If you’re a fiend for French breads and fantastic baked goods then no doubt your mouth will water at the thought of finding the best baguette in the whole of Paris. Luckily, hunting for such a treasure isn’t as hard as it might seem, thanks to the “Grand Prix de la Baguette de Tradition Française de la Ville de Paris”. It’s the annual competition for the best baguette in Paris, and it’s done all the hard work for you. A panel of bakers and food celebrities decide each year whose baguette is the big cheese of Parisian patisseries. Just follow the trail of victors to take yourself on a tour of Paris’ best baguettes.
Le Grenier à Pain
One of Montmartre’s most treasured bakeries, on 38 rue des Abbesses sits Le Grenier à Pain, winner of the 2010 prize for best baguette in Paris. Académie Culiniaire member Michel Galloyer presides over this famous patisserie with great passion. This rustic and traditional bakery has a whole array of impressive looking baked goods at surprisingly reasonable prices, including cakes, tarts and a range of breads, but the crown jewel is Michel’s famous award winning baguette, the perfect pain Français.
Au Levain d’Antan
In 2011 and 2012, veteran baker Pascal Barillon won first prize in the Best Baguette in Paris comp for his impeccable baguette de tradition. Just down the road from the 2010 winner at number 6, rue des Abbesses, his bakery Au Levain d’Antan is a sure stop-off for baguette hunters and foodies. Here you’ll find the most tantalising cakes and chocolates on display, as well as melt-in-your mouth croissants and, of course, the best baguettes baked in Paris two years in a row.
Au Paradis du Gourmand
Winner of the presitigous title of Paris’ best baguette is Tunisian baker Ridha Khadher from Au Paradis du Gourmand at 156 rue Raymond Losserand. Ridha takes great pride in hand-making these traditional baked delights and his now famous bread is the pride of Au Paradis du Gourmand’s range of fresh goods.
These winners have all won the honour of baking bread for the French President as part of their grand prize. They have passed the judges scrutinies of their hand-made baguettes, everything from the inside to the outer crust deemed better than any other of their competitors for that year. The winning bread that manages to take the title of best baguette in Paris is nothing short of a perfect pain, guaranteed to impress even the most serious gourmand and cause food-loving travellers to swoon.
So if the thought of Paris’ best baguette is too enticing to pass by, perhaps it’s time to plan a visit to these proven purveyors of perfect bread. To help get you started on this baguette tour of Paris, check out some great travel deals at http://www.travel-associates.com.au.
Written by Emma Jane
