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When I was 12 or 13, our French teacher asked us to imagine what our ideal job –truly ideal– would be when we were adults. I remember writing a piece about wanting to run a boulangerie-librairie (the latter being a bookshop, and not a library, which is la bibliothèque in French). Over four decades later, I realize that I had combined two of the most emblematic French retail shops.
Now I suppose that these two trades must look pretty enticing in the eyes of first-time English-speaking visitors. The former reflects our love for earthy food whilst the latter reflects our more intellectual appetites. However, if we believe Maslow’s pyramid, there are high chances that one of your first stops will be at the boulangerie, which may turn out to be trickier than browsing shelves of books.
Boulangerie artisanale or not boulangerie artisanale ? That is the question.
Boulangerie artisanale or not boulangerie artisanale ? That is the question.
In medium-sized towns or big cities, you’ll get a mix of chain bakeries (like Marie Blachère or La Mie Dorée, for example) and traditional bakeries or boulangeries artisanales. Even though the latter have almost disappeared from British town centers, they’re still thriving over here, and are the only ones you’ll come across in French villages. You can recognize them thanks to their “artisan-boulanger” sign or logo, which certifies that bread is made and baked on the premises.
Ordering at la boulangerie
Ordering at la boulangerie
One thing that is worth noting is that going to the bakery (“aller à la boulangerie”) is still very much ingrained in our daily lives, and that purchases extend from un croissant to dix baguettes or even a full lunch break meal (see table below for useful vocabulary). Around lunch time, big queues can form at the boulangerie, and ordering can go pretty fast, hence causing anxiety fits to non-French speakers who haven’t rehearsed their order in advance, or got distracted along the way by the cakes and breads on display.
So just stick to concise stuff. No need to get into “Je voudrais…” or “Pourriez-vous…” sentences that could mislead you onto tricky grammar grounds. “Bonjour ! Une baguette et deux croissants, s’il-vous-plaît !” followed by “Merci !” and then “Au revoir !” will do very nicely. If you fancy ordering something else, just point, say how many you want, not forgetting to add “s’il-vous-plaît” – and leave more specific questions for later, quieter times.
Paying at la boulangerie
Paying at la boulangerie
The payment process is generally rather smooth. Most bakeries have tills with price displays. If you hand la monnaie, i.e. the exact cash amount, you will probably get a smile from the sales assistant. However, some shops nowadays are equipped with un monnayeur, a box in which you can insert banknotes or coins and get your change. But since covid, credit cards are now widely accepted, even for very small amounts.
Useful French vocabulary for a visit to the baker’s
Useful French vocabulary for a visit to the baker’s
You’ll find below a list of bread, pastries and cakes related terms. Finally, being a staunch supporter of organic food myself, I would like to add that le pain bio (which is organic bread, bio being short for biologique) is more and more on offer in French bakeries, although far from everywhere. You’ll also find it in various forms, including gluten-free (which is pain sans gluten) in specialized shops or on weekly markets, where boulangers bio who sometimes even grow their own wheat, have a stall.
Voilà ! Bonne visite à la boulangerie… et à la librairie😊
If you want to organize an online lesson, a home-based tuition or register for a group lesson,
just call me at (+33) 6 01 73 07 20 or send an e-mail at nerry.malo@gmail.com
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