With all due respect to Michelin-starred restaurants and the like, when it comes to pure culinary pleasure, few dishes, in my opinion, can compete with a fresh baguette slathered in butter (preferably Bordier butter, though I’m still open to negotiation on that).
If you’re like me, hooked on this long, crispy pastry, this article is for you. Here you’ll find not just the not-so-conventional reason the baguette became the world’s most famous French bread (even though, as you’ll see, it actually has Austrian roots), but also recommendations for boulangeries 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 Napoleon’s time, French bread was round like a ball (boule), which is where the word boulanger (baker) comes from, by the way. Napoleon, who understood the importance of logistics, demanded that his bakers create a stick-shaped bread that would be easy to slip into soldiers’ pant pockets so they could march for miles, and that’s how the baguette was born (perhaps that’s also how the line “Is that a baguette in your pocket, or are you just happy to see me?” came to be).
This is likely just a myth, though, since marching around with a baguette stuffed in your pants isn’t exactly comfortable, and in any case, after a long march the baguette would surely have been nearly inedible. So how was the baguette really invented?
During the 19th century, the Austrians invented a special gas-powered oven with a steam injection mechanism that generated heat of up to about 200 degrees Celsius. The steam made it possible to create bread with a hard crust and a very soft interior, and the oven was an instant hit with bakers all across France, so it was likely around this time that the baguette was invented.
However, the baguette only became popular in the 1920s, because a large share of France’s bakers had been killed or wounded during World War I, creating a need for bread that could be baked quickly and easily. At the same time, a law was passed that only allowed bakeries to begin work from 4 a.m., which meant the baguette became the only bread that could be baked in time for breakfast.
On top of all these reasons, there was one more that turned the baguette into such a massive success story. The fact that a baguette tastes its best only in the first hour after it comes out of the oven meant that even if some baguette was left over from breakfast, most French people went back to the bakery at lunchtime and in the evening to buy a fresh one, turning the baguette into a goldmine for bakers.
To me, the baguette isn’t just a tasty bread, it’s a kind of magic wand that can predict the quality of an unfamiliar restaurant. When I’m walking down a street in Paris looking for a place to eat, one of the first things I check is how they serve the baguette. If they bring out a basket of fresh baguette slices, that’s a place that respects its customers. Places like that buy their baguette from a neighborhood bakery nearby and restock the moment it runs out.
Places like that will always serve food that’s good to excellent (I’ve never once come across a restaurant that disproved this theory). On the other hand, if you see a restaurant serving “mini baguette” rolls, that’s your cue to run, because it means they’re cutting corners with their customers and buying mass-produced rolls.
How Do They Decide Which Baguette Is the Best in Paris?
And finally, did you know that the city of Paris holds a competition every year for the best baguette among the city’s bakeries? The “Oscars of baguettes” takes place on Île Saint-Louis in a grand building that once housed the bakers’ guild. The competition has 15 judges, who taste about 150 baguettes over the course of the event. Here’s a short video about the competition:
If you wanted to take part, you’d need to own a shop registered on Paris’s list of bakery businesses. Your baguettes would also need to meet the standards set out in government decree No. 93-1074, which states that a baguette must be between 55 and 65 centimeters long and weigh between 250 and 350 grams. If you meet the requirements and pass the judges’ strict examination, you’ll win a one-year contract to supply baguettes to the Élysée Palace, plus the knowledge that the President of France eats your bread every morning.
Boulangeries in Paris That Bake Amazing Baguettes
If you ask a Parisian, “Where’s the best baguette in Paris?” they’ll tell you, “near my place.” And honestly, that’s pretty true, because almost any baguette you buy at a simple boulangerie in Paris will probably be excellent (certainly compared to what you’ll find back home).
Still, some baguettes are good, and some are simply outstanding. So let me share a few recommendations, mine and those of other Francophiles, to help you find the perfect baguette.
Mika Paz’s Recommended Boulangeries
Mika Paz is a pastry chef who runs culinary tours in Paris (I highly recommend checking out her Instagram, where you can find more about her tours and the culinary secrets of Paris that she uncovers). Since I value her knowledge of pastry so much, I asked her to recommend a few boulangeries that bake amazing baguettes (and more), and here are her picks:
Mamiche
A legendary boulangerie in the city with two locations, one in the 10th arrondissement and one in the 9th. The place was opened by two young Jewish women who took a midlife turn, having met while working in marketing in the pastry and food industry. They left their previous careers to pursue their dream a decade ago. Today the bakery is one of the most successful in the city and beyond, with a line stretching from opening to closing. The love and dedication show in every corner, and you can spot the Jewish touch from home in their Friday challahs and their incredible babka, which has the whole city hooked.
- Address: 45 Rue Condorcet (9th arrondissement location) or 32 Rue du Château d’Eau (10th arrondissement location).
- Opening hours: Tuesday to Saturday 8:00 a.m.-8:00 p.m., closed Sunday and Monday.
- Website: mamiche.fr
Brigat
The story of two Italian brothers, one a pastry chef and one a baker, who after years of working in cities around the world, picking up techniques and experience along the way, decided to open a pastry shop in their favorite city: Paris. The boutique serves as both a bakery and a pastry shop, with flawless products and a charming Italian touch on French pâtisserie.
- Address: 6 Rue du Pas de la Mule, 75003 Paris.
- Opening hours: Tuesday-Friday 7:30 a.m.-8:00 p.m., Saturday and Sunday 8:00 a.m.-8:00 p.m., closed Monday.
- Website: brigat.paris
Terroir d’avenir
A local boulangerie in the 11th arrondissement with an excellent baguette and real integrity: all their flours are organic and bought directly from the producer, so as not to support the import companies’ monopoly, which exploits the fact that farmers far from Paris can’t make it out to the big cities to sell their goods, buying cheap from them and selling at a markup. Everything here is handmade with dedicated craftsmanship and love for the trade.
- Address: 84 Rue Jean-Pierre Timbaud, 75011 Paris.
- Opening hours: Tuesday-Saturday 8:00 a.m.-8:00 p.m., Sunday 8:00 a.m.-1:00 p.m., closed Monday.
- Website: terroir-davenir.fr
Boulangeries the Francophile Loved Especially
Au petit Versailles du Marais (beautiful, and a great baker too)
- Address: 52 Rue François Miron, 75004 Paris.
- Opening hours: Monday-Saturday 7:00 a.m.-8:00 p.m., closed Sunday.
- Website: No information available (no official website).
In September 2018 I stayed at Hôtel De Nice for about a week and a half. It’s a hotel in a central location, beautifully designed, with wonderful service, but the breakfast is pretty mediocre. And honestly, that’s a problem with a lot of Paris hotels: breakfast there is either expensive, mediocre, or both.
So I decided to find a boulangerie nearby where I could grab a sandwich made with a fresh baguette, and that’s how I found Au petit Versailles du Marais. The place had previously won the award for best baguette in Paris, but that’s not the only reason to come here. Sure, the baguette is fresh, with a crackling crust and a soft, delightful inside, but it’s worth stopping by even if you’re not specifically in the mood for a baguette. Over the course of about a week I also tried the brioche and a few other pastries, and all of them were excellent.
As you can see in the video above, this isn’t just a boulangerie with excellent pastries, it’s also a beautiful spot to stop at while exploring the Marais when you need some coffee and a pastry to recharge.
Le Gay Choc (when a boulangerie decided to get cheeky)
- Address: 33 rue Rambuteau, 75004 Paris (the bakery moved from 45 Rue Sainte-Croix de la Bretonnerie).
- Opening hours: Wednesday-Monday 6:30 a.m.-8:00 p.m., closed Tuesday.
- Website: legaychoc.fr
I stumbled onto this boulangerie pretty much by accident while I was staying in an apartment in the 4th arrondissement of Paris. The first time you look at the shop window, your first thought is probably something like, “Am I really seeing what I think I’m seeing?” But if you step inside, you’ll find your eyes weren’t playing tricks on you. The baguettes and other pastries here take on a distinctly phallic shape.
So, gimmick and giggles aside, this is an excellent boulangerie that can serve you well if you happen to be staying in the southwestern part of the Marais. Try not just the baguette but also the brioche and the strawberry cake. They’re excellent.
And speaking of which, if phallic symbols in Paris are your thing, don’t miss the article about the giant phallus near the Eiffel Tower.
Boulangerie M’seddi
- Address: 215 Boulevard Raspail, 75014 Paris.
- Opening hours: Monday-Friday 7:00 a.m.-8:30 p.m., closed Saturday and Sunday.
- Website: No information available (no official website).
And how could I finish this article without recommending the winner of the Best Baguette award for 2018? This is the boulangerie of Mahmoud M’seddi, a baker of Tunisian descent. Mahmoud’s family has been in the baking business for more than thirty years, and even though it’s tucked away in the 14th arrondissement, it’s absolutely worth the trip to understand why he won.
Francophiles Recommend the Perfect Baguette
If my recommendations weren’t enough for you, don’t worry: here are a few more from Francophiles whose opinions I really respect.
Maison Landemaine
Address: 28 Boulevard Beaumarchais
A warm recommendation from Liat Lustig. A bakery that belongs to Rodolphe Landemaine and his Japanese wife, who also bakes. The place does great honor to French baking tradition, and their baguettes are simply perfect. It’s also well worth trying the other pastries, of course.
Le Fournil de Mouffetard (not just excellent croissants)
Address: 123 rue Mouffetard
This boulangerie already earned a warm recommendation 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 wonderful baguettes. The bakery sits on Rue Mouffetard, one of the most food-focused streets in Paris, and if you’re lucky enough to stay in an apartment in the 5th arrondissement, this bakery can be a great option for your morning baguette.
Le Grenier à pain (a legendary boulangerie)
Address: rue des Abbesses 38
A recommendation from Yehudit Gilad:
A small, excellent bakery that won the best baguette award in 2015, along with other great things like the amazing chocolate tartlet. Next door there was also a cheese shop and a vegetable shop, so it was perfect for packing a picnic, which I later enjoyed in a little garden in Montmartre…
Francophile’s note: By the way, I also got to try this boulangerie’s baguette during a culinary tour I took with PJ, so I recommend both the baguette and the tour.
Franck Tombarel
Address: 64 Avenue Félix Faure
A recommendation from Eyal Vermus:
At this bakery you can find all kinds of special baguettes: a rye flour baguette, brown flaxseed flour, yellow flaxseed flour, and all sorts of seeds.
Francophile’s note: And if you ask me, the fact that one of the best baguettes in Paris is found on a street named after Félix Faure (1841-1899) shows that history definitely has a sense of humor. To understand why, read the article The President’s Deadly Mistress and find out what happened to the president who couldn’t quite hold on to his own “baguette.”
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