The resulting article, The Wheat from the Chaff: the Best Baguette in Paris, is online now. It’s time to start researching my next piece, entitled “The Blubber from the Fool: The Best Detox Diets for Meg.”

Additional links:

• A goofy Q&A about baguette protocol between me and BT editor Steve Merrill.
• My Google map of the best baguettes in Paris, which plots the top ten winners from each of the past four years. With more than 6500 views in 30 days, this map represents a clear threat to public health.
• Some hunger-making photographs from Marie Hennechart in slideshow to accompany the BT article.
• An account from Phyllis Flick of her experience judging the 2010 baguette competition.

Bodian, a Senagal-born baker who grew up in Seine-Saint-Denis, is no stranger to awards. He earned a 5th place ranking in the 2009 competition and 4th place in 2007. Bodian was also one of only a handful of bakers to earn a 3/3 rating in the Palmarès 2005 (most recent) guide to Paris boulangeries.

Phyllis Flick, who served as a judge in today’s competition, promises a full report on her blog about what it’s like  to watch Ghislain Arabian chew her way through a mountain of baguettes. I can’t wait to learn the rest of the results, and promise to update my Google map of the Best Baguettes in Paris as soon as the top 10 for 2010 are announced.

Le Grenier à Pain (Djibril Bodian)
38 rue des Abbesses, 75018

Update: the 2011 results were added to this map and listed on Paris by Mouth. Click to see the most up-to-date rankings for the Best Baguettes in Paris.

View The Best Baguettes in Paris in a larger map

Grand Prix de la Baguette de la Ville de Paris 2010

1. Djibril Bodian (Le Grenier à Pain Abbesses), 38 rue des Abbesses, 75018
2. Daniel Pouphary, (La Parisienne) 28 rue Monge, 75005
3. Dominique Saibron, 77 avenue du Général Leclerc, 75014
4. Yves Desgranges, 6 rue de Passy, 75016
5. Philippe Gosselin, 258 boulevard Saint-Germain, 75007
6. Xavier Doué, 163 avenue de versaillais, 75016
7. Sébastien and Sylvie Lohézic (Boulangerie Lohézic), 31 rue Guersant, 75017
8. Michel Chorin (Boulangerie d’Isa) 127 rue de Charenton, 75012
9. Mohamed Zerzour (Boulangerie Zerzour), 50 rue de l’Amiral Roussin, 75015
10. Mohamed Zerzour (Zerzour II), 324 rue Lecourbe, 75014

Grand Prix de la Baguette de la Ville de Paris 2009

1. Franck Tombarel (Le Grenier de Félix), 64 avenue Félix Faure, 75015
2. Benjamin Turquier, 134 rue de Turenne, 75003
3. Stéphane Eury, 98 rue de Meaux, 75019
4. Eran Mayer, 100 rue du Théâtre, 75015
5. Djibril Bodian (Le Grenier à Pain Abbesses), 38 rue des Abbesses, 75018
6. Stéphane Henry, 2 bis boulevard Morland, 75004
7. Thierry Racoillet (Coquelicot) 50 bis rue de Douai, 75009
8. Frédéric Pichard, 88 rue de Cambronne, 75015
9. Jean-Marc Touchard, 111 rue Saint Dominique, 75007
10. Bertrand Pougnet (Le Grenier à Pain), 52 avenue d’Italie, 75013

Grand Prix de la Baguette de la Ville de Paris 2008

1. Anis Bouabsa (Au Duc de la Chapelle), 32 rue Tristan Tzara, 75018
2. Fabrice Pottier, 231 rue Vaugirard, 75015
3. Morgan Gantier, 2 rue Corot, 75016
4. Franck Tombarel (Le Grenier de Félix),  64 avenue Félix Faure, 75015
5. Emmanuel Merlhes, 225 rue Charenton, 75012
6. Lydie et Arnaud Dumont, 53 rue Navier, 75017
7. Régis Colin, 53 rue Montmartre, 75002
8. Raoul Maeder, 158 boulevard Berthier, 75017
9. Stéphane Eury, 98 rue de Meaux, 75019
10. Alexandre Planchais (Boulangerie Alexine), 40 rue Lepic, 75018

Grand Prix de la Baguette de la Ville de Paris 2007

1. Arnaud Delmontel, 57 rue Damrémont, 75018
2. Régis Colin, 53 rue Montmartre, 75002
3. Anis Bouabsa (Au Duc de la Chapelle), 32 rue Tristan Tzara, 75018
4. Djibril Bodian (Le Grenier à Pain Abbesses), 38 rue des Abbesses, 75018
5. Raoul Maeder, 158 boulevard Berthier, 75017
6. Thierry Racoillet, 24 rue des Abbesses, 75018
7. Emmanuel Croteau, 40 rue Sorbier, 75020 *CHANGE OF OWNER (see comments)
8. Alexandre Planchais (Boulangerie Alexine), 40 rue Lepic, 75018
9. Thierry Renard, 113 bis boulevard de l’Hôpital, 75013
10. Bertrand Pougnet (Le Grenier à Pain), 52 avenue d’Italie, 75013

Here’s what those tied to the center of Paris are missing:

Is that not beautiful? A tarte tatin – the classic upside-down apple tart – turned completely on its head. One hardly wants to cut it open and disturb the symmetry, but it’s only by devouring that we’re able to understand what a crazy genius Fabrice really is. Check out this view:It looks like a whole poached apple, yes? Upon closer fork-aided investigation, however, we see that the seeming whole is actually composed of hundreds of fine layers… and that the core has been replaced with a caramelly compote… and that the stem has been re-inserted after being dipped in gold.

The fact that such a carefully-crafted little gem can exist, and that it costs only €3.30 to enjoy – this is why I live in France.

Thanks Fabrice!

Further reading: Here are some earlier words from Budget Travel about Fabrice and the Blé Sucré:

Any visit to the quartier should begin at Blé Sucré (7 rue Antoine Vollon, 12th arrondissement). Fabrice Le Bourdat, in his former life, was pastry chef at the three-Michelin-starred restaurant Le Bristol. He gave that up to open his own shop, and now rises every morning at 2 to make his famous millefeuille and iced madeleines for late morning customers. While Fabrice toils below in the basement kitchen, his cheerful wife Céline will help you choose between a buttery croissant or white chocolate brioche. She can also pull an espresso to give you energy for the shopping to come. If you can’t make it for breakfast, stop in for an afternoon break. A cone of homemade salted butter caramel ice cream is a heavenly treat, particularly if it’s eaten in the tree-filled Square Trousseau across the street.

Continue reading about this “Great Paris Neighborhood: Quartier d’Aligre”.