Battle of the baguettes: judges select best French bread in Paris

Record ID: 2358736

  • Title: Battle of the baguettes: judges select best French bread in Paris
  • Date: 26th February 2026
  • Summary: PARIS, FRANCE (FEBRUARY 26, 2026) (REUTERS) ASSISTANT BRINGING BAGUETTES TO JUDGES TO EVALUATE JUDGE AND PARIS RESIDENT, SANDRA PETETIN, SMELLING AND SQUEEZING BAGUETTE JUDGE SMELLING CHUNK OF BAGUETTE AND TASTING IT HANDS CUTTING CHUNKS OF BAGUETTE DEPUTY PRESIDENT OF BAKERS’ UNION OF GREATER PARIS, PASCAL BARILLON, CUTTING BAGUETTE BARILLON SMELLING AND TASTING BAGUETTE
  • Embargoed:
  • Keywords: French cuisine French food baguette baguette competition bread
  • Location: PARIS, FRANCE
  • City: PARIS, FRANCE
  • Country: France
  • Topics: Europe,Human Interest/Brights/Odd News,Society/Social Issues
  • Reuters ID: LVA001878926022026RP1
  • Aspect Ratio: 16:9
  • Story Text: A panel of judges sat down in Paris on Thursday (February 26) to taste more than a hundred baguettes submitted by bakers from across the city, hoping to be crowned the best at making the famous bread in the French capital.
    The contest, which takes place every year, sees the winning baker take home prize money of 4,000 euros ($4,717 approx) and traditionally supplies the French president's office with baguettes.
    Pascal Barillon, the vice president of the Baker's Union of Greater Paris, said baguettes would be evaluated on the appearance, the quality of the baking, the smell, the taste, and crumb structure.
    While bakers can only use the traditional recipe of flour, water, salt and yeast every baker "adds their own little touch", Barillon said. "It is an alchemy, everyone has their recipe, their process, and you obviously have baguettes that are different."
    Baker Mickael Reydellet, who won the competition in 2025, said the eventual winner of this year's edition could expect a great deal of media attention and increased foot traffic in his or her boulangerie.
    As for how to best enjoy a baguette, Barillon said the bread could be enjoyed at any time of day. "You put butter, jam, chocolate, pate, cheese, you put whatever you want and then you have a pleasant moment," he said.
    143 baguettes were submitted to the competition, with 29 being excluded for exceeding a length of between 50 to 55 centimetres (19.7 - 21.7 inches) and a weight of between 250 to 270 grams (8.8 - 9.5 ounces).
    The winning bakery will be announced on Thursday evening.
    (Production: Antony Paone, Lewis Macdonald)
  • Copyright Holder: REUTERS
  • Copyright Notice: (c) Copyright Thomson Reuters 2026. Open For Restrictions - http://about.reuters.com/fulllegal.asp
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