It’s one of the things that seems to make France, France!
This is an important reason why the bakeries are disappearing:
Shopping malls have taken root on the periphery of rural areas, drawing in people who are content to buy at supermarkets or chains. Customers, especially the young, are not eating as much bread.
Unfortunately, given that the bakeries (unless real artisan ones) just buy ready-made frozen dough to reheat and same quality as supermarket, but these baguettes are sold more expansive in bakeries, how can they survive?!
Blame the politicians, the last few governments including the present one are not willing to invest in rural areas. Local trains, post offices, government offices, clients, hospitals and schools offices are slowly disappearing in those areas, population especially the young generation, is therefore shifting away and moves back to the big cities to find jobs.
Talking about vending machines, we have one installed about 5 minutes from our home, it is practical for the evenings and weekends. Actually the bread is quite acceptable.
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Wow, about the frozen dough. Can you buy the dough and bake it yourself?
I would love to see a picture of that!
They are available mostly for professional bakers, baguettes need to be baked in high temperature oven that most household doesn’t possess.
For home owners, they sold frozen cooked baguettes.
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The one near our home is a simple version, as we have bakery and a small supermarket around.
More fancy versions.
The bread are warm coming out from the machine, so they could be a bit hard if they are not fresh due to overheating? So far, I don’t see they offer choices of baguettes.
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Wow. But I do find this so sad. It’s not easy to find good bread here in the states either. And thinking about it, there are fewer good bakeries than there used to be. People are content with supermarket bread - which I am not. And when the bread is fresh baked they put it in a plastic bag - there goes the crust.
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It is sad, there are in reality few artisans bakery, and of course they can exist only in well off neighbourhood.
The trend of gluten free does not help the situation at all.
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