A visitor from France loved the cheesecake and wants the recipe but is not familiar with cream cheese. Does anybody know of a comparable product in France?

I don't know the French equivalent, but maybe mascarpone cheese would be available in France too? That's pretty close in texture and somewhat in flavor. Or ricotta? ...cheese whiz? ;-)

Marscapone was the first thing that came to me. That'd be pretty good in cheesecake.