Since 1994, the city of Paris and the National Confederation of French Bakery-Pastry (CNBBPF) have been hosting a competition to see who gets the crown of “Best Baguette in Paris.’‘ The contest takes place at the Professional Chamber of Artisan Bakers and Pastry Chefs on Île Saint-Louis.
The French baguette is iconic, not just in France but around the world. This crunchy yet soft bread is an integral part of French culture and can be found in countless shops and bakeries worldwide. In 2022, UNESCO finally listed the French baguette on its World Heritage List and on the Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity.
Whether you enjoy a baguette at breakfast or as part of a hearty sandwich, this French classic is simply irresistible! Keep reading to learn about this popular contest and where to find the best baguette in Paris.
Are you looking for fun baking experiences in Paris?
List of Content:
- Paris’ Best Baguette Contest
- Best Baguette in Paris 2024
- List of Best Baguettes in Paris (with Map)
- Fête du Pain – Paris’ Bread Festival
Paris’ Best Baguette Contest
The Best Baguette Paris contest is one of the most popular festivals in Paris. It is held every year in May during the Fête du Pain.
To enter the competition, French baguettes must adhere to certain criteria. They must measure between 55cm and 65cm, and the bread can only weigh between 250 and 300 grams. From length to weight, there’s even a límit on the salt-to-flour ratio, which can only be 18 grams per kg of flour!
So, who judges this illustrious baguette competition? The jury comprises industry professionals, specialist journalists, and six randomly selected Parisians.
When it comes to tasting, the baguettes’ judges should look at how well cooked they are, the crust, the taste, the smell, and finally, their appearance. Each quality is given a score between zero and four.
A good French baguette should neither be undercooked nor overcooked. It has to be dense and crunchy on the outside and soft and fluffy on the inside (but not chewy).
If the crown of “Best Baguette in Paris” wasn’t enough, the winner of the contest also recieves 4,000 Euros and a year-long contract to supply the Élysée Palace, the official residence of the French president. There’s no doubt that this contest is fantastic exposure for the winner!
Bakers across the capital are invited to participate. In 2023, 126 baguettes were selected from the 175 submitted for the competition.
Best Baguette in Paris 2024
And the winner of the Best Baguette in Paris 2024 is …
List of the Best Baguettes in Paris (with Map)
When visiting Paris, baguettes are inescapable, but you want to be sure you are only tasting some of the best. This list of the best baguettes in Paris has all the competition winners since the onset of the competition.
Check out this handy map to see where you can get your baguette fix while you are in the French capital.* You may even find some bakeries just a moment’s stroll from your hotel.
Click here to view the map on Google My Maps
*For practical reasons, the map only includes the Best Baguettes in Paris of the last years.
1994 : René Saint-Ouen, 111 boulevard Haussmann (Paris 8)
1995 : Jean-Noël Julien, « Maison Julien », 75 rue Saint-Honoré (Paris 1)
1996 : Philippe Gosselin, 123-125 rue Saint-Honoré (Paris 1)
1997 : René Saint-Ouen, 111 boulevard Haussmann (Paris 8)
1998 : Antonio Teixeira, « Aux Délices du Palais », 60 boulevard Brune (Paris 14)
1999 : Stéphane Pouget, 104 rue Bobillot, (Paris 13)
2000 : Raoul Maeder, 158 boulevard Berthier (Paris 17)
2001 : Pierre Demoncy, « Au 140 », 140 rue de Belleville (Paris 20)
2002 : Raoul Maeder, 158 boulevard Berthier (Paris 17)
2003 : Laurent Connan, 38 rue des Batignolles (Paris 17)
2004 : Pierre Thilloux, « La fournée d’Augustine », 96 rue Raymond-Losserand (Paris 14)
2005 : Eric Sanna, 3 rue du Retrait (Paris 20)
2006 : Jean-Pierre Cohier, 270 rue du Faubourg-Saint-Honoré (Paris 8)
2007 : Arnaud Delmontel, 57 rue Damrémont (Paris 18)
2008 : Anis Bouabsa, « Au Duc de la Chapelle », 32-34 rue Tristan-Tzara (Paris 18)
2009 : Franck Tobarel, « Le Grenier de Félix », 64 avenue Félix-Faure (Paris 15)
2010 : Djibril Bodian, « Le Grenier à pain », 38 rue des Abbesses (Paris 18)
2011 : Pascal Barillon, « Au Levain d’Antan », 6 rue des Abbesses (Paris 18)
2012 : Sébastien Mauvieux, 159 rue Ordener (Paris 18)
2013 : Ridha Khadher, « Au Paradis Gourmand », 156 rue Raymond-Losserand (Paris 14)
2014 : Antonio Teixeira, « Aux Délices du Palais », 60 boulevard Brune (Paris 14)
2015 : Djibril Bodian, « Le Grenier à Pain », 38 rue des Abbesses (Paris 18)
2016 : Michael Reydelet et Florian Charles, « La Parisienne », 48 rue Madame (Paris 6)
2017 : Sami Bouattour, « Boulangerie Brun », 193 rue de Tolbiac (Paris 13)
2018 : Mahmoud M’seddi, « Boulangerie 2M », 215 boulevard Raspail (Paris 14)
2019 : Fabrice Leroy, « Boulangerie Leroy Monti », 203 avenue Daumesnil (Paris 12)
2020 : Taieb Sahal, « Les saveurs de Pierre Demours » , 13 rue Pierre-Demours (Paris 17)
2021 : Makram Akrout, « Les Boulangers de Reuilly » 54 boulevard de Reuilly (Paris 12)
2022 : Damien Dedun, « Frédéric Comyn », 88 rue Cambronne (Paris 15)
2023 : Tharshan Selvarajah, « Au levain des Pyrénées », 44 rue des Pyrénées (Paris 20)
2024: ???
Fête du Pain – Paris ‘ Bread Festival
To use its French name, the Grand Prix de la Baguette de Tradition Francaise de la Ville De Paris is usually held during the Fête du Pain – Paris’ Bread festival. The festival is organized by the Boulangers du Grand Paris and takes place around 16 May (this year, from 7 to 16 May 2024), which is the day of Saint-Honoré, the patron saint of bakers. If you happen to be in Paris at the same time as Fête du Pain, let your nose lead you to the location.
The Fête du Pain festival is held in front of Notre Dame Cathedral. While it certainly does not attract mainstream tourists, it’s a wonderful way to experience local Parisian and French culture.
You can expect to see bakers demonstrating the art of making French baguettes (a tradition that dates back to 1120) as well as croissants and other typical pastries. Step by step, from the ingredients to the kneading and baking process, you may be able to pick up some tips. You will be mightly impressed by the baker’s speed and agility, and you’ll finally be able to comprehend how Parisian bakeries are stocked so full of bread so early in the morning.
Children often get involved in the demonstrations, and there are plenty of opportunities to sample freshly baked baguettes and a selection of delicious viennoiseries (croissants, pain au chocolat, and more).
