On Tuesday, November 3, 2026, the Mont d'Or cheese will be judged at the 39th edition of an interprofessional competition dedicated to the most famous French Franche-Comté vacherin, a type of alpine cheese. The event will take place at 10 a.m. at the restaurant "Les Papillons" in Pontarlier. Ten dairies in the region will present their best cheeses, aiming to win the top prize. The jury will evaluate the cheeses based on their appearance, aroma, texture, and taste, paying special attention to details such as the folds of the rind, the creaminess of the paste, and the woody notes from the spruce band that wraps the cheese. Last season's competition saw Napiot Dairy take gold, Michelin Dairy win silver, and Coopérative des Monts de Joux claim bronze. The results of this year's competition will be announced at 2 p.m., followed by a general meeting of the Mont d'Or Syndicate, an organization that represents the interests of cheese producers in the region. For the 2025-2026 season, the sector processed over 32 million liters of milk, sold nearly 9.6 million Mont d'Or cheeses, and distributed more than 5,900 tons of the cheese. The Mont d'Or cheese is produced within an AOP (Appellation d'Origine Protégée) zone that includes 141 communes, following the approval of new specifications to ensure quality and authenticity. The production involves 10 dairies, one of which is a farm producer, and 500 milk producers who use two cow breeds: montbéliarde and simmental. The cheese must be aged for a minimum of 21 days, and the final product, including the packaging, weighs between 480 grams and 3.2 kilograms. The Mont d'Or sector has moved away from setting specific growth targets, instead adapting annually to AOP milk production levels based on environmental potential and natural risks. This approach reflects a commitment to sustainability and responsible production in the region.