You can’t talk about Paris or France without talking about the sacrée baguette! probably one of the nicest things about France. So Guide me in Paris is pleased to announce the winner of the best baguette in Paris competition can be found in the 18th District of Paris at Le Grenier à Pain Abbesses. This very prestigious competition happens every year and other than wining €3000 prize money there is a year contract with the Elysée Palais. 

Djibril Bodian the wining baker, was a runner-up last year . His bakery produces 1900 baguettes every Sunday. Over 163 bakers entered the competition which started in 1994 .

97% of the population have declared that they eat baguette everyday (Sofres independent controller 2009 operation ‘Bread’).

History of the Baguette

The “baguette” is sometimes said to be a descendant and pain viennois, bread first developed in Vienna, Austria, in the mid-19th century when deck ovens, or steam ovens, were first brought into common use. Deck/steam ovens are a combination of a gas-fired traditional oven and a brick oven, a thick “deck” of stone or firebrick heated by natural gas instead of wood. The first steam oven was brought (in the early nineteenth century) to Paris by the Austrian officer August Zang, whom some French sources thus credit with originating the (probably twentieth century) baguette.

Deck ovens use steam injection, through various methods, to create the proper baguette. The oven is typically well over 205 °C (400 °F). The steam allows the crust to expand before setting, thus creating a lighter, more airy loaf.

The baguette today is often considered one of the symbols of French culture viewed from abroad, but the association of France with long loaves predates its creation. Long, if wide, loaves had been made since the time of Louis XIV, long thin ones since the mid-eighteenth century and in fact by the nineteenth century some were far longer than the baguette: “loaves of bread six feet long that look like crowbars!” (1862); “Housemaids were hurrying homewards with their purchases for various Gallic breakfasts, and the long sticks of bread, a yard or two in length, carried under their arms, made an odd impression upon me.

But, states an article in The Economist, in October 1920 a law prevented bakers from working before 4am, making it impossible to make the traditional, round loaf in time for customers’ breakfasts. The slender baguette solved the problem because it could be prepared and baked much more rapidly.  Unfortunately, the article is not sourced. The law in question appears in fact to be one from March 1919, though some say it took effect on October 1920: “It is forbidden to employ workers at bread and pastry making between ten in the evening and four in the morning. The rest of the account remains to be verified, but the baguette – that is, a much thinner, crustier version of the several traditional “pains longs” – does appear to be a twentieth century innovation.

I strongly recommend a trip to the Rue des Abbesses 75018 for many reasons, the first, is that there is a great friendly atmosphere and you find yourself in this village and it gives you a typical French feeling that is very relaxing. You will find lots of fruit and vegetables shops with some amazing fruits and fishmongers that will amaze you by the choice of fish. You will also find some cool young designer clothes shops that will satisfy everyones budgets and bric a brac shops that are worth a visit.

 
Since 1988 and the opening of the northern branch of the C Branch of the RER, this station has served the Neuilly—Porte Maillot Station of the RER C. The two stations are connected by a long corridor.

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Métro/RER ticket (both sides)

You can buy individual Métro tickets or packets of 10 tickets (a Carnet). The per ticket cost of the Carnet is less, not surprisingly. If you’re in town for a while, consider getting the “Carte Orange” or “Ticket hebdomadaire” which is valid from Monday, through Sunday. (Note: you will need a small photo for this sort of pass.) Cost of Métro & RER tickets depends on distance traveled. Within central Paris cost is the same as Métro tickets, and the same ticket is also valid on both systems.

Both the Métro and the RER (Réseau Express Régional) are run by the RATP – Régie Autonome des Transports Parisiens. The RATP also runs the buses.

A Bit of History

The Métro opened on 19 July 1900, its first line being from Porte de Vincennes to Porte Maillot (not surprising it is now the line number 1). Fulgence Bienvenüe was the engineer in charge of construction, the architect Hector Guimard being responsible for the Art Nouveau entrances (see image).

The system has 199 km (124 miles) of track and 15 lines. There are 368 stations (not including RER stations), 87 of these being interchanges between lines. Every building is within 500 metres of a métro station. There are 3500 cars which transport roughly 6 million people per day. There are 15000 employees of the métro.

For more information please check out the two links below.

Google Map (click on link)

Paris Metro Subway IPHONE Application (Click here)

The Guillotine was used in several different areas of Paris from the Louvre to Place de la Concorde, Hotel de Ville and also at the Prison de la Grand Roquette. The prison is no longer there but if you pay attention you can still see where the guillotine was installed. When you are standing on the corner of rue de la Roquette and rue de la Croix-Faubin (Metro Voltaire or Philippe-Auguste) very discreetly set into the tarmac are four large flag stones that were the foundations for the Guillotine. The original site was at the Hotel de Ville but in 1832 was moved to this site. This site was 5 kms from the prison. the condemned would be marched from the prison to the guillotine. this site used to be known as the’abbaye de cinq pieres’ as originally there were 5 flagstones set into the ground to bear the weight. A total of 69 people were executed on this spot. When the prison was destroyed in 1900 the guillotine was moved to the ‘Prison de la Santé’ where it was last used on Roger Bontems and Claude Buffet on 28th November 1972.

Google Maps (Click on link)

L’Escargot is one of the great typical French restaurants that is really worth trying. Found in the 1st district,  38 rue Montorgueil (Metro Etienne Marcel) you will find yourself in what one can only describe as a lovely old fashioned Parisian bistro.

Menus start at €24 and go to €73 beautifully comprised of starter, main course, desert and wines. L’Escargot was opened in 1875 and served snails in every recipe possible. In 1919 a certain Mr André Terrail bought the restaurant and decided to turn it into one of the best restaurants in Paris. Now-days you will find it beautifully decorated with period features and the fast unfriendly service that these types of bistros are famous for. On the menu you will find steak and chips, apple tatin and all the regular French dishes. I recommend trying the “Blanquette de Veau” beautiful tender cubes of veal slowly cooked in a cream sauce over the open fire!.

Google Map (click here)

In Paris you can hail a cab only when the “Taxi” light on top is illuminated. At peak hours it is advised to order a cab by phone (see my link page where you will find the telephone numbers for the big Parisian taxi firms). Meters start at 2-3 euros, a little more if you call in advance. drivers are not required to carry more than three passengersat a time, and you can be charged more for baggage, a fourth passenger or an animal or even for a station pick-up. A receipt (Reçu) is provided on request. Not all taxi companies except credit cards (G7 do except, again see my “links” page). Please remember that personal cheques are not accepted. When you manage to find a taxi always get in before giving the driver your destination, this is because a taxi is obliged to take you anywhere you want but often they lower their window and ask where you are going this gives them time to decide if they want to or not. Once you are in the taxi it is harder to refuse. If you have a problem with a taxi, you will find a number on their rear passenger windows remember the number and go to your nearest police station and file a complaint.

For my first competition I was quite surprised in how much interest this received. For my first competition I asked the following question.

How many visitors has “Guide me In Paris” had since I started the site on the 12th September to 30th November 2009?

The answer was 1529 and the nearest was Mr Henry Layton from Newcastle in the U.K. who guessed 1250!

Well done indeed. As promised I will be sending a really cool book of photos of Paris.

Thanks again for participating and stay tuned, the next competition will be in February.

The “One Two Two Club”  rue de Provence 75008 (Metro St Lazare or Havre Caumartin) was one of the most prestigious and popular brothels in Paris. The “One Two Two” pronounced in English,was a a very well known brothel, used by many famous people including Cary Grant and Randolph Churchill, Winston Churchill’s son.

Opened in 1933 by Marcel and Fabienne Jamet (daughter of one of the most powerful Police Inspectors of Paris!). During the Second World War this establishment was the meeting place for the German officers of the famous Wehrmacht and many of the girls working at the club, would help the resistance by giving them precious information that they over heard when the officers were drinking together or taking a shower. The brothel was closed in 1949 just before France changed the law concerning brothels, and in 1950 shut them all.

Some interesting facts

The “One Two Two” used to be open from 1400hrs to 0500hrs. The “One Two Two” only  shut one day a year, Christmas day. The girls had one day off a week, If they were ill without permission, they were fined 200 francs, and on the second time, they would be sacked. There was forty members of staff, from security, to hairdressers, beauty therapists and dry cleaning workers, chefs and bar staff.

In the ”One Two Two” there were 20 bedrooms, 10 living rooms, and 12 shower rooms. There were 60 prostitutes working at any one time, 200 appointments a day up to 300 visitors a day and over 150 bottles of champagne consumed a day.

Below you will see a photo of the famous “One Two Two club” notice the two sets of doors, the double doors was the main entrance and the single door to the left was the discreet exit. There were white wooden shutters on every window that remained closed all day and night.  

Google Map (Please click here)

Christmas is coming, and “Guide Me in Paris” thought you might want to see some photos of the Christmas Market that can be found in the heart of Paris on the world famous Champs Elysées. The Best way to visit the Christmas market is on the Metro (Metro Concorde or Clémanceau).

I went for a walk and had a look at everything that was for sale and you will find a bit of everything, from people serving glasses of hot spicy red wine and the famous “Tartiflette”  which consists of cheese, white wine, bacon and onions (well known in the ski resorts) to clothes, cheese and French regional art and crafts. I really recommend a visit for the Christmas atmosphere, and the fact that at the same time you are on the Champs Elysées!!

Google Map (Please click here)

Competition (Please click here)

Firstly, I will briefly explain what a “Foie Gras” is, the main ingredient is of course a lovely plump pink Goose liver (400-500 grams), you clean and de-vein the goose liver and then season with salt and pepper. Then you lay the liver in a small terrine dish and feel free to add a large tablespoon of Sauternes ( A sweet white wine). Then you cook the liver at a low heat for about two hours (95°) in a bain-marie. Allow to cool and leave in fridge 24 hours. You then serve with some warm toast.

 If you like “Foie Gras” or you want  to try it and see what all the fuss is about then you must try Divay’s Foie Gras. Divay is one of the best in the world. Divay showed me their orders that they have for Christmas from all over the world.

Divay has a shop at 4 rue Bayern 75017 (Metro Ternes)  open Tuesday to Saturday 08.00 – 19.00.

The Foie Gras is sold in porcelain dishes for the following prices,

250g         €43          3-4 people

500g        €76          6-8 people

1 kilo       € 122       12 – 16 people

Divay have said that you may try the “Foie Gras” free of charge at the shop!

Google Map (Please click here)