This pretty cheese is native of the country of Bray which means, in old French, muddy ground. Created from the erosion of the Paris basin, the country of Bray has a clay soil and rich in watercourse, thus favoring grassland for cattle breeding. This region covers the departments of Seine-Maritime and Oise.
 
 In 1850, it was in this beautiful region that "petit Suisse" was invented (a very popular fresh yogurt mixed with cream cheese)! The Heart of Neufchatel was created in the village of Neufchatel-en-Bray. It is the oldest of the Normandy cheeses; its original heart-shaped format has passed through generations. During the 100 years war, the girls offered it to the English soldiers to show their love to them.
 
In Neufchatel-en-Bray, the dairy of the Pays de Bray, which has about ten employees, manufactures this cheese according to traditional methods. The lactic curd is drained in canvas bags and directly salted and molded, giving it a slightly salty taste. It is matured for at least 10 days in a cellar where there is a slight smell of mushroom, which gives it a fine white down.