My wife and I arrived in Paris’ Charles DeGualle airport at dusk and by the time we made our way to the hotel via the train and checked into our room, it was far too late to get anything to eat from the hotel concierge’s menu. We were positively starving.
I remembered that as we rolled our baggage into the hotel there was a boulangerie downstairs and just around the corner that was still open for some reason, God only knows why. I ran in just as they were closing up and using my awful French managed to buy two long baguettes and a small tub of hand churned white farmer’s butter along with a plastic sleeve of some sort of sliced salami-like lunch meat that was made with red wine and minced garlic.
I got back upstairs and we just devoured those baguettes with butter and red wine flavored cold cuts. It’s been several years and I still remember what it tasted like. Somehow they can make bread crunchy on the outside so that every bite sends a shower of crust fragments in all directions, but the inside of the baguette loaf is soft but chewy. The whole room smelled like bakery dough, wine, and garlic. It was so good I was licking the paper bag the loaves came in to get every last crumb. Probably one of the best late night meals I’ve ever had.
France makes the best damned bread in the world as far as I am concerned.
I just got back Satruday from a week in France. There are 3 boulangeries within a short block of the condo we stay at. The one I go to is within 75’ of the building front door. Awesome baguettes, croissants, and other breads, small pastries (mini eclairs, fruit tarts, chocolate mousses, 4-5 other goodies, and of course macaroons), and panini sandwiches that are the local equivalent of fast food, but so much better than a burger.
The French just do food right, and that store is but one example of many why. It was great being able to wake up, run downstairs in <5 minutes for a fresh pain chocolat (basically a square croissant with a little chocolate inside) for 1.10€, and make a cappuccino with the Nespresso machine for a perfect quick breakfast.