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PRESIDENT EMMANUEL MACRON has joined calls by bakers for France’s traditional baguette to be recognised as one of the world’s cultural treasures on Unesco’s list of “intangible heritage”.
The status would aim to draw attention to the importance of safeguarding essential items that make up the world’s cultural diversity.
The call came after the art of Naples’ dough-twirling pizza makers was given the nod by the UN cultural body’s World Heritage Committee in December.
Other “intangible heritage” items on the Unesco list are falconry, Arabic coffee, the Mediterranean diet and Ireland’s uilleann piping.
“The baguette is envied around the world. We must preserve its excellence and our expertise, and it is for this reason that it should be heritage-listed,” Macron told a group of master bakers at the Elysee presidential palace in Paris.
Dominique Anract, the head of the national confederation of baking and pastry, earlier said the “marvellous” baguette, made of flour, water, salt and yeast, should “have its rightful place” in world heritage.
Along with the Eiffel tower, the baguette is one of the main symbols of France, Anract told a local radio station.
“The baguette is part of daily life in France and the bread has a special history,” Macron said.
It’s a morning, midday and evening tradition for the French.
I know our bakers, they saw the Neapolitans succeed in getting their pizza classified under UNESCO world heritage, and they said why not the baguette – and they’re right!
- With reporting from Gráinne Ní Aodha, © AFP, 2018
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Just once he keeps his hands of our shamrock ,I suppose the atheists might complain about that though
Those pesky atheists!! *shakes fist*
You see French sticks every day. When was the last time you saw a shamrock?
crusty and soft, just like his missus.
@Maurice Slater: Ah now Maurice that’s below the belt.But unable to stifle a long laugh at your comment.
Very expensive baguettes in the photo!
@Mary D: maybe the price we will be paying here in royalties in the future if they get it listed as they want.
@Anthony Clark: they’ll be listed not copyrighted
Before anyone takes the piss, remember Ireland sought (and got) special EU status for the Waterford blaa…
@Gavin Nugent: Can anyone enlight me why? And why French want same with baguette ?
@Gavin Nugent: This is a different thing. What the blaa has is regional protection, so that only baps made in Waterford can be called blaas. The EU had no objection to this as nobody outside Waterford has ever wanted to call a bap a blaa.
They really must have very little to do!
‘We must preserve its excellence and our expertise’ jaysus don’t let him know what we have done to baguettes over here! :D
@Carol of the Bells: You mean filled them with delicious stuff? Okay I won’t tell them.
I wonder what the French would make of our obsession with baguettes stuffed with processed ‘chicken’ fillets, smothered in mayo and ketchup?
@Brian O’Loughlin: I’d say it’s similar to our views of the French eating snails and frogs legs.
@Andy Jackson: I wonder if you can buy frogs legs or snails in your local petrol station in France? Or if you can get a can of coke and pack of tayto with them for an extra €2
@Brian O’Loughlin: those are demi-baguettes. They’re only half french.
@Brian O’Loughlin: We don’t mind, besides baguettes you buy here aren’t real baguettes.
@Brian O’Loughlin: No they can’t be bought at French petrol stations. Now you know.
€3.95 each, let them eat cake………
@Sean Higgins: Its in Dollars. $3.95
@Mick Jordan: My mistake, €3.24, let them eat cake……..
Trump has a word for where he can put his baguette.
@David Dickson: the city of Paris now meets that description sadly, what a city it once was.
@Andy Jackson: What’s wrong with Paris? I visit Paris normally 5 times a year, like every city in the world it has it’s issues including homelessness and it has had a spate of terror attacks sure, all unfortunate and horrible. It’s still a gorgeous city, culturally & aesthetically. When did you last visit Paris?
@Aaron O’Leary: he’s probably never been there
@EillieEs: Can’t imagine so, those who make snide comments about Paris like that typically have never been and are getting their opinion from the Daily Express or they haven’t been since 1998
Emmanuel Macron is a word which rhymes with baguette.
@Andy Jackson: crackhead?
@Tweety McTweeter: coquette
Would somebody remind Macron that the ‘French’ baguette is not a French invention but rather Austrian. The ‘French’ croissant is also an Austrian invention.
Mind you I don’t really care. I love both.
“Mr Macron, we advise you to drop this request. I will in me roll” says Emmanuel.
Personally I prefer the string of onions like the lads wore in allo allo…..
this has been a huge week for news stories about bread names
What about Brennan’s bread, Kimberly mikado.and bacon & cabbage
@Misanthrope: I can assure you that they don’t qualify as French intangible heritage items.
@Francois A: as much intangible heritage items as f-ing baguettes
I watched an interview with President Macron on TV5 a few weeks ago. He came across very well as a decent and pragmatic man.
As a Frenchman I prefer a croissant!
@oliverjumelle: They’re only half as bad a cross uncles.
Frances fitzgerald, Disgusting!
“Intangible” heritage is such stupidity.
@Steven C. Schulz: Stupidity is intangible heritage.
Your having a f…… laugh idiot
Ah come on The Journal… They’re not even French baguettes in the photo….They’re $3.95 each.
95 centimes here in Bordeaux !
Good
Good on ya macron
have your say