Beaufort a cheese from the French Jura and Savoie regions, is the best of the French cheeses of the gruyère type. Like real Swiss Gruyère (as opposed to emmental) it has few and small holes, and a nutty flavour. Other French cheeses of this type include Comté (or Gruyère de Comté) from the Franche-Comté district, which has larger holes and a coarser, distinctive flavour. All are made in the characteristic large wheel shape, usually weighing up to 60 kg (140 lb), and occasionally as much as 130 kg (290 lb, the greatest weight of any cheese in normal production).
