Baguette History | 3 Possible Origins and a French Rule
Last updated on April 16th, 2024 at 06:41 am
Ever wondered why French people buy their baguettes daily?
I certainly did. But it wasn’t till I moved to France that I realised the importance of bread in French culture. Or how baguette history paved the way for every French meal to be accompanied by bread.
Who would have thought that a stick of dough would become such a big part of French culture?
Well, with 10 billion baguettes sold in France each year, and 12 million people going to a boulangerie to buy their bread daily, nobody can argue that it’s very much part of daily life here in France.
But why? How did the baguette become such a big part of French life? Let’s dive in and find out.
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What Does Baguette Mean?
The word “baguette” translates to “wand” or “baton” in English.
The Origin of the Baguette: Famous French Bread in France
Going to the boulangerie is part of daily French life. And what a great daily ritual it is. When I first moved here, I was in awe of the variety of bread in my local boulangerie. It was actually a little daunting if I’m honest.
There are so many different types of loaves and baguettes, and every boulanger seems to call them something different.
And I’ll never forget the first time I saw an old lady coming out of the boulangerie nibbling the end of her baguette as she walked.
I’ve since learned that it’s perfectly acceptable to do this. In fact, it’s almost become obligatory to nibble and walk where baguettes are concerned.
But where did the baguette come from? Well, I have three possible stories for you, and it’s anyone’s guess as to which one is fact.
No. 1 The one everyone believes
It feels like the origin of so many things comes back to Napoleon, and in all honesty, Napoleon has been responsible for quite a few food traditions. But I digress, back to the baguette.
It was around the year 1805 when Napoleon’s men were marching through Europe. He asked his bakers to create a loaf of bread that would be easy for his soldiers to carry.
So away went his bakers, put their heads together and came up with a sword-shaped bread. You can just imagine Napoleon’s face when he was presented with them.
Well, there was a method in the madness. The idea was that the baguette would be attached to the back of their jackets, making it easy to carry.
And before you ask, no it wasn’t shaped like that so it would fit down their pants. By making it look like a baton, it made it easy for them to fling it over their shoulders without it impeding their marching.
No. 2 The one that is probably true
This story sounds the most credible, but your guess is as good as mine. The story is of an Austrian baker called August Zang, who came to Paris in 1839 and opened the ”Boulangerie Viennoise”.
He brought with him a long bread that was thinner and more oval-shaped than the traditional bread sold in France and took less time to rise and then cook.
Its popularity grew in the 1920s when a law was passed forbidding bakers to start baking before 4 am.
As you can imagine, this presented a problem as there wasn’t enough time to bake the traditional style of bread the French were used to, enter the baguette.
No. 3 The one that’s a little crazy
We all love a good story, and this one is the best as far as the origin of the baguette in France goes.
When the Metro was being built in Paris, around 1898, workers from around Europe came to work in the tunnels. The boss and the lead engineer on the project, Mr. Fulgence Bienvenüe, was worried about the variety of cultures all mixing together. Fights often broke out, and things could escalate pretty quickly.
Keeping the peace wasn’t easy, but it was made all the harder because the workers all ate their lunch down in the tunnels.
The tunnels were dark, and lunch nearly always consisted of bread which bread required a knife to cut it.
Knowing how volatile things were between the workers, Bienvenüe realised that all these men with knives in a dark, confined space could lead to trouble.
So, he asked a local baker to make bread that didn’t require knives and could be torn apart using their hands, and that’s how the baguette was created.
I told you it was farfetched, but as I wasn’t around in the 19th century, who am I to dispute it?
A UNESCO World Heritage Tradition
The baguette has become such a big part of French culture that in 2022, it was officially recognised by UNESCO as an Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity. Only in France would something like this happen.
This prestigious designation highlights the artisanal know-how and culture surrounding baguette bread, celebrating its unique production process and the daily rituals it inspires.
Baguette Types
Why have one type of baguette to choose from when you can have several? It’s so very French.
Anyway, here are a few of the options you might see when you go into a boulangerie.
- Baguette Ordinaire: This is the quintessential French bread known for its elongated shape, crisp crust, and chewy interior made from the basic baguette ingredients of flour, water, yeast, and salt.
- Baguette de Tradition: An artisanal baguette with a longer fermentation process, it features a darker colour and thicker crust than the ordinary baguette and must be made on-site.
- Baguette Moulée: Shaped using a baguette pan in an industrial baker’s oven with fine latticework on the bottom.
- Baguette Farinée: It gets its name from the light dusting of flour before baking, it is generally lighter in colour than other baguettes
- Baguettes Tradition au Levain: A baguette made from sourdough instead of yeast
- Multicereal Baguette: A health-conscious choice made with a blend of seeds and flours like wheat, rye, oat, and barley, offering a high fibre or Low GI option
- Whole Wheat Baguette: Available in two types, “Pain Complet” (with white and whole wheat flour) and “Pain Intégral” (100% whole wheat flour), both offering a healthier, flavoursome bread option
Batard vs Baguette
A baguette is known for its long, narrow shape, with a length typically around 65 centimetres and a diameter of about 5 to 6 centimetres with a crisp crust and a soft, chewy interior.
On the other hand, a batard is shorter and wider than a baguette, resembling a plump oval or a rounded rectangle, and measures between 15 to 30 cm (6 to 12 inches) in length.
While it shares similar ingredients with the baguette, the batard has a slightly different texture and crumb structure due to its shape.
It tends to have a softer crust and a denser crumb, making it better suited for dishes such as crostini and hors d’oeuvres.
Authentic French Baguette Recipe
If you’ve ever wanted to try making your own baguette, then keep reading, as you can do just that at the renowned Paris bakery, Chez Manon.
In an unforgettable 2-hour morning baking class at a Paris bakery, you’ll craft your own perfect baguette with just the right amount of crunch. Begin your day with a delicious traditional French breakfast, setting the scene for a hands-on experience behind the scenes of an authentic bakery.
Led by a Parisian baker, this small-group activity, limited to just eight people, ensures personalised attention as you learn the secrets of crafting baguettes, croissants, and pain au chocolate.
Roll up your sleeves and dive into the art of baking, gaining insight into both handmade techniques and industrial production methods.
It’s an immersive experience ideal for families and gourmet foodies alike, with a perfect five-star rating!
Reserve your spot now and embark on a culinary journey through the heart of Paris!
Bread in France
Bread in France is sacred and is served with every meal. Most restaurants in France will serve bread in a little basket for you to enjoy with your meal. And it’s free.
However, if you’re expecting butter, you won’t get it. The bread is served dry, or “sans beurre” if you prefer.
I still struggle with this, as I love butter on my bread, but the bread is so good I’ll still happily eat it.
And don’t think that just because you went out and got a fresh baguette in the morning, it will be ok for your meal in the evening. Oh no, that’s still not fresh enough for the French.
I was at a meal with some friends of mine, not long after I’d moved here, and my friend’s hubby complained. For him, the bread should be only an hour or two old. The bread we were served had been bought before 9 am, so wasn’t fresh.
Ooh la la, the drama one loaf of bread can cause in France.
Bread Laws In France
Le Décret Pain (1993)
Le Décret Pain of 1993, also known as the French Bread Law, was enacted to preserve the quality and tradition of French bread, specifically baguettes.
It specifies that traditional French bread must be made on the premises where it is sold and cannot contain any additives or preservatives.
The law also stipulates that these baguettes must be made from only four ingredients: flour, water, salt, and yeast, ensuring the continuation of traditional baking methods and the quality of French bread.
The Bread of Equality
The French Revolution was responsible for many things, and one of them was the equality of bread. I know it sounds strange, but if you think about it, the revolution was fueled by hungry people living in poverty.
They were no longer willing to stand by and watch the nobility and the rich enjoy superior bread whilst they were left with barely edible bread.
Back then, bread was and still is a staple of the French diet, so in 1793, a law was passed by the Convention, the post-Revolution government, stating the following:
Richness and poverty must both disappear from the government of equality. It will no longer make a bread of wheat for the rich and a bread of bran for the poor. All bakers will be held, under the penalty of imprisonment, to make only one type of bread: The Bread of Equality.
THE CONVENTION
Imagine going to prison for baking a subpar loaf of bread. But as I said earlier, bread is sacred in France. So much so, that another law was passed many centuries ago decreeing that bread must always be available to the people.
Certainly, where I live in the Charente, there are about five boulangeries, all within 5 km, and there is always one open, even on a Sunday.
And you’ll even find bread vending machines in the more rural areas where there aren’t as many boulangeries. They’re stocked several times a day by the local boulanger to ensure the people have fresh bread every day.
National French Bread Day
National French Bread Day is celebrated on March 21st in the United States. It honours the beloved baguette and other French bread varieties, recognising their importance in culinary culture.
The idea is to encourage people to enjoy French bread in its many forms, from baguettes to brioche and to acknowledge the skill involved in traditional French baking methods.
It’s a day for baking, sharing, and appreciating the simplicity and elegance of French bread, but it isn’t particularly big in France. Instead, they have La Fête du Pain.
La Fête du Pain
France loves to celebrate food, and there are lots of fabulous food festivals to enjoy, from the Menton Lemon Festival to the Fête de la Fraise in the Dordogne. But what about bread? Well, there is a festival for that too.
Fête du Pain is a yearly festival in May that pays homage to Saint Honoré (or Honoratus), the patron saint of bakers and pastry chefs. It celebrates the art of baking and recognises bakers for their contribution to French heritage.
The choice of May for the festival, particularly around May 16th, is a nod to Saint Honoré, who was appointed the bishop of Amiens in the 6th century and later became the patron saint of bakers.
In 2024, the festival takes place from Monday, May 13 to Sunday, May 19, 2024
During the festival, bakers and pastry chefs showcase their skills through demonstrations, workshops, and competitions. It’s an opportunity for professionals to share their passion for bread-making and for the public to engage in the process.
Celebrations include:
- Baking Demonstrations: Artisans demonstrate traditional and modern bread-making techniques, often in open-air settings.
- Bread Competitions: Bakers compete to create the best traditional baguettes, regional breads, and innovative pastries.
- Workshops for All Ages: From children to adults, everyone is invited to learn the basics of bread-making, kneading, and baking.
- Exhibitions and Stalls: Streets line up with stalls offering a variety of breads, showcasing France’s rich regional diversity in bread-making.
Best Baguette in Paris
The French love a good competition, and the baguette provides the perfect excuse. So, during the Fête du Pain, Paris holds a competition to find the best baguette in Paris.
This annual contest, officially known as the Grand Prix de la Baguette de Tradition Française de la Ville de Paris, celebrates the iconic status of the baguette in French culture.
Each year, bakers from across Paris submit their baguettes to be judged by a panel that includes professional bakers, pastry chefs, and chosen laypersons.
The criteria for evaluation are stringent, focusing on the baguette’s appearance, bake, crumb (the inner part of the bread), aroma, and taste.
These baguettes must adhere to strict regulations regarding ingredients, size, and weight, ensuring that only traditional methods and recipes are showcased.
The winner gets a year’s contract to supply bread to the Élysée Palace for a year, serving the President of France. Plus, a €4,000 cash prize. Not a bad haul really, so it’s definitely worth entering if you can make a killer baguette.
FAQS: Facts about Baguettes
Who invented the baguette?
The origins of the baguette are not attributed to a single inventor. It evolved in France during the 19th century, with its creation being a result of changes in baking techniques and preferences for a bread that could be made and baked quickly.
What is the baguette tradition in Paris?
In Paris, the baguette tradition involves buying fresh baguettes daily from local boulangeries. Parisians pride themselves on selecting baguettes that are crispy on the outside and soft on the inside, often judging a boulangerie by the quality of its baguettes.
What is the baguette rule in France?
The baguette rule in France refers to the practice of consuming baguettes fresh, typically on the day of purchase. The French often buy baguettes in the morning for breakfast and may purchase them again in the evening for dinner, emphasising the importance of freshness.
Is the baguette originally from France?
Yes, the baguette is originally from France. Its development into the iconic French bread we know today occurred in the 19th century. The combination of the long, thin shape and the specific method of preparation distinguishes it as a uniquely French creation.
Final Thoughts: Baguette History and French Bread
French food is not overrated, and living in France, I get to try more cheese than I knew existed, taste and drink the best wine in the world, and, of course, visit the boulangerie every day for some fresh bread.
And if you love French food you’ll enjoy being in France in March as it’s National Macaron Day. Life doesn’t get much better, and I love that I get to live my best life here in France.
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