France: The French Obsession with Baguettes

Bread Everywhere: The French Obsession with Baguettes

Cultural Experiences/By Ms. Mila Vasconcelos

When my friends and I arrived in Paris for the Summer vacation of 2024, we noticed a very curious fact: the French people, no matter what time of the day or night, were constantly walking around with an unwrapped baguette (or several) under their arms. We quickly realized that it should mean something, and we even ended up creating a game, where the winner should capture as many pictures as possible, with the natives carrying proudly their breads, without being noticed. I have to say, my friend Cintia was the fastest on this task!

Some of my "Catch The Baguette" game entries, but as I said above, my friend was quicker and with her eyes more open, catching more baguettes than me!

I had always heard about the French obsession with fresh, golden-crusted baguettes, but nothing could prepare me for the everyday ritual and devotion the French have for this simple yet sacred task. From early morning bakery runs to seeing people casually strolling with a baguette under their arms like it’s an extension of their being, the whole experience is something between cultural tradition and national pride.

Me and my friends on the search for the perfect baguette; and of course after a few weeks in Paris, we were eating like locals!

One of my favorite moments in France was watching the baguette-buying etiquette in action. Unlike in many places where bread is pre-packaged or stacked in bulk, here, the baguette is a fresh, delicate product that must be selected with care. I saw people gently squeezing the crust, tapping the bread to listen to its crispness, and—of course—snapping off the end (la quignon) before even making it home! It was both a serious and humorous moment as if everyone in France has an instinctual knowledge of what makes the perfect baguette.

But the baguette obsession is no joke—there are even strict laws protecting it! The "Décret Pain" (Bread Decree) of 1993 states that a "traditional French baguette" must be made only with flour, water, yeast, and salt—no preservatives or additives allowed. On top of that, the annual "Best Baguette in Paris" competition is a highly prestigious event, where the winning boulangerie gets the honor of supplying baguettes to the French President at the Élysée Palace for a whole year. Imagine your bread being nationally recognized as presidentially worthy!

I found this beautiful vintage website that proves one thing—the French passion for baguettes is timeless! No matter your age, there's always a way to show just how much you care about the perfect loaf. 

As an artist, I couldn’t help but see the comedic and storytelling potential in this cultural phenomenon. The baguette is everywhere—tucked under arms, strapped to bicycles, poking out of tote bags, even featured in fashion shoots. It has a personality of its own! That’s when I knew this would make the perfect illustration project for my students—combining humor, storytelling, and visual narrative to highlight quirky cultural aspects.

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Back to the Art Room: What Do We Do?

For this lesson, I wanted my students to learn about cultural storytelling through illustration, using humor to capture everyday traditions and customs. Inspired by my baguette encounters in France, I challenged them to find a cultural curiosity from any country and illustrate it in a playful way—like a comic strip, an illustrated short story, or even a single-frame humorous drawing. Here is how the lesson goes:

1. Understanding Cultural Quirks & Humor

• We started by discussing how everyday habits, objects, or traditions can reveal a lot about a culture. I shared my baguette obsession story, and we analyzed French satirical cartoons that playfully exaggerate common customs.

• Students then researched cultural curiosities from different countries—some chose Japan’s obsession with vending machines, Germany’s precise crosswalk etiquette, Brazil’s beachside açaí culture, and more.

2. Brainstorming & Sketching Concepts

• Each student picked one cultural quirk and started developing ideas on how to exaggerate and illustrate it humorously.

• They experimented with different illustration styles, from cartoonish expressions to vintage travel poster aesthetics.

3. Creating the Illustrated Story

• Using ink, watercolor, colored pencils, or digital tools, students finalized their illustrations and visual narratives.

• Some created funny step-by-step guides (e.g., "How to Properly Carry a Baguette Like a French Person"), while others made short comics with exaggerated interactions (e.g., a battle between two people over the last perfect baguette).

4. Presentation & Class Discussion

• Each student shared their piece, explaining why they chose their cultural curiosity and what they found fascinating about it.

• We discussed how illustration can be a powerful and fun way to explore and understand global traditions.

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Why This Matters

This project helped students to understand culture through humor and art. Illustrating cultural quirks allows students to see traditions from a new perspective, break down stereotypes, and engage in creative storytelling. It also reinforces how art is a universal language—one that can connect people, spark laughter and make learning about culture more engaging.

So, the next time you see a perfectly crisp baguette tucked under someone’s arm, remember—it’s more than just bread, it’s a cultural statement!

Ms. Mila Vasconcelos