Mon 06 May 2024:
For the last five years, Italy has proudly held the title for the world’s longest baguette. However, a team of French bakers from Suresnes, a suburb of Paris, decided to challenge that record. On Sunday, May 5, they succeeded, reclaiming the prestigious title that had been taken by Italy five years earlier.
Around a dozen bakers gathered in Suresnes for the “Suresnes Baguette Show,” organized in collaboration with the Confédération Nationale de la Boulangerie-Pâtisserie Française et Nutella. Their mission: to surpass the existing record set by Italy with a baguette measuring a remarkable 140.53 meters. The endeavor began at 3:00 am local time, with the bakers laboring for 14 hours to achieve their goal.
The process involved meticulous kneading and shaping of the dough, starting in the early hours of the morning. The dough was then placed in a custom slow-moving oven on wheels. This extraordinary baguette, crafted by the French bakers, stretched a staggering 235 times longer than the traditional version.
Anthony Arrigault, one of the bakers involved, expressed joy and pride at surpassing the record on French soil. The achievement was confirmed by a judge from Guinness World Records. According to the guidelines, the baguette had to maintain a minimum thickness of five centimeters throughout its length. A portion of the record-breaking baguette was shared with the public, while the remainder was intended for distribution to homeless individuals in Suresnes.
[🇫🇷🥖#Suresnesbaguetteshow]
Le record du monde de la plus longue baguette est franchi : la #baguette réalisée aujourd’hui à Suresnes mesure 140,53 m !!!! Elle entre dans le Guiness World Records Book après celle des italiens (132,62m)!Bravo @cnbpf@NutellaFR @FerreroFr pic.twitter.com/ITH7fe9gP3
— Ville de Suresnes (@villedesuresnes) May 5, 2024
The event organizers highlighted that the baguette was prepared authentically, using only wheat flour, water, yeast, and salt, adhering to traditional baking methods.
This triumph holds significance beyond the mere breaking of a record. Notably, Italy had previously held both world records for the longest French-origin bread. The town’s website quoted organizers expressing the objective of “bringing the record home,” emphasizing the pride associated with reclaiming this culinary honor. Italy’s five-year reign began after a 122-meter loaf was baked at the Milan Expo in 2015, further highlighting the symbolic victory for French baking prowess.
