To the visitor – the loaves stacked up in the Boulongerie may look the same, but do you know the difference between a ‘Pain’ and a ‘Baguette’?
To help you sound like a local – here’s our guide to the different types of bread available in France.
(Click on the different breads to view them)
Types of French Bread:
Pain Azyme – A flat unleavened bread loaf.
Baguette – The most popular French bread. It is a thin, long crusty loaf, and literally translates as “A stick”.
Baguette Moulée – Molded baguette, often distinguishable by its lattice pattern.
Baguette Farinée – Floured baguette which is paler in colour.
Bâtard – Half the size of a normal loaf.
Pain Biologique / Pain Bio – Organic bread.
Pain Bis – A brown bread made from rye flour.
Pain Beignets – A doughnut made from pastry.
Pain Beurré – Sliced French bread. Can also be called Tartine Beurré.
Pain Blanc – The name used for standard white bread.
Pain Boule / Boule de Pain – A round loaf of bread.
Pain Boulot – A name that can also be used for Pain Boule.
Pain Brié – A French bread from Normandy that is made using wheat flour. (Though it has ‘Brié’ in its name it is not in anyway connected to Brie, the French cheese!)
Brioche – Sweet bread. It is made using eggs, butter and sugar.
Brioché de Vendée, Label Rouge – A famous brioche that originates from Vendée, in the region of Pays-de-Loire.
Campagrain – High fibre bread.
Pain aux Céréales – A healthier baguette, that is made using wholegrain flour. The added grains and seeds make this type of bread higher in fibre.
Pain de Campagne / Pain Miche – Country bread. A white bread often mixed with whole wheat and rye flour to improve its shelf life.
Pain au Chocolat – A flat flaky pastry roll filled with chocolate.
Pain Complet – Wholemeal bread.
Couronne – Ring shaped bread.
Pain Cramique – A bread very similar to brioche which includes raisins.
Croissant – A popular flaky pastry, rolled into a crescent shape. Traditionally served for breakfast.
Pain Croûte à Potage / Potage son sous Béret – A crust of bread that is used to cover soup.
Pain cuit au feu de bois – Bread baked in a woodfire oven.
Pain D’avoine – Oat bread.
Pain D’Epi – Wheat-stalk bread.
Pain Déjeunette – A baguette roughly one third in length of that of a standard baguette.
Pain d’Épice – Gingerbread.
Pain Doré – French Toast. Can also be called Pain Perdu.
Pain Dur – Dry bread.
Ficelle – A very thin and long shaped loaf. This bread has a short shelf life so is best eaten fresh.
Pain aux Figues – Baguette baked with figs.
Flûte – A bread that is twice the size of a standard baguette.
Pain Forgeron – Farmhouse type bread that also has added sesame, sunflower and flax seeds.
Fougasse / Fougassette – These are breads that have originated from the city of Nice. The most popular types of these breads include black olives, anchovies and onion.
Fougasse Lardons – Fougasse with pieces of freshly cooked bacon.
Pain au Froment – Bread containing 100% wheat flour.
Pain Grillé – Toasted bread, or toast.
Gros Pain – A large French bread that is sold in a wide variety of shapes and sizes.
Pain de Gruau – Fine wheat bread.
Pain a L’Ail – Garlic bread.
Pain aux Lardons – Bread mixed with bacon.
Pain au Levain – Sourdough bread.
Pain de Mais – Cornbread .
Pain Maison – Homemade bread.
Pain de Mie / Pan Carre – A bread that is similar to the classic English sliced white loaf. These are most commonly found in French supermarkets.
Pain aux Noix – Nut bread that is bread made from wholemeal flour and mixed with walnuts.
Pain aux Olives – Baguette baked with olives.
Parisien – Another name for a baguette, but can also be used for breads shaped similar to that of a baguette, but with varying sizes and weights.
Pain au Pavot – Bread with poppy seeds.
Pain Perdu – French Toast. Can also be called Pain Doré.
Pain Polaire, Pain Suédois or Pain Nordique – Polar bread, Swedish bread or Nordic bread. This is a traditional flat bread made using rye flour.
Petit Pains – Bread rolls.
Pain Rassis – A stale bread that is often used to make Pain Perdu.
Pain de Seigle – Rye bread.
Pain de Seigle Noir – Dark rye bread (Pumpernickel).
Pain de Son – A bread made using bran flour.
Tartine – An open sandwich. Not to be confused with Tartine Beurrée.
Tartine Beurrée – French sliced bread. Can also be called Pain Beurrée.
Pain Tresse – Braided bread.
Keywords:
Baguette Tradition / Baguette à L’ancienne – Traditional baguette.
Bien Cuite / Cuite – Well cooked / crusty bread.
Boulangeries – Bakers shop.
Boulangers – Bakeries.
Chocolat – Chocolate.
Croute – Fried bread.
Demi-Baguette – Half a baguette.
Frais – Fresh.
Goût – Flavour.
Miche – Large round loaf.
Le Pain – Bread.
Le Pain Francais – French Bread.
Le Petit Déjeuner – Breakfast.
Pain de Fantaisie – Bread sold per piece rather than by weight.
Pain Frais – Fresh bread.
Pas trop Cuite – Not as cooked / soft bread.
Pavé – A loaf.
Quignon – The end piece of the baguette.
Sans Gluten – Without gluten.
If you’re a celiac, or just want to avoid eating gluten whilst in France, you can print out this really helpful card to easily let restaurants, cafes, and other eateries know about your specific food requirements.
Paradise Francais 
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