A boulangerie is a French bakery, as opposed to a pastry shop. Bakeries must bake their bread on-premises to hold the title of 'boulangerie' in France. While a boulangerie may also sell pâtisseries and viennoiseries, their main trade will be in traditional French breads, such as: Pâtisseries are traditionally light and delicate, as well as sweet and decadent. Iconic treats include:

Baguette tradition is baked in accordance with a traditional recipe and tends to have a chewier crust and fluffier interior. This baguette tends to be 10-40 centimes more expensive than its cheaper counterpart but is more than worth the extra price tag in my opinion.Croissants: This famous French food is made using a laminated pastry dough enriched with yeast and milk.

Alumna Matilda Smith set up her own patisserie, Penny for Pound after studying a nine-month Diplôme de Pâtisserie (SIT31016 Certificate III in Patisserie) at Le Cordon Bleu. She now employs six full time staff, produces thousands of pastries each week and has a retail expansion underway. In 2018 her business featured in Epicure, Good Food, Broadsheet Melbourne, Urban List and Concrete Playground, and won 'Best Donut in Melbourne' at 2018 DonutFest. Read about Matilda's pâtisserie business here. Deux croissants et un pain au chocolat s’il-vous-plait : Can I have two croissants and one pain au chocolat please?If you’re a particular fan of baked goods, then you should also bear in mind that there are some baked goods and pastries which are only available in certain regions of France, aka regional specialities. The other thing to know about purchasing a baguette in a French boulangerie is that you can actually choose how cooked you want your bread to be. If you prefer a better baked, firmer loaf, then you can ask for bien-cuite whereas if you prefer something a little softer you can opt for a baguette pas trop cuite. Among other France tips, normally people aren’t really formal in the shop and I tend to ask simply for the product with a ‘please’. Make sure you say hello (bonjour) when it gets to your turn in the line as this is seen as the polite thing to do when entering an establishment in France. On the subject, president Macron said that the baguette is“envied around the world” and offers up “250 grams of magic and perfection in our daily lives”. Other breads at a French Boulangerie (Pain de Campagne) Brioche: A viennoiserie made in a similar way to bread, but with the richer aspects of pastry due to its high egg and butter content.

Marguerite: the child, her namesake, and the cultural predecessors who came before them. They have spunk. French flair. Long-standing roots. Their stories transcend time, neighborhood, community and culture. They have love at their center. Vienoisseries which you can expect to find in almost any reputable bakery include pain au chocolat (a pastry with chocolate inside), croissants ( learn more about the history of the croissant here), chausson aux pommes (apple turnovers), madeleines, and choux (mini puff pastries which are typically sold by weight rather than by the piece). Last but not least, if there’s one thing I could tell you it’s that, if you’re a carb-lover, then you simply must take the time out of your trip to head into a French boulangerie, if only to sample a baguette, or at the very least, a croissant. French Boulangerie Vocabulary:

In more rural locations, the boulangerie will also act at the pâtisserie! Pâtisseries denote both the type of establisment, as well as the goods sold within. Therefore, a pâtisserie will also sell pâtisseries. Some of these include the chic pattiseries in Paris of Pierre-Hermé and Ladurée.

Viennoserie refers to breakfast pastries made in the style of Vienna, Austria. While they did not originate in France, viennoiseries rose to prominence after an Austrian military official, August Zang opened a bakery Boulangerie Viennoise in Paris, bringing new ideas to French pastry circles. As of the 30th November 2022, the French Baguette has been given UNESCO World Heritage status. The foodstuff has joined the list of “intangible cultural heritage” alongside things such as traditional tea making in China and a Korean mask dance known as “talchum”. One of the more curious French habits that you may never have heard of before is the custom of eating the end crust of the baguette on your way home. The end of the baguette is known as ‘le quignon’ and is what is munched on on the way home. Une part de tarte aux pommes et un pain de campagne s’il-vous-plait : Can I have a piece of this apple pie and some farmhouse bread please? Je vais vous prendre dix chouquettes et un pain aux raisins s’il-vous-plait : I am going to have ten chouquettes (cream puff) and one pain aux raisins please.One key difference to note between a French baker and a pastry chef is that while pâtissiers work with mostly cold ingredients, a boulanger (or baker) will master the techniques and processes of warm rising dough. Learn more about traditional French baking in a specialised Le Cordon Bleu short course. What is viennoiserie? You should also note that boulangeries are often a popular lunch option among locals as many sell quiches and sandwiches which are typically made fresh on a daily basis. If you want to opt for a pastry, sandwich/ pizza slice/ quiche, and drink then you’ll want to ask if there is a ‘formule’ available as this will often give you a lunch deal for a reduced price. Bread etiquette in France Next, you should know that many businesses close in France for the month of August. This is when most French residents take their summer holidays and you’ll find many of the larger French cities devoid of people. Many clothing shops, specialist food shops, garages, and even bakeries close up shop for most, if not all, of the month of August.