Vieux-Boulogne facts for kids

Vieux-Boulogne, also known as Sablé du Boulonnais, is a special kind of cheese from France. It's made from cow's milk that hasn't been pasteurized. This means the milk hasn't been heated to kill germs. The cheese comes from the Pas-de-Calais area, near the town of Boulogne-sur-Mer. Antoine Bernard and Philippe Olivier created this unique cheese in 1982.

What Makes This Cheese Special?

This cheese is shaped like a square. It's about 11 cm (4.3 in) wide and 4 cm (1.6 in) tall. Each cheese weighs up to 500 g (18 oz).

Inside and Out

Vieux-Boulogne has a soft, springy inside. The outside has a moist, red-orange rind. This rind is special because it's washed with beer while the cheese is being made. This washing helps give the cheese its unique flavor and smell. The cheese is also "pre-salted," meaning salt is added early in the process.

The Smelliest Cheese?

Vieux-Boulogne is famous for its very strong smell! In 2004, scientists at Cranfield University in England tested 15 different cheeses. They found Vieux-Boulogne was the "smelliest" of them all.

They did another test in 2007 using "electronic nose" sensors. These sensors can detect different smells. The results confirmed again that Vieux-Boulogne is known as the world's "smelliest" cheese.