Baguette in Paris: A Delicious History and Boulangerie Recommendations (Worth Every Carb)

With all due respect to Michelin-starred restaurants and the like, when it comes to the intensity of culinary pleasure, few foods, in my opinion, can compete with a fresh, buttered baguette (preferably one from Bourdieu, but I'm still open to negotiation here).

If you, like me, are addicted to this long, crispy pastry, this article was created for you. Here you will find not only the not entirely conventional reason that made the baguette the most famous French bread in the world (although, as you will see, it actually has Austrian roots), but also recommendations for boulangerie that will sell you the perfect baguette.

So let's get started and please, try not to leave too many crumbs...

The history of the baguette

Legend has it that until the time of Napoleon, French bread was round like a boule, which is where the word Boulanger (baker) came from. Napoleon , who recognized the importance of logistics, demanded that his bakers create a stick-shaped bread that would be easy to put in the pockets of his soldiers' pants and march for many miles, and thus the baguette was born (this may also be how the phrase "Is that a baguette in your pants that you're just happy to meet me?" was coined).

However, this is probably a myth, as walking with a baguette stuck in your pants is not particularly comfortable, and in any case, after a long walk the baguette would probably be almost inedible. So how was the baguette really invented?

During the 19th century, the Austrians invented a special gas-powered baking oven with a steam injection mechanism, which created heat reaching up to about 200 degrees Celsius. The steam made it possible to create bread with a hard crust and a very soft filling, and the oven was an immediate success with all of France , so it was probably during this period that the baguette was invented.

However, the baguette only became popular in the 20s because many of France's bakers were killed or injured during World War I and there was a need for bread that could be baked quickly and easily. Also, at that time, a law was created that only allowed bakeries to work from 4 a.m., and as a result, the baguette became the only bread that could be baked in time for breakfast.

To all these reasons, there was another reason that made it such a great success story. The fact that a baguette tastes more or less good within the first hour after it comes out of the oven meant that even if there was a baguette left over from breakfast, most French people would return to the bakery at lunchtime and in the evening to buy a new baguette, which turned the baguette into a gold mine for bakers.

To me, the baguette is not only a delicious bread but also serves as a kind of “magic wand” that can predict the quality of an unfamiliar restaurant . When I walk down the street in Paris and look for a restaurant, one of the first things I check is how the baguette is served there. If a basket containing slices of fresh baguette is served, then this is a place that respects its customers. Such places buy the baguette from a neighborhood bakery, which is located not far from them, and replenish the stock every time the baguette runs out.

Such places will always serve good to excellent food (I have never encountered a restaurant that refuted this thesis). On the other hand, if you see that the restaurant serves “mini baguette” rolls, it is time to run away because this is a restaurant that disrespects its customers and buys industrial rolls.

How do you determine what the best baguette is in Paris?

Finally, did you know that the city of Paris holds an annual baguette competition among the city’s bakeries? The “Oscars of Baguettes” is held on the Île Saint-Louis in a magnificent building that once housed the Bakers’ Guild. The competition has 15 judges, who examine approximately 150 baguettes during the competition. Here is a short video about the competition:

If you wanted to participate, you must own a shop that is registered with the Paris Bakery Business Register. Your baguettes must also meet the standards listed in government decree number 93-1074, which states that a baguette must be 55-65 centimeters long and weigh between 250-350 grams. If you meet the conditions and pass the judges' strict examination, you will win a one-year contract to supply baguettes to the Elysee Palace and the knowledge that the President of France eats your bread every morning.

Boulangerie in Paris that bakes great baguettes

If you ask a Parisian, “Where is the best baguette in Paris?” he will tell you, “Near my house.” And the truth is, that’s quite true, because almost any baguette you buy at a simple boulangerie in Paris will probably be excellent (certainly compared to what you get in Israel).

But despite this, there are good baguettes and there are simply great baguettes. So let me provide you with a few recommendations from me and other Francophiles, to help you find the perfect baguette.

Mika Paz's recommended boulangerie

Mika Paz is a pastry chef who does culinary tours in Paris (I highly recommend checking out her Instagram where you can find more information about her travels and the culinary secrets of Paris she reveals). Since I really appreciate her knowledge of all things pastry, I asked her to recommend some boulangerie that make great baguettes (and not only) and here are her recommendations:

Mamiche

A legendary boulangerie in the city with 2 branches, one in the 10th arrondissement and one in the 9th. The place was opened by 2 young Jewish women who took a mid-life turn and met in marketing in the confectionery and food fields, left their previous professions and went to fulfill their dream a decade ago. Today, the bakery is one of the most successful in the city and abroad. There is a line from opening to closing, the love and dedication are evident in every corner and the Jewish touch from home can be seen with the challah sheesh and the amazing babka that drives the city crazy.

• Address: 45 Rue Condorcet (for the 9th arrondissement branch) or 32 Rue du Château d'Eau (for the 10th arrondissement branch).
• שעות פתיחה: Tuesday – Saturday 08:00-20:00, Sunday and Monday closed.
• Website: mamiche.fr

Brigate

The work of two Italian brothers, one a patissier and one a bolognese, who, after years of working in the capitals of the world, where they learned techniques and gained experience, decided to open a pastry shop in their favorite city, Paris. The boutique serves as both a bakery and a pastry shop, with perfection in every product and a graceful Italian touch to the French patisserie.

• Address: 6 Rue du Pas de la Mule, 75003 Paris.
• שעות פתיחה: Tuesday – Friday 07:30-20:00, Saturday and Sunday 08:00-20:00, Monday closed.
• Website: brigat.paris

Terroir of the future

A local boulangerie in the 11th arrondissement with excellent baguettes and integrity – all the flours are organic and purchased directly from the manufacturer himself in order not to give a hand to the monopoly of the import companies that exploit the fact that farmers who are far from Paris cannot come to the major metropolises to sell their goods, buying from them cheaply and selling them dearly. Everything is artisanal and made on site with dedicated professionalism and love for the profession.

• Address: 84 Rue Jean-Pierre Timbaud, 75011 Paris.
• שעות פתיחה: Tuesday – Saturday 08:00-20:00, Sunday 08:00-13:00, Monday closed.
• Website: terroir-davenir.fr

Boulangerie that the Francophile especially loved

Au petit Versailles du Marais (both beautiful and delicious)

• Address: 52 Rue François Miron, 75004 Paris.
• שעות פתיחה: Monday – Saturday 07:00-20:00, Sunday closed.
• Website: Lack of information (no official website).

In September 2018, I stayed at the Hôtel De Nice for about a week and a half. It is a centrally located hotel , with beautiful design and wonderful service, but what, its breakfast is pretty mediocre. And the truth is that this is a problem with a large part of Paris hotels. Their breakfast is either expensive or mediocre or both.

So I decided to look for a boulangerie nearby where I could eat a fresh baguette sandwich, and that's how I ended up at Au petit Versailles du Marais. The place previously won the Best Baguette in Paris competition, but that's not the only reason to go there. True, the baguette is fresh, the crust is crackling, and the inside is soft and delicious, but it's worth coming here even if you don't feel like a baguette. Over the course of a week or so, I also tried the brioche and a few other cakes, and they were all excellent.

As you will see in the video above, this is not only a boulangerie with excellent pastries but also a beautiful place to stop while you are walking through the Marais and need some coffee and a pastry to boost your energy.

Le Gay Choc (When the Boulangerie Decided to Put a Dick)

• Address: 33 rue Rambuteau, 75004 Paris (the bakery moved from 45 Rue Sainte-Croix de la Bretonnerie).
• שעות פתיחה: Wednesday – Monday 06:30-20:00, Tuesday closed.
• Website: legaychoc.fr

I came across this boulangerie quite by chance while I was living in an apartment in the fourth arrondissement of Paris . When you first look in the shop window, the first thought that comes to mind is “What a blue head I have. There’s no way I’m seeing what I’m seeing!” But if you go inside, you’ll discover that your eyes weren’t glued to you. The baguettes and other pastries here take on a distinctly phallic form.

So beyond the gimmick and the laughs, this is an excellent boulangerie that can serve you faithfully if you decide to live in the southwestern part of the Marais. Try not only the baguette but also the brioche and the strawberry cake. They are excellent.

And by the way, if phallic symbols in Paris do it for you, don't miss the article about the giant phallus near the Eiffel Tower.

Boulangerie M'seddi

• Address: 215 Boulevard Raspail, 75014 Paris.
• שעות פתיחה: Monday – Friday 07:00-20:30, Saturday and Sunday closed.
• Website: Lack of information (no official website).

And how can we end this article without recommending the winner of the 2018 Best Baguette Award? It's the boulangerie of Mahmoud M'seddi, a baker of Tunisian origin. Mahmoud's family has been in the baking business for over thirty years, and even though it's located somewhere in the 14th arrondissement, it's definitely worth coming there to understand why it won the award.

Francophiles recommend the perfect baguette

If my recommendations weren't enough for you, don't worry, here are a few more recommendations from Francophiles whose opinions I greatly appreciate.

Landemaine House

Address : 28 Boulevard Beaumarchais

A warm recommendation from Liat Lustig. A bakery owned by Rodolphe Landemaine and his Japanese wife, who also bakes. The place pays great respect to the French baking tradition and their baguettes are simply perfect. It's worth sampling the other pastries as well, of course.

Le Fournil de Mouffetard (not just excellent croissants)

Address : 123 rue Mouffetard

This boulangerie has already received warm recommendations in the article Everything You Wanted to Know About Croissants in Paris, but that doesn't mean this relatively modest boulangerie doesn't also bake great baguettes. The bakery is located on Rue Moffatt , one of the most culinary streets in Paris, and if you happen to live in an apartment in the 5th arrondissement, this bakery can be an excellent option for your morning baguette.

Le Grenier à pain (mythical boulangerie)

Address : rue des Abbesses 38

Recommendation from Yehudit Gilad:

A great little bakery that won the 2015 Baguette of the Year, with other great things like the amazing chocolate tartlet. There was also a cheese shop and a vegetable shop next door so it was perfect to pack for a picnic I had later in a small garden in Montmartre…

Francophile's note : By the way, I also got to eat the baguette from this boulangerie as part of a culinary tour I took with PJ , so I recommend both the baguette and the tour.

Franck Tombarel

Address : 64 Avenue Félix Faure

Recommendation from Eyal Varmos:

You can find all kinds of special baguettes in this bakery: baguettes made from rye flour, brown flax flour, yellow flax flour, and all kinds of seeds.

Francophile's note : And if you ask me, the fact that one of the best baguettes in Paris is on Felix Faure Street shows that history certainly has quite a sense of humor. To understand this, you have to read the article The President's Fatal Lover and find out what happened to the president who didn't know how to take care of his "baguette."

More on the subject

• The giant penis near the Eiffel Tower or a walking tour of Paris in the Art Nouveau style
• A Journey in the Footsteps of French Hypochondria – Interesting Pharmacies in Paris
• Les Invalides – When the “Soldier’s House” Becomes a Magnificent Palace