Croissant & Boulangerie Culture

The French croissant is a national institution — flaky, buttery, and best eaten warm from the oven at a local boulangerie before 9am. France has over 33,000 bakeries producing 10 billion baguettes a year. Look for the 'boulangerie artisanale' sign for the real thing. The baguette tradition was added to UNESCO's Intangible Cultural Heritage list in 2022.