18 February 2026 · 5 min read
A Parisian's Guide to Buying Bread Like a Local
There are 1,200 boulangeries in Paris and most tourists walk past the best ones. Here is how to spot a real one and what to order.
A real Paris boulangerie makes its bread on site, has a queue of locals at 8am, and displays a Meilleur Ouvrier de France plaque or the annual best-baguette award. If the loaves are perfectly uniform and there is no flour on the counter, keep walking.
What to order the first time
- Baguette de tradition — not the standard baguette, always the tradition
- Pain au chocolat, eaten within 20 minutes of leaving the shop
- Chausson aux pommes if it is autumn or winter
- Kouign-amann for something worth the calories
Three boulangeries to plan a walk around
Du Pain et des Idées in the 10th, Poilâne in the 6th, and Utopie in the 11th. Each is worth crossing the city for, and all three are within a short walk of tours we run.
How to eat it
Tear, do not slice. Eat the crust first while it is still warm. And never, ever put butter on a tradition — it is an insult to the baker.
