Which soft French cheese with a white rind originates from Normandy?

The soft French cheese with a white rind that originates from Normandy is Camembert.

Camembert is a moist, creamy, surface-ripened cow’s-milk cheese first made in the late eighteenth century in the Normandy village of Camembert. Its characteristic bloomy white rind develops during aging, when the cheese is treated with Penicillium camemberti and ripened for at least three weeks. The rind is edible and helps create the soft interior texture.

Tradition credits Norman farmer Marie Harel with making an early version in 1791, reportedly after advice from the priest Charles-Jean Bonvoust. The cheese later became easier to transport when a wooden box was introduced in 1890, helping it spread internationally. Camembert was also issued to French soldiers during World War I, strengthening its place in French popular culture.

Camembert is often confused with Brie because both are soft, white-rinded cow’s-milk cheeses. Brie comes from the Brie region and is usually made in larger wheels; Camembert is generally a smaller, fully rind-covered round. The protected Camembert de Normandie is traditionally made from unpasteurized milk.