000 visitors per year in the medium term.

Small rural territory of the Thiérache which, ten years, reflecting local enhancement of its cheese, sees the project of the maroilles cheese a unique means to assert its identity and generate tourism activity around this major component of its heritage.

Its orange crust and its very particular flavour are the maroilles cheese renowned beyond the borders of the North and the Aisne, its terroir. The thing is not new, since the legend is back to a production of Abbey to 960, while archives relate that, already, Emperor Charles V in the 16th century, is was hooked this cheese to become a dish typical of the Court of Spain cow's milk. Born in the commune of maroilles cheese, in the arrondissement of Avesnes (North), the centre of gravity of the production of this cheese then migrated to the nearby Aisne, but in the land of Thiérache which today is the only cheese AOC of the Nord - Pas-de-Calais always.

She now also brings him the recognition of the State through the Centre of rural excellence of the House of the maroilles cheese. This plush cheese whose scent is strong in the face but is in fact much softer to the Palace, is a buzz unreported in a market of cheese rather retreating, dietary requires. Being widely cooked, notably to develop the famous flamiche is partially beyond this trend. It is also on this niche that developed the Defroidmont company, based at maroilles cheese, become over time a ready-made products in the maroilles cheese specialists, and the large employer of the village with its 35 employees. Nearby in Aisne, Fauquet society erected eighty years in leading manufacturer, with its 200 employees and 380 producers. The rural territory of maroilles cheese reflects ten years on a local project of its cheese. A "fromageoscope" was developed by the former Mayor of the village, until the project is studied by a large institutional gathering including the Union of the refiners or the Department of Aisne. However some not a good implementation of a concurrent deemed production structure eye seeing, is ultimately the consolidation of two communities (the country to Mormal and maroilles cheese and two Helpes) which bears only the operation, with the support of 20 farmers, but also the support of the Department of the North and the region. The investment is of size for this territory of 17,000 inhabitants, EUR 4 million, including 3 million for a manufacturing workshop including cellars of refining which could produce up to 200 tonnes of which 70 of maroilles cheese (for a total production of the designation of the order of 2,600 tons), but also new products like a bio maroilles and pure creations.

The site will be flanked by Museum, while another local, based on the grounds of the former Abbey where is located the headquarters of the regional reserve of Avesnois, will host the maroilles cheese House installation properly so-called. It will propose to the public of the courses of culinary initiation and animations, from the maroilles cheese, but also other local products such as the pellet of Avesnes (a particularly powerful cone cheese). "We will mount a semi-public company to manage the whole", announces André Ducarne, President of the intermunicipal of the country to Mormal and maroilles cheese. A marked path will lead visitors to the other while a road will be implemented by a signage indicating-producing farms.

Happy coincidence, the release of the project for the benefit of new poles of rural excellence comes the Avesnois raises a growing tourist interest: Green station of Val-Joly, a half hour car, comes to seduce a group of investors who will carry out nearly 1,000 beds, while the new musée Matisse in le Cateau-Cambrésis, the birthplace of the painter, confirms him also the force of his attendance. The future home of the maroilles cheese table on a rate of 30-40,000 visitors per year in the medium term.