Ville-Saint-Jacques was originally renowned for its brie de Ville-Saint-Jacques, a small, cow's milk brie of around 1kg (2 lb 2 oz) rolled in ash and with an affinage of around two months. It was, like many cheeses throughout the world, ideal for workers, easy to transport and store during the day. The modern brie is ripened for 10 weeks but the village of Ville-Saint-Jacques is now better known for a goat's milk cheese.