On Sunday, May 5th, a French baker defeated an Italian team by baking a baguette measuring an impressive 140.53 meters (461 feet), setting a new Guinness World Record.
This elongated baguette, which is about 234 times the size of a regular one, was created during an event organized by the French Baker and Pastry Chef Association in Suresnes, a suburb of Paris.
According to official regulations, a traditional French baguette measures about 60 centimeters (23.6 inches) in length and 5 to 6 centimeters (2 to 2.4 inches) in width, made only with flour, water, salt, and yeast, weighing approximately 250 grams.
The previous world record was set by an Italian baker in June 2019 in the city of Como, with a length of 132.62 meters (435 feet 1 inch), a record that stood for nearly 5 years.
Reportedly, to break this record, a French team of 18 bakers started preparing the dough at 3 a.m. on Sunday and supervised the baking process from 5 a.m. The bread was baked in a specially designed oven that could move slowly.
After the Guinness World Record officials approved the record, baker Anthony Arrigault expressed his joy, stating, “Everything has been verified, and we are very happy to have broken this record, especially in France.”
Following the achievement, a part of the long baguette was cut into small pieces, spread with Nutella, and shared with the public, while the rest was donated to the local youth association Celije for distribution to the homeless that evening.
The Mayor of Suresnes, Guillaume Boudy, expressed pride in witnessing the setting of the world’s longest baguette record and congratulated the bakers for upholding the tradition of sharing food, which he deemed crucial for the joy of Suresnes.
Dominique Anract, the President of the National French Baker and Pastry Chef Association, stated in a press release that this feat “required about 10 hours of work” and emphasized that “breaking the record for the longest handmade baguette necessitates a true spirit of collective cooperation.”