France has chosen to present the candidacy of the baguette de pain for inscription in the intangible cultural heritage of Unesco, in preference to the zinc roofs of Paris and to a wine festival in Arbois, we learned on Friday at Ministry of Culture.
The ministry had until March 31 to file its case.
The final decision will rest with Unesco, which will not take a decision before the fall of 2022.
To read also: Who of the baguette, the roofs of Paris or the wine of Arbois will be protected by Unesco?
The Rue de Valois thus confirmed to AFP information from the
Parisian
, which indicated that the Minister of Culture Roselyne Bachelot had made her choice.
“The baguette is a noble and deceptively simple product, it takes years, from a few ingredients, to find its signature ... its touch!
This product brings us together and it is for this
reason
that I chose it, ”
Roselyne Bachelot, currently hospitalized for Covid-19
,
told the daily.
The baguette, symbol of the daily life of the French, immortalized by films and advertisements, is an appellation that appeared at the beginning of the 20th century in Paris.
The candidacy of the zinc roofs, which cover a majority of the buildings of the capital, had already been retained in the last selection, but it had lost to that of the skiff (a boat) of Martinique.
Also in the running was the Biou d'Arbois, a feast in the Jura, originally medieval and religious, which has been transformed into a republican feast and is celebrated in early September.
Read also: The art of living in French bistros and cafes soon to become a UNESCO World Heritage Site?
Nearly a hundred files around the world each year obtain the label of inclusion in the heritage of intangible property.
To compete for the prestigious label, the candidate must first be registered in the national inventory, as are hundreds of know-how and goods in France.
In a second step, it must be deemed suitable for presentation to Unesco, on the advisory opinion of the Ethnological and Intangible Heritage Committee (CPEI).
To retain an application, the project must unite a community concerned, which was the case for both bakers and roofers-zinc workers.