking at its highest level.
What is the first thing you do when you wake up?
Drink freshly squeezed grapefruit juice.
A drink you never get tired of?
Grapefruit juice. I won’t tell you how much I drink per day—it’s
What has been playing in the background lately?
The latest album by Vanessa Paradis, Le retour des beaux jours, produced with Étienne Daho.
Your uniform that you put on without thinking?
My work smock.
What clothes feel like a second skin to you?
A nice pair of jeans, a white T-shirt, and a beautiful sweater.
The last book or film/series that left an impression on you?
The film The Count of Monte Cristo with Pierre Niney.
When was the last time you were completely moved by a work of art?
Every time I see Monet’s Water Lilies at the Orangerie, I’m deeply moved. You never perceive them the same way twice; you are literally immersed in the heart of the work, and that immersion is profoundly emotional.
What is the last thing that truly surprised you?
A magic trick.
Something you collect or are obsessed with?
Nothing.
A phrase or line you can’t get out of your head?
Do your best.
A meal you will never forget?
A wedding meal.
A trip that changed the way you see things?
All trips, without exception. Traveling always opens the mind. It is deeply enriching: you return transformed, with a broader perspective and something extra that stays with you.
Where do you feel most comfortable?
In my cellar.
Where do you go when you want to disappear?
In my cellar.
The most beautiful gift you’ve ever received?
My son.
What would you like to spend more time on?
Creating new cheese specialties.
What remains unfinished in your life today?
Probably many things. But I like to take satisfaction in everything that has already been accomplished.
What is the next step on your horizon?
A dinner with friends… with lots of cheese.
