Macron backs the baguette for World Heritage Status
The baguette could soon be granted Unesco World Heritage Status, as President Emmanuel Macron has lent his support to a bakers’ campaign to recognise the bread as a national symbol.
Boulangerie professionals have long advocated for the traditional bread to be recognised by Unesco, and this week Mr Macron joined the chorus of voices calling for it to officially become part of France’s heritage.
“France is a country of excellence in bread, because the baguette is envied worldwide,” said Mr Macron.
“We must preserve its excellence and know-how, and it must therefore be included as part of our heritage. To include it is not simply to register the name of the ‘baguette’, it is also to register the quality of ingredients, know-how and the ‘knack’ [for making it]."
He continued: "The baguette is part of the daily life of the French people, in the morning, midday and evening. There is no history of religion [associated with it]; everyone has it, and it has been part of our humanity since the beginning."
The idea to officially give the bread World Heritage Status was launched by Dominique Anract, president of national bakery group, la Confédération Nationale de la Boulangerie-Pâtisserie Française.
The baguette is a “marvellous” product, made simply with flour, water, salt and yeast, that could “rightfully take its place” in the World Heritage list, Mr Anract said.
The campaign comes just a few weeks after Unesco gave World Heritage status to the art of the Italian pizza, and those who make it - officially named “pizzaïolos” - following a global petition in its favour, which gained two million signatures worldwide.
France already has some culinary recognition by Unesco, with “the gastronomic meal of the French” having received World Heritage status in 2010, and defined as “a customary social practice designed to celebrate the most important moments in life”.
