Cheese & Wine Tasting in Montmartre with Local Cheesemonger

Cheese can explain France surprisingly well. This two-hour tasting in Montmartre brings you into an intimate stone-walled space for eight French cheeses and five French wines, including a sparkling wine, with host Max guiding the group through each pairing. It is part lesson, part social evening, and part edible tour of French regions.

I especially like the generous food and drink selection, and I like that Max makes the subject easy to follow rather than turning it into a lecture. The small-group setting also gives the experience a personal feel. The main consideration is simple: you will eat a lot of cheese, and the wine pours can add up quickly, so this is not the best pick if you want a light snack or do not drink alcohol.

Key points at a glance

• Eight cheeses, five French wines: The tasting gives you a broad introduction to French cheese styles and wine pairings, with one sparkling wine included.
• Max is the heart of the experience: He combines clear explanations, jokes, stories, and practical advice about Paris.
• A relaxed stone-walled setting: The intimate room feels more personal than a large food tour or crowded restaurant.
• Pairings are the main lesson: You learn how a cheese can change when tasted with the right wine, including why red wine is not always the obvious choice.
• Good value at $70: The price covers two hours, substantial servings, instruction, and five wines rather than a quick tasting flight.
• Easy to add to a Montmartre day: The meeting point is at 98 Rue Marcadet, near the part of Paris where you can spend an afternoon walking, eating, and looking around.

Arriving at the green wooden storefront on Rue Marcadet

The meeting point is 98 Rue Marcadet, 75018 Paris. Look for the green wooden front store. That detail matters because Rue Marcadet is a normal Paris street, not a grand attraction with a huge tour sign waiting to guide you in.

The experience takes place in a beautiful, intimate room with stone walls. That setting helps set the right mood. You are not standing around a market stall or trying to hear a guide over traffic. You sit down, taste carefully, and have enough time to ask questions.

The location also works well as part of a Montmartre day. You can plan the tasting before or after a walk through the neighborhood. Since the activity lasts two hours, I would avoid squeezing it between several timed museum visits. Give yourself room to arrive calmly and enjoy the wine without watching the clock.

The activity is offered in English, and the host has welcomed people from many countries. The group format is small, relaxed, and personal rather than formal. If you enjoy talking with people you have just met, this setup should suit you well. If you prefer a private tasting with only your own party, keep in mind that the experience is designed as a small-group event.

The opening pour: learning how to taste

The tasting begins with Max introducing the idea of French cheese and wine pairing. His approach is friendly and direct. He explains the subject in plain English, using stories and humor to make the information stick.

That matters because cheese tasting can quickly become a parade of difficult names and regional labels. Here, you are given useful context about where the cheeses come from, how they are made, and what to notice in the flavor. One particularly helpful detail is the use of a map to show the size and position of French regions.

You do not need previous knowledge of wine. You can simply taste, listen, and compare. Max’s style works especially well for people who want to learn but do not want to feel tested. His explanations are detailed, yet accessible, and he takes questions throughout the session.

The host’s humor is a major part of the experience. Max is described as warm, funny, outgoing, and inclusive, with a talent for creating a friendly mood among people who arrived as strangers. That is not just decoration. A relaxed group is more willing to admit that a cheese is unfamiliar, ask a basic question, or change its mind after trying a pairing.

Eight cheeses from different French traditions

The food is the main event, and the tasting includes eight French cheeses. The exact selection can change, so you should not book expecting a particular named cheese. What you can expect is a range of flavors and textures chosen to show how varied French cheese can be.

Each cheese comes with an explanation of its region and production. You learn about the link between local agriculture, traditional methods, and the final taste. This is where the activity becomes more useful than simply ordering a cheese board in a Paris restaurant. You get the story behind what is on your plate and guidance on how to taste it.

The portions are generous. Several people specifically found that there was plenty of cheese, and one person jokingly warned that there is a lot of it. That is good news if you are hungry, but it also means you should not plan a large meal immediately afterward.

The cheese is served as the focus of the tasting. One practical point is that crackers or biscuits may not be part of the experience. A comment specifically suggested including them, so if you expect a classic cheese board with bread or crackers, check the current arrangements before booking. The supplied information confirms fresh water, but it does not promise bread, crackers, or other side dishes.

The selection can include unusual flavors and stories. Some of the background may be entertainingly shocking, especially if you are new to traditional French cheeses. The point is not to like every bite. It is to notice how milk, aging, region, and production affect the result.

Five wines, including a sparkling welcome

The advertised tasting includes five French wines, one of them sparkling. The wines are selected to match the cheeses rather than served as an unrelated flight. That makes the experience more educational, because you can compare the cheese on its own and then taste it with the wine.

The pairings are presented as a way to bring out different flavors. A cheese that seems sharp or salty alone can taste softer with one wine. Another may become more pronounced. The pairing lesson is practical, and you can take the basic ideas home when ordering cheese or wine in France.

The exact wines are not listed in advance. That is useful if you enjoy a little discovery, but less useful if you need to avoid a specific grape, style, or region. The tasting has included natural wine, and one account noted that natural wine can be unpredictable. If you are curious about that style, it may be an interesting part of the session. If you prefer familiar supermarket labels, the selection may feel less predictable.

There is also an important lesson about red wine. One participant came away realizing that red wine is not always the best match for cheese. That runs against the easy French food stereotype, and it is one of the practical ideas you may remember after the tasting.

The listing promises five wines, although one account described four glasses during the pairings. Serving formats can vary, so do not assume five full glasses. Even with smaller pours, the combination of wine and cheese is substantial. Fresh water is included, and I would make use of it throughout.

Max’s teaching style and personal recommendations

Max is repeatedly praised for making the two hours pass quickly. That is a useful sign for anyone worried that a tasting might feel slow or overly technical. He tells stories, explains the background of each item, and keeps the group involved.

His strength is not only subject knowledge. He also reads the room well. He makes space for questions, keeps people included, and creates rapport between different age groups and nationalities. That makes the experience suitable for couples, families with adult children, friends, and solo visitors who enjoy a social activity.

Max also gives suggestions for places to eat, drink, and visit in Paris. These recommendations are a nice extra, especially if you schedule the tasting near the start of your stay. You can use the advice for the rest of your trip while the information is still fresh.

I would book this early in a Paris visit if you want food and nightlife suggestions. If the tasting is one of your final activities, the recommendations may still be useful, but you will have less time to act on them.

How much food and wine do you get for $70?

At $70 per person, this is not a bargain snack, but it offers solid value for a two-hour guided experience. You are paying for eight cheeses, five advertised French wines, instruction in English, fresh water, and a host who keeps the session lively and organized.

The value improves if you enjoy learning about what you eat. A cheese board and several glasses of wine in Paris can cost a fair amount on their own, but they do not usually come with regional explanations, pairing advice, and a host who answers questions for two hours.

The portions are another reason the price feels fair. The food is not treated as a tiny sample that disappears after one bite. Expect enough cheese and wine to make this feel like a substantial afternoon activity.

Still, the value depends on your interests. If you do not enjoy cheese, drink little, or mainly want to see Montmartre’s streets, you might prefer a walking tour or a market visit. If you love food but want a full meal, remember that this is a tasting, not a restaurant dinner. It may satisfy you, but the format is built around comparison and conversation.

Who should book this Montmartre tasting?

I would recommend it to anyone who wants a friendly introduction to French food without taking a formal culinary course. You do not need to know the difference between a Burgundy and a Bordeaux, and you do not need to recognize every cheese by smell.

It is particularly well suited to:

• Couples looking for a relaxed afternoon activity
• Families with adult children
• Friends who enjoy food, wine, and conversation
• Solo visitors who like small-group experiences
• People who want useful Paris recommendations from a local host
• Anyone curious about French regional food and traditional cheese making

It may be less suitable for someone who dislikes strong cheeses, needs a nonalcoholic activity, or wants a quiet private tasting. The setting is warm and social, and Max’s personality is central to the experience.

The activity is listed as wheelchair accessible. Since the information provided does not describe the exact entrance, seating layout, or restroom arrangements, anyone with specific access needs should confirm those details before booking.

Planning your timing and route

The activity lasts two hours, and starting times vary. Check the available session before planning the rest of your day. I would arrive with enough time to find 98 Rue Marcadet and locate the green wooden storefront without rushing.

Montmartre is best enjoyed at walking pace, but you do not want a long uphill wander immediately before a scheduled tasting. Plan the nearby sightseeing around the appointment rather than treating the tasting as a quick stop between distant attractions.

A useful plan is to visit part of Montmartre before the tasting, enjoy the cheese and wine, then continue exploring afterward. You may feel pleasantly full and slightly affected by the wine, so keep the post-tasting schedule simple.

Book for the beginning of your Paris stay if you want Max’s restaurant and bar suggestions to shape later days. Book later if you are mainly looking for a relaxed break from museums and major sights.

Cancellation is free up to 24 hours before the experience for a full refund. You can also reserve now and pay later, which helps if your Paris schedule is still changing.

What makes this more than a cheese board?

The strongest part of the experience is the way food becomes a route through France. You are not just told that a cheese comes from a certain region. You learn how place, production, and tradition affect the taste, then test that idea with a wine pairing.

The small group also changes the mood. A large tasting can feel like a performance, with everyone waiting for the guide to finish. Here, the format allows conversation and questions. Max’s warmth and humor keep the lesson from becoming stiff.

The experience also gives you confidence for the rest of your trip. After two hours, you should have a better idea of how to order a cheese plate, how to ask about wine, and how to pay attention to pairings. You may even discover that a cheese you expected to dislike works beautifully with the right wine.

The main weakness is the lack of a published cheese and wine menu. That is normal for a changing tasting, but it means people with strict preferences cannot judge the exact selection in advance. The possible absence of crackers or biscuits is another small practical point. Come for the cheese, wine, and teaching, not for a fully arranged meal.

Should you book it?

Book this experience if you want a generous, social, and informative introduction to French cheese and wine. Max’s humor, warmth, and clear explanations receive the strongest praise, and the amount of food and wine makes $70 feel reasonable for two hours.

I would especially book it near the start of a Paris visit, then use Max’s local suggestions during the rest of your stay. Skip it if you avoid alcohol, dislike cheese, or prefer a private and quiet meal. For most food-loving visitors, this is a smart way to spend an afternoon in Montmartre, with enough substance to become more than a quick tasting stop.

FAQ

Where does the cheese and wine tasting take place?

It takes place at 98 Rue Marcadet, 75018 Paris. The storefront at the meeting point is green and made of wood.

How long does the experience last?

The tasting lasts two hours.

How much does it cost?

The listed price is $70 per person.

How many cheeses are included?

You taste eight French cheeses.

How many wines are included?

The experience includes five French wines, including one sparkling wine.

Is fresh water provided?

Yes, fresh water is included.

What language is the tasting in?

The instructor conducts the experience in English.

Is the experience wheelchair accessible?

Yes, it is listed as wheelchair accessible.

Who leads the tasting?

The tasting is led by Max from EATCHEESEWITHMAX.

Can you cancel for a full refund?

Yes. You can cancel up to 24 hours in advance for a full refund.