Welcome to the next episode on my trip! This is one of the most exciting parts of my trip that I am looking forward to! When you think of the French and in Paris especially, I am sure things like baguette, macarons and all sort of artisanal pastries and desserts comes up to your mind. If people do say that Paris is the fashion capital of the world, it is undoubtedly also the pastries and bread capital of the world. One of my favourite mid-day snacks is having some freshly baked baguette with some extra virgin olive oil. Add a little fine sea salt, this is the best way to taste the fruitiness of the olive oil. It is said that the average Parisian eat 150 grams of bread a day and if you are speaking about the world of bread, this is undoubtedly the best place to learn. Follow Seeing The World In Steps in checking out a local bakery!

Boulangerie L’Essential 

I was honoured to be hosted by Boulangerie L’Essential for a visit to one of their bakery. Boulangerie L’Essential is a gourmet bakery in Paris. With the expertise of Anthony and Nadine as well as the usage of quality ingredients, they are quickly known to be one of the best in town. They have also won the award for best organic bread in 2019 and the second prize for the best traditional baguette. They have 4 outlets around Paris and you can also find them in the Blanqui Market as well as the Cours de Vincennes Market. While predominantly focusing on bread, they also have other products such as pastries, buns. You can check out their products and prices here.

Visit and Baguette Journey

The visit was hosted at the Daumesnil outlet of Boulangerie L’Essential at 254 Avenue Daumesnil in the 12 Arr. It is easy to access and just beside the metro exit of Michel Bizot. I was there early and at 8am. The bakery was bustling. There is plenty of crowds and locals walking in and out getting their Pain before heading to work. I love the people watching. It is the best way to see the locals and being immersed in their culture. They are open from 7am to 8.30pm and on the weekends till 8pm.

While predominantly focused on bread or pain in French they do have a nice selection of other goods and pastries like cakes, salads, tarts. This is one place that will not only make the ladies go crazy but the guys squeal as well! Everything looks so good! If only they won’t make you fat and I will eat all of them! Check them out!

I was warmly welcomed by the staff and once that morning crowd have quiet down a little, Katerina and a fellow baker took me around their kitchen or the in-house bakery to check out how these finest creations are made. It is extremely enriching and educational! While everyone knows that Paris or French are known for their bread and their pastries, not everyone have a chance to see how they are being made! I am extremely fortunate to be hosted by Boulangerie L’Essential and Anthony himself to have a chance to do so! Merci beaucoup!

I even got some hands-on opportunity and I am happy to announce that 5 lucky Parisian got the chance to try out some baguettes that are made by Seeing The World In Steps! Oh well, I participated in the process la! Lucky you! Freshly baked baguette is one of my favourite type of bread in the world and I am happy to see how one part of the equation is made.

Check them out whenever you are in Paris, the Pain is really good! Grab a baguette, walk by the seine and enjoy it while you stroll down the river! What a life! What an experience! This is what you have to do when in Paris.

Conclusion 

I would like to once again express my appreciation to Anthony for welcoming me to his bakery as well as Katerina that show me around. Looking forward to being back in Paris and meeting up with you Katerina. I really enjoyed the visit and hope I can be back one day again to try my hands making some more loaves of breads. I also have to try out more of their creations here at Boulangerie L’Essential. “French women love bread and would never consider a life without carbs“