If you’re coming to Paris and want to find the best baguette that the city has to offer then read on! Our insider guide lists our favourite boulangeries (bakeries in English) in the city that have been tried and tested many, many times!.
The humble French baguette is an incredible thing, soft, crunchy and incredibly moreish, it’s no wonder it’s on tourists’ to-eat list in Paris. Eaten daily up and down the country, it’s a huge part of French culinary culture and is a part of everyday life. An incredible 6 billion baguettes are baked in France each year – it’s no wonder it’s a symbol of France. It’s also received UNESCO recognition with the “artisanal know-how and culture of baguette bread” listed in its “Intangible Cultural Heritage” list.
Just like its smaller, pastry cousin, the croissant, you’ll be able to find a half decent baguette in the majority of bakeries in Paris. But a really good baguette is something completely different – it’s incredible. So read on to discover more about the beloved baguette, where we buy our baguettes and the official prize winning baguettes in Paris.
Which type of baguette should you ask for?
This might be quite surprising but there’s more than one baguette to choose from in bakeries in France. It’s not as simple as just asking “une baguette s’il vous plait?”. There are actually two times of baguette on sale in boulangeries: the tradition and the baguette. They’re both the same shape (like a baguette!) but they’re actually quite different.
Which should you ask for? You’ll most likely want to ask for a tradition as this is the purest version and in my opinion, the best. The tradition has a darker, stronger crust and a lighter, fluffier interior compared to a standard baguette. It’s also protected by law (see below). A normal baguette from a bakery usually has additives, other ingredients and preservatives. This means it won’t go stale as fast as a tradition although it’s much more like a baguette that you’ll find in grocery stores in the US or UK.
The Baguette Law
There’s a law on bread in France? Yes! I know, it sounds ridiculous but the French take their food very seriously. In 1993 the ‘Bread Decree’ came in effect which strictly defined how a tradition should be made. In effect, any bakery in France that sells a tradition must follow the recipe which includes only flour, yeast, water and salt. The baguette that you’ll find being sold is not restricted so bakers can add things like preservatives to help extend it’s shelf life.
The Official Best Baguette in Paris
Just like in our Best Croissant in Paris guide, there’s of course a yearly competition for the Best Baguette in Paris. It’s been going for 30 years and each year, bakers from across the city compete to win the Grand Prix for the best traditional baguette in Paris. In 2023, 126 different baguettes from bakeries were tested by the judges to find a winner. Here’s the top 10 baguettes in Paris from the 2023 competition:
- Tharshan Selvarajah – Au Levain des Pyrénées, 44 rue des Pyrénées 75020
- Thierry Guyot – Boulangerie-pâtisserie Guyot, 28 rue Monge (5e)
- Jocelyn Lohezic – Maison Lohezic, 143 rue de Courcelles, 75017
- Benjamin Turquier – Tout Autour du Pain, 134 rue de Turenne, 75030
- Florian Bleas – Aux Délices de Vaugirard, 48 rue Madame (6e)
- Frank Tombarel – Le Grenier de Félix, 64 avenue Félix Faure (15e)
- Kilani Ounissi – Boulangerie Kilani, 191 rue du faubourg Saint-Antoine (11e)
- Maxime Julien – Les Saveurs de Lévis, 41 rue de Lévis, 75017
- Mohkam Karoui – Le Temps d’une Gourmandise, 94 boulevard de Port-Royal, 75005
- Kouni Elayeb – Le Délice de Bagnolet, 42 boulevard Mortier, 75020
Our Favourite Baguettes in Paris
So that’s the official prize winning top 10 baguettes in France’s capital and they’re definitely worth a visit if you’re nearby. Our favourite baguette list comes from boulangeries that we’ve visited repeatedly in Paris and they just happen to have awesome traditional baguettes on sale. Bakeries are listed in no particular order.
Maison Thevenin
Maison Thevenin is a great boulangerie located on the very popular rue de Buci in the 6th arrondissement near Saint Germain des Prés. It’s been my local boulangerie for 3 years and their tradition baguette was always incredible. It’s extremely popular with locals so you’ll no doubt have to queue for a few minutes. This is a good sign however, the constant demand means you’ll nearly always get a very fresh baguette. Crunchy on the outside with an exceptional flavour, it’s one of my favourites.
Address: 6 Rue de Buci, 75006
Gana
With 11 locations across Paris, Gana is an independent boulangerie that’s been in the same family for 3 generations. Their first shop opened in 1938 and their bakeries are generally located in more residential areas so it’s worth checking if there’s one near your hotel or Airbnb. They have one baguette which is a tradition called La Flute Gana. Their tradition is unique as they use their house made flour which sources the raw material from local, artisan producers.
Address: 65 rue de Clichy 75009 + 10 other locations
Tout Autour du Pain
Tour Autour du Pain is a great independent boulangerie in Le Marais. Their baguette tradition won the 7th prize in the 2023 Best Baguette in Paris competition. It’s a solid baguette that’s perfect to enjoy during a picnic in one of the many nearby parks.
Address: 34 Rue de Turenne, 75003
