Where to find the best baguette in Paris, according to actual French people

Travelling abroad — and to Paris at that — is probably not advisable this very second, given the big rising C-word pandemic. But keep a mental note of this, because it’s going to come in very, very handy.

The best baguette in Paris can be found at a bakery in the 17th arrondissement, where pâtissier Taieb Sahal has been crowned the ultimate bread baker.

For the 2020 edition of the Grand Prix for Best Baguette in Paris competition, in which bakeries across the French capital compete for the ultimate title in breadmaking, Les saveurs de Pierre Demours — named after its street address — beat out 209 bakeries in the blind taste test.

This year, a panel of 17 jury members, including 6 Parisians who scored a spot by lottery, were tasked with judging the baguettes on five criteria: “doneness,” taste, crumb (or texture), smell and appearance.

Baguettes must also meet a strict set of requirements. They must measure between 55 and 65cm; weigh between 250 to 300g; and contain 18g of salt per kilo of flour.

Along with the grandiose title, Sahal wins €4,000 and becomes the official bread supplier to French President Emmanuel Macron and the Elysée Palace.

Here are the top 10 bakeries in Paris for baguettes 2020:

1.  Les saveurs de Pierre Demours –  13, rue  Pierre Demours 17th
2.  L’essentiel Mouffetard – 2, rue Mouffetard 5th
3.  Boulangerie  Martyrs- 70, rue des  Martyrs 9th
4.  Au 740-140, rue de Belleville 20th
5.  Aux délices du Palais- 60, Boulevard Brune 14th
6.  Aux délices de Glacière –  90, Bd Auguste Blanqui 13th
7.  Maison Legendre-2, rue de la Butte aux Cailles 13th
8.  Boulangerie Guyot- 28, rue Monge 5th
9.  Giovanni boulangerie contemporaine – 49, rue Chardon Lagache 16th
10. Maison Leparc, 6 rue de Lourmel, 15th

This article is published via AFP Relaxnews.