La Fête du Pain 2026: the enormous pop-up bakery returns to the forecourt of Notre-Dame de Paris

La Fête du Pain is back in Paris! The largest pop-up bakery has returned to the parvis of Notre-Dame Cathedral this spring. And for this new edition in the capital, the Bread Festival is gearing up to treat both kids and grown-ups to 10 days of demonstrations, activities, tastings and discoveries from 8 to 17 May 2026.

This bakery set up under a grand marquee is your doorway to everything about bread making, pastries and other sweet treats, thanks to the Grand Paris bakers-pastry chefs who will be delighted to reveal their craft through convivial and festive moments.

It's worth noting that not all bread sellers are authorized to call themselves "baker" or "bakery." That’s why the Bread Festival serves as a perfect occasion for professionals to showcase their craftsmanship, highlight the artistry behind traditional loaves, and reaffirm that authentic good bread carries a distinguished name: French Traditional Bread.

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As a reminder, the Fête du Pain was launched in 1996 on the initiative of Jean-Pierre Raffarin, then Minister for SMEs, Trade and Crafts. Since then, the event has returned every year around May 16, the day of Saint-Honoré, patron saint of millers, flour merchants, bakers and patissiers.

What will you find under this tent? A recreated shop where Paris’s bakers will welcome the curious to answer all their questions, competitions and prize-giving, unique demonstrations of know-how led by the millers from Île-de-France, gourmet tastings, and for the last three days, the réalisation en direct of the largest bread Eiffel Tower by MOF bakers!

That said, during our visit you could taste chouquettes, but don’t expect to sample an entire spread of breads and pastries straight from the oven. There aren’t stalls where you can meet bakers in the traditional sense; it’s mainly a chance to watch them at work as they prepare baguettes, apple turnovers, and other sweets right before you, which are then available in the shop.

To access this last one, a heads-up: there’s the wait! If it rains, a large portion of the queue ends up outside the tent, but the less patient might bail out and give you a chance to grab some spots! The prices of sandwiches or pastries can be a touch higher than at a bakery, but given the location, that’s understandable.

The chance to taste them afterwards along the banks of the Seine or on the cathedral forecourt, weather permitting, before taking a stroll inside the cathedral! In practice, even though the entry is free and open, you’ll usually have to shell out a few euros to access the items prepared on site.

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Please note that it's been over 4 years since our last visit, so the place and experience may have changed.