This cheese is said to have been created in AD 962 by a monk. Maroilles, also called Marolles, is a powerful fermier or industrial cheese. The pate is golden, soft and oily. The sweet taste lingers in the mouth. Affinage takes at least five weeks within the specified areas, although two to four months are more usual. During this time, the cheese is regularly turned and brushed and its rind changes from yellow, to orange, and finally red. Repeated turnings and washings eliminate the natural white mould and promote the development of bacteria (red ferments) that form the distinctive red rind.