Paris's Best Baguette 2026: Cast Your Vote in the Competition!

What if you could be part of the jury selecting the best baguette in Paris for 2026? The City of Paris is looking for six discerning Parisians with a keen palate to taste and vote for the capital’s top baguette! Could it be you?

As a quintessential symbol of France, the baguette de pain was officially recognized as part of UNESCO's intangible cultural heritage in 2022. With its soft crumb and crispy crust, the baguette frequently graces the tables of many French households. Annually, nearly six billion baguettes are produced across the country!

Since 1994, Paris has also been naming the best baguette in Paris. Each year, the winning baker quickly finds themselves flooded with requests. They also earn the honor of supplying the Élysée Palace for a whole year!

Once again this year, the City of Paris has decided to spice things up by offering six lucky Parisians the chance to join the jury in a highly anticipated competition. Selected at random, these participants will have the important task of tasting and voting for their favorite Parisian baguette. If this unusual experience interests you, head over to the City of Paris website for your chance to participate. Simply answer a question and provide your email address for a shot at being randomly selected. But beware, there are three conditions to join: availability on Thursday, February 26, 2026, for the entire afternoon; no food intolerances or allergies; and you must be of legal age.

The lucky winners will gather again on Thursday, February 26, 2026, in the afternoon to feel, inspect, and taste all the baguettes competing. For this special event, the selected Parisians won't be going solo, as they'll be accompanied by a lineup of notable personalities—including elected officials, industry experts, and journalists.

Paris Baguette Grand Prix 2026: Discover the bakery known for serving the city's best baguette
The best baguette in Paris in 2026 has been crafted by Sithamparappillai Jegatheepan, a baker at Fournil Didot. He was awarded the esteemed Grand Prix de la Baguette on February 26th by the City of Paris. [Read more]

So, how can you tell if you've got a good baguette of bread? Five clear criteria should be considered: the baking, the flavor, the crumb, the alveolation, and of course, the appearance.

It is important to note that baguettes must strictly measure between 50 and 55 centimeters in length, weigh between 250 and 270 grams, and contain no more than 1.4 grams of salt per 100 grams of bread (equivalent to roughly 16.8 grams of salt per kilogram of flour at 64% hydration). Baguettes that do not meet these standards are simply excluded from tasting.

So, do you have what it takes to be a baguette connoisseur?

Paris's Best Baguette 2026: Cast Your Vote in the Competition!

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