From Teacher to Cheesemonger: Fransýr – How a Frenchman in Prague Turned His Passion into a Profession

What began with homesickness for French cheese has today become an established business with two locations in Prague. For more than a decade, an entrepreneur from France has been bringing specialities from his homeland to the Czech capital.

The Frenchman Gaël Dandelot has been living in Prague for 22 years. He originally came to the city as a teacher and taught mathematics at the French lycée, later also physics and chemistry. However, his career gradually developed away from teaching and into a completely different professional path – one that is now closely linked to French cheese culture.

The reason for this unusual change was simple: in the early 2000s, it was still much more difficult in Prague to find high-quality French cheese. Speaking with Prague Daily News, Gaël said that during his trips back home, he regularly brought cheese back with him – initially for himself, later also for colleagues and acquaintances to try. The response was positive, and an idea eventually turned into a business.

Foto: Gaël Dandelot | Fransýr

Gaël opened his first shop in Letná in 2010, in a space of just 17 square metres. After around two and a half years, the premises became too small. Later in 2013, he therefore moved to a larger location in the Lucerna Passage, where his shop remains today. In February 2022, he returned to Letná with a second shop – shortly after the pandemic and just before another challenging period for many businesses.

Today, he employs six permanent staff members as well as additional assistants. Both shops focus primarily on French cheese, complemented by wine, cured meats and other specialities. In addition to in-store sales, guests can also enjoy cheese platters on site. Gaël and his team also organise tastings, as well as raclette and fondue evenings.

Foto: Fransýr

The range on offer includes on average between 100 and 120 types of cheese. The focus is clearly on France, with occasional products from Italy, Spain, Austria or Switzerland. The goods are sourced through several suppliers from different French regions, including Jura, Savoy and the Pyrenees. Not only production, but also the correct maturation of the products, is particularly important.

Patience is especially crucial with soft cheese. Many varieties are not sold immediately after delivery but are instead stored for several weeks until they reach the desired level of maturity. With hard cheese, this process is less demanding, while soft cheese requires considerably more attention. Deliveries are made – depending on the product and season – usually weekly or every two weeks.

Foto: Fransýr

Gaël himself comes from Saint-Étienne, not far from Lyon. The region lies between several well-known cheese-producing areas such as the Alps and the Auvergne. He explains that mountain regions in particular have traditionally been strongly associated with cheese for historical reasons: milk was once difficult to transport and preserve, so cheese became a practical form of processing and conservation.

In addition to private customers, Fransýr also supplies restaurants and wine bars in Prague. According to Gaël, these include renowned addresses in the higher-end gastronomy sector. Another part of the business consists of market sales, including every Saturday at the farmers’ market at Kulaťák, as well as seasonal events such as the French Market (Francouzský trh) in Prague.

Foto: Fransýr

Gaël is not currently considering expansion at any cost. Two shops, events, market stalls and the daily work with fresh products are already demanding enough. For him, the focus remains above all on one thing: good cheese – and offering it to customers at exactly the right moment.

Those interested in discovering more about his cheeses can visit one of the Fransýr shops in Prague or find out more on the company’s website and social media channels.


Fransýr na Letné
M. Horákové 27, 170 00 Praha 7

Fransýr v Lucerně
Vodičkova 701/34, 110 00 Praha 1

Fransýr
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