Not All Baguettes Are Created Equal

When you visit France, one of the first things you realize is that most of the baguettes we get in the US are pretty bad. Sure, there are some great bakeries making exceptional baguettes, but they’re few and far between—and really expensive. If you’re lucky enough to find a great baguette in the US, you’re looking at paying no less than $4. In Manhattan, I’ve heard they’re now over $8. When I told this to a French friend, she nearly passed out.

Here in France, the national average price for a baguette is about €1.10. Considering the French often buy one baguette per person for a meal, they think our pricing is nuts. I’m almost afraid to tell them that most American baguettes taste like and have the texture of a hot dog roll.

Artisan vs. Factory Baguettes

During my visits to France, I’d always enjoyed fabulous baguettes. I assumed they were all great—after all, I’d never had a bad one! Either I was lucky, or my standards were low after years of accepting a $2.99 "French baguette" from Ralphs or Publix.

However, I’ve since learned there’s a real difference in baguette quality, even in France. Bakeries that make their own dough and bake fresh bread on-site are called artisan boulangeries. Others use pre-made, factory-produced dough that’s shipped in and baked on-site—what my friend Maday calls “Sysco baguettes.”

When we visited Maday in Carcassonne, she promised to take us to get one of the best baguettes around. The next morning, after the weekly market, she led us to her favorite boulangerie. My God, was she right! The baguette was warm, crusty, and yeasty—one of the greatest food pleasures of my life. She even taught us about the crouton (the end piece of a baguette), which is pure bliss when broken off from a still-warm loaf.

Décret Pain: A Law for Better Bread

The French take their baguettes so seriously that in 1993 they passed a law, Décret Pain, regulating what can be called a Baguette de Tradition Française. According to this law:

• Only flour, water, salt, and yeast (or natural leavening) can be used.
• The dough must be made on-site, without freezing, additives, or preservatives.
• It must go through a long fermentation process (3–4 hours).
• The flour must meet strict standards (usually Type 55).

Regular baguettes, labeled simply as "baguette," don’t have to follow these rules. They can include additives, pre-frozen dough, and faster production methods. These are the infamous “Sysco baguettes.”

Finding Your Favorite

Each artisan boulangerie has its own special recipes, and discovering your favorite is part of the fun. We live in a town of just 3,500 people, and there are six boulangeries in the downtown area. Only one of them isn’t artisanal. The French take their bread very seriously.

Most boulangeries also pride themselves on their croissants and other yeast-based treats—not to mention the sweet pastries. But there’s just not enough time to cover them all today!

A Slice of History

The French baguette, a symbol of France's culinary heritage, has a history as rich as its flavor. Its exact origins are debated, but a few fascinating theories stand out:

• One suggests that Napoleon’s bakers created elongated loaves to fit conveniently into soldiers’ uniforms.
• Another posits that the baguette emerged post-French Revolution as a "bread of equality," ensuring all citizens had access to the same type of bread.
• A more practical explanation points to a 1920s law restricting bakers' working hours, which may have led to the need for a quicker bread than traditional round loaves.

Final Thoughts

The French baguette is more than just bread—it’s a cultural icon and a daily staple. Whether you’re tearing off the crouton of a warm, crusty loaf or hunting for your favorite boulangerie, experiencing real French bread is a joy like no other.

So next time you’re in France, skip the factory-produced “Sysco” baguettes and seek out an artisan boulangerie. Your taste buds will thank you!

What’s the best bread you’ve ever tasted? Share your story in the comments below!