A group of eighteen French bakers successfully created the world's longest baguette, winning back the esteemed title from their Italian counterparts in a show of culinary skill and patriotism. This remarkable achievement unfolded on May 5, 2024, at the Suresnes Baguette Show, a celebrated event held in the Parisian suburb of Suresnes.
The bakers surpassed the previous record set by the Croce Rossa Italiana in Como, Italy, in June 2019, a length of 132.62 metres (435 ft 1 in). The baguette baked by the French team achieved a remarkable length of 140.53 metres (461 feet), which set a fresh standard in the chronicles of baking and represented a significant revival of traditional French baking techniques.
With great care and attention to detail, the plan to break the world record was carried out perfectly, showing how artistic and collaborative traditional French baking is. Starting very early in the morning, around 3 a.m., the dough had to be carefully made using only wheat flour, water, yeast, and salt, following traditional recipes to the letter. By 5 a.m., the dedicated bakers were using a mobile oven made to fit the baguette's long length to bake it.
As attendees of the Suresnes Baguette Show watched, the bakers kneaded and shaped the dough on site. The baguette was baked in a rolling oven under a large tent, ensuring that the entire process was visible to the public, which added an element of spectacle to the event. According to guidelines, the baguette maintained a consistent thickness of at least 5 centimetres throughout its entire length to qualify for the record.
Once baked to perfection, the length of the baguette was officially measured, and a representative from the Guinness World Records confirmed the new record in the early evening. The achievement was celebrated by slicing the baguette into sections. Some portions were served with Nutella to the delighted audience, while the remaining sections were donated to local homeless shelters, blending community service with culinary achievement.
Dominique Anract, president of the French National Confederation of Boulangerie and Patisserie, expressed his pride and compared the bakers' teamwork to that required in sports, especially poignant in an Olympic year. He praised the artisan bakers for their sportsmanship and dedication to maintaining a revered culinary tradition.