Baguette

What is Baguette?

A baguette is a long, narrow loaf of bread, typically about 65 centimeters in length and 5 to 6 centimeters in diameter, though it can be up to a meter long. Its crust is crisp and golden, while the inside is light and airy. The classic version uses only wheat flour, water, yeast, and salt, resulting in a bread with a mild flavor and a chewy texture. The baguette is often sliced for sandwiches or served alongside cheese, pâté, or spreads.

Where does Baguette come from?

The baguette’s history is a mix of fact and legend. Long, stick-shaped breads became more common in France during the 18th century. Innovations like Hungarian-milled flour, steam ovens from Vienna, and compact yeast all influenced French breadmaking in the 19th century. The term 'baguette' for this bread first appeared in 1920 in a Paris regulation. Myths about its invention include stories of Napoleon’s soldiers and Paris metro workers, but these are not proven. The baguette has since become a symbol of French culture and daily life.

How is Baguette made?

Traditional baguettes are made by mixing wheat flour, water, yeast, and salt into a lean dough. The dough is kneaded, shaped into long, thin loaves, and allowed to rise. It is then baked, often in a deck oven with steam, which helps create the signature crisp crust and light crumb. Some versions use a pre-ferment for added flavor, while others may include small amounts of other grains. French law defines what ingredients can be used in a traditional baguette.

How and when is Baguette eaten?

In France, baguettes are eaten throughout the day. At breakfast, slices are spread with butter and jam, sometimes dipped in coffee or hot chocolate. For lunch or dinner, they are served with cheese, pâté, or used for sandwiches. The bread is often torn by hand rather than sliced. Baguettes are also popular in other countries, where they may be adapted for local tastes or used in sandwiches such as the Vietnamese bánh mì.

Kinds of Baguette

There are several types of baguettes. The 'baguette de tradition française' follows strict rules on ingredients, while 'baguette ordinaire' may include additives. Shorter or thinner versions include the ficelle and baton. Other French breads, like the bâtard or flûte, have different shapes and sizes. Outside France, baguettes may be made with whole wheat, multigrain, or rice flour, as in Vietnam’s bánh mì. Some bakeries offer baguettes baked to different levels of doneness, from pale to well-browned.

What Baguette means

The baguette is deeply woven into French daily life and identity. Its making is officially recognized as part of France’s intangible cultural heritage and was added to UNESCO’s list in 2022. Paris holds an annual competition to select the city’s best baguette, with the winner supplying bread to the president. The bread’s image is closely tied to France, and it is widely consumed in other countries, especially Algeria. French law protects the traditional methods and ingredients used to make it.

Questions people ask about Baguette

Good reading and sources

• Encyclopaedia BritannicaArticle
• The perfect French baguetteBBC, Article
• Artisanal know-how and culture of baguette breadUNESCO, Article

• Baguette on WikipediaEncyclopedia
• More photos on Wikimedia CommonsPhotos
• Wikidata recordOpen data