Bread Festival in Paris

Baguettes

In Paris, on the square in front of Notre Dame

Bread Festival in front of Notre Dame – Paris

The Festival is held everywhere in France, each year since 1996, across France. In Paris, it’s held on the square in front of Notre Dame. 

It happens in May, around Saint Honoré’s day (patron Saint of the bakers). This year, : from the 21st to the 30th of May and the Alsatian were the guests of honor for this edition. 

Why this Festival ?

It celebrates the expertise of artisan bakers.  It allows visitors to go and meet the bakers, learn all about their job and the products they make. And the Festival wants to remind that not all bread sellers can call themselves “boulangers” (=bakers)

Which shop in France, can be called “Boulangerie” ?

• A “boulangerie” must select its flour, knead its own dough and bake its loaves on premises to claim the title “Boulangerie”.
• The other shops who sell bread : 
  • The « Point chaud » : baguette chains that serves frozen baguettes that reheated on site
  • The “Dépot de pain” : a premise that receives bread, whether fresh of reheated, from a bakeshop.

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Festival’s activities

The Festival welcomes visitors with many activities based on conviviality and sharing (and fun). 

• Bakers demonstrate the making of the baguette, the croissants and other breads and pastries. 
• Tastings…You can buy what you’ve seen go in the oven. The opportunity for visitors to sample freshly baked and other wonderful pastries. 
• Workshops
• Grand Prize of the Parisian baguette (The “grand prix de la baguette de tradition fançaise de la ville de Paris”)
• A competition to determine the best croissant in the Ile de France.

Some facts about French bread :

• The origin of the Baguette : One is not perfectly sure about its origin. The french have been making long thin bread since the mid 18^th century and before that, long and wide loaves were made since Louis XIV. But we know for sure that the baguette became widespead in Paris in the 1920s.
• Boulangers : Paris has over 1000 bakeries and cake shops. There are 32000 bakeries in France.
• The average Frenchman eats a half a baguette a day.
• 10 million baguettes are sold in France every year.
• In 1993, the bread decree, regulates the appellation and making of the baguette de tradition française » : a short kneading process, long fermentation, and the use of flour without additives.
• A lot of different varieties of bread is available. : baguette, couronne (ring shaped), the flute (same shape but thinner than a baguette), the batard (half-length), the ficelle (long thin loaf), pain complet (wholemeal bread), pain de seigle (rye bread), pain au levain (sourdough bread), brioche (sweet bread)

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  Pain de Seigle

  

  Apple tart

  
  

The “Grand Prix for the  baguette de tradition française»

• It is awarded for the best baguette in Paris since 1994.
• According to five criteria : aspect, baking, crumb, smell and taste. 
• Rules for the contest stipulate that a baguette weigh 250- 300 grams and not contain more than 18 grams of salt per 1 kilo of flour.
• The award gives the winner the privilege of supplying the Elysée Palace with bread for a whole year.
• The prize 2016 for the best traditional  Baguette in Paris was awarded on the 27^th of May. The bakers Michael Reudelet and Florian Charles from the Boulangerie La Parisienne, 48 rue Madame – Paris 6 are the winners.
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More details about the “Fête du Pain” :

• www.lafetedupain.com  
• facebook.com/lafetedupain

More photos :

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