A West Yorkshire cheesemongers gets set for its own Grand Départ

A West Yorkshire cheese company aims to woo the French with their unique range of cheeses as they set off on a trip across the channel.

To celebrate the Grand Départ 100 day cultural festival and the Tour de France visiting Yorkshire this year, a West Yorkshire cheesemongers is about to set off on their very own Grand Fromage Départ.

Cryer and Stott, a cheesemongers based in Allerton Bywater in Castleford, West Yorkshire, will head across the channel at the end of March on a three day tour of France. Director Richard Holmes and Business Development Manager Jemma Flowers will travel to six French towns and cities with some of Yorkshire’s finest cheeses in tow before returning to the UK with a selection of French fromage.

Richard said: ‘This started as a bit of fun, but some other Yorkshire companies got wind of our idea and it’s just snowballed! We’re really lucky to have secured some fantastic partners in the form of Leeds Bradford Airport and Jet2.com; it’s their involvement that has made our cheese dream come true’.

The pair will collect a range of local cheeses and recipes and learn about the history and people behind each town’s creamery. On the agenda are visits to Rungis market and the British Embassy in Paris where the duo will present an artisan Yorkshire cheeseboard. ‘It’s amazing! We will be meeting Suzanne Ricketts, the ambassador’s wife, and the embassy’s head chef Cedric Magri, to put together a Yorkshire cheese menu,’ said Jemma.

Upon their return from France, the cheesemongers will be touring Yorkshire, offering cheese-tasting master classes and talks about their trip, as well as celebrating their favourite Yorkshire cheeses.