GRIP, Internships Abroad Vive la Baguette

UNESCO - Paris, France

Liberté, Égalité, Fraternité

Liberty, Equality, Brotherhood: this is the France that I experienced. Steeped in history and rich in culture, it was a beautiful country to spend 14 weeks in. From the escalator etiquette to bread that sits directly on the table, there were many unique things to learn about the everyday French culture. However, if anyone asks me what I loved best about France, they are sure to get a quick and simple answer: the Baguette.
The Baguette is considered to be the 'egalitarian' bread of France- enjoyed by the rich and the poor alike. Considered a cliché, I found it to be a strong symbol of French culture. Fun fact: an estimated 320 baguettes are consumed per second throughout France. 

There was no escaping The Baguette. A short walk between any two given points would inevitably take me past a boulangerie with wafting smells of freshly baked bread. Oh, the temptation. 

Making a baguette, or baking any bread for that matter, seems to be an art form in France. It is taken seriously. So much so that the ideal baguette measures between 55 and 65 cm in length and weighs between 250 and 300 grams. From what I heard and researched (research = Google), by law in France, bread cannot have added oil or fat. The baguettes, then, must be made from water, flour, yeast, and salt, with tiny amounts of dough improver. Not a single baguette I tried in a French bakery (and I tried more than I would care to admit), was lacking in warmth, taste or quality. Living with a French family just on the outskirts of Paris and observing people in restaurants at mealtimes, I understood why. Bread is always at the center of a French family's table during mealtimes: use it to mop your plate clean, pair with different kinds of cheese, or dunk it in your hot beverage- there is always a role for bread to play. Though all bread is created great, it is not created equal. The Baguette is special. One of the most interesting things about buying a baguette is that you basically get a long loaf of bread with a tiny paper in the middle. Place it directly in your bag and you are good to go.

The French Baguette- a type of bread with its own competition, the Grand Prix de la Baguette de Traditional Francaise de la Ville De Paris, held in Paris every year (as the name says)- will always hold a dear place in my heart. My personal journal entry for France attests to this. 

Vive la France - Vive la baguette