Reasons to Love France No. 1 | French Bread

There are thousands of reasons to love France but without a doubt, for most of us, bread is definitely up there at the top of the list!

The French are a country of bread lovers. You’ll find brilliant boulangeries everywhere, in cities and towns and the smallest of villages. Often the baker will proudly display a sign declaring his bread is baked in a wood oven – giving it an authentic flavour. Apparently 6 billion baguettes are consumed each year in France. That’s a whopping 100 baguettes per person per year!

Going to a French boulangerie and queuing for your freshly baked baguette is a cultural experience, not just a shopping trip.

French bread – a way of life

Gastronomy is UNESCO listed in France, so important is it to the heritage of its people and bread is most definitely a part of it. Just think of that famous saying attributed (wrongly, probably) to Marie Antoinette “let them eat bread”, enough to fuel a revolution.

Bread has been around for centuries and the famous long thin stick of French bread has been around since around the middle of the 18^th century. It was, though only called baguette in the early 20^th century. It wasn’t unusual for bakers to make them up to 6 feet long in those days. Imagine sticking that under your arm as you wander the streets or hop on your bike! Going on the Metro would definitely be interesting with a whopper like that.

Go on holiday to any region in France and check out the boulangeries in the area. It will definitely enhance your visit. It’s a simple act but it’s deep. According to statistics 98% of French people eat bread every day. Line up with the locals for your morning, lunch time, afternoon or evening fix and you’ll get a taste of daily life – literally!

Who can resist the smell of fresh cooked bread, the sound of the crust crackling as a golden baguette cools down, the pride of the baker stacking his loaves, the light in the eyes of his customers!

For the best boulangerie, ask a local in a cafe or at the market, they’re usually very happy to share their favourites!