40 cheeses for Pope Leo XIV: the spectacular platter prepared for his visit to France

The visit does indeed concern Pope Leo XIV. His apostolic journey to France is scheduled for September 25–28, 2026, with stops in Paris, Lourdes, and Metz.

After Paris, the pope is scheduled to arrive in Lourdes in the early evening of Saturday, September 26. He will remain there all day Sunday, including a Mass at 11 a.m. on the sanctuary’s lawn.

It is in connection with this visit to the Pyrenees that this exceptional cheese platter has been prepared, featuring a selection that particularly highlights the region’s cheeses.

The display itself is shaped like France. Several religious monuments serve as visual landmarks: Notre-Dame de Paris, Mont-Saint-Michel, Notre-Dame-de-la-Garde in Marseille, Lourdes, and the Cathedral of Saint-Bertrand-de-Comminges.

Arranged around these landmarks, the cheeses are displayed according to their region of origin. The idea is to introduce people to both the French countryside and its regional specialties.

The design is intended to be generous without appearing cluttered, with a predominantly light color scheme and a few pops of color provided by the flowers and the various cheese rinds.

The northern and northeastern parts of the plateau are home to several classic French cheeses.

Camembert and Pont-l’Évêque are found near Mont-Saint-Michel. Further north are the Avesnes balls and Maroilles, while Munster naturally occupies the eastern part of the map.

The concept is simple yet highly visual: anyone looking at the platter can almost follow a gastronomic journey across the country even before beginning the tasting.

In the southeast, the cheese platter features Banon de Provence as well as a Corsican cheese.

In the center of the platter is also a Laguiole made by Daniel Pègue. This selection showcases several major cheese families, featuring different textures, milk types, and aging processes.

Most of the 40 to 45 varieties selected are listed as AOP-certified cheeses, although the platter also includes several house-made creations.

This is the most striking feature of this selection. About one in five cheeses comes from the Pyrenees.

This choice is obviously not insignificant, since Léon XIV is set to spend a significant portion of his visit in Lourdes. Dominique Bouchait therefore wanted to give the products of his region a prominent place.

Pyrenean specialties aren’t relegated to a corner; on the contrary, they become one of the central elements of the display.

Among the most striking creations is the Napoléon, one of Bouchait’s signature cheeses.

It is cut into triangles and arranged around a depiction of the Saint-Bertrand-de-Comminges Cathedral to evoke the peaks of the Pyrenees.

The Napoléon is a sheep’s-milk cheese associated with the Pyrenees and has long been one of the specialties of Les Fromagers du Mont Royal.

Alongside the Napoléon are the Pic du Midi and the Montréjeau.

The Pic du Midi was created by Antoine Bouchait, the son of Dominique Bouchait. The Montréjeau, meanwhile, is named directly after the town linked to the family’s history.

These cheeses ensure that the cheese platter isn’t just a collection of the best-known AOPs—it also showcases the work of local cheesemakers and affineurs.

The arrangement was prepared and presented for the papal visit. Its value is estimated at approximately 500 euros.

The idea came about during a conversation with the parish priest of Montréjeau. The project was then approved, and the team got to work at the Fromagers du Mont Royal shop in Estancarbon.

For Dominique Bouchait, who has previously provided services for several heads of state and major international events, serving a pope is nevertheless a first.

The large platter shaped like France will not be the only creation prepared for this occasion.

Dominique Bouchait has announced a second platter for Sunday, September 27. It will be smaller, and its theme will focus on Saint-Bertrand-de-Comminges.

This second serving will therefore further narrow the selection to focus on the Pyrenean region and its history.

The table is part of a living room where the cuisine served in Lourdes is meant to prominently feature local products.

Chef Guillaume Lahet, tasked with preparing the pope’s three meals during his visit to Lourdes, has planned to serve Pyrenean trout, black pork, Tarbais beans, and spit-roasted cake.

Even the bread is to be made with a sourdough starter made from Lourdes water. The overall approach is therefore quite clear: to showcase the local terroir without turning the meals into a display of luxury.

What makes this selection special isn’t just the number of cheeses.

The platter was designed as a small, edible map of France: the cheeses reflect their regions, the landmarks provide reference points, and the Pyrenean specialties take center stage in connection with the stop in Lourdes.

From Camembert to Banon, from Maroilles to Laguiole, and then from Napoléon to Pic du Midi, Pope Leo XIV and his entourage will have before them a tour of France; one that this time is explored with a cheese knife.