Are these REALLY the best boulangeries in Paris?

I approach all %26quot;best of%26quot; list with cynicism as they are so often the work of good PR agents , so tell me what you think of this one from a Budget Travel article:

Five Best Boulangeries in Paris

Bread and Roses

LaQuartier du Pain

Moulin de la Vierage

Au Duc de la Chapelle

Eric Kayser

Are they even close???

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Moulin de la vierge is excellent, as is Eric Kayser.

I don%26#39; tknow the others.

Les

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I looked them up for you in %26quot;Cherchez le pain - le guide des meilleurs boulangeries de Paris%26quot; (Steven L. Kaplan, 2004); he gives notes on a scale of 20:

Maison Kayser: 18.35

Le Quartier du pain: 17/20

Moulin de la Vierge: 16.55/20

So their bread was really among the best of Paris (a lot of bakeries score in the 12-15 range). %26quot;Au Duc de La Chapelle%26quot; and %26quot;Bread and roses%26quot; are newcomers and didn%26#39;t exist when the book was written. But %26quot;Au Duc de La Chapelle%26quot; won a third prize at this years %26quot;Grand Prix de la baguette de la ville de Paris%26quot;.

Last years winner of the %26quot;Grand Prix%26quot; was Jean-Pierre Cohier (270, rue Faubourg St. Honoré), this years winner is Arnaud Delmontel (57, rue Damrémon).

Note that the judges (and Kaplan%26#39;s book) only look at one kind of bread, nothing more...

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Hi,

Find any %26quot;Paul%26quot; boulangerie, and you will be impressed!

If you have a few days in Paris don%26#39;t get bogged down in the best this the best that. Enjoy! Use your eyes, nose and taste.

Wander, sit and relax.

That%26#39;s what it is all about!!!!

Best wishes

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Paul may not have won any %26quot;Grand Prix%26quot; but Kaplan recommends them too. He gives them 15.3 points (on 20) and mentions that especially their %26quot;pain de seigle%26quot; (rye bread) is very good. Of course, there are differences between the different bakeries working under the Paul sign.

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I have yet to see a bad boulangerie; it%26#39;s an art form here, you can%26#39;t go wrong!! Just pop in your corner boulangerie, you%26#39;ll love it!! Make your own top five list ;)

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I agree that it%26#39;s hard to find a bad boulangerie, but I think Paul is one of the best. There%26#39;s one on or near Rue du Buci. Try the flan -- at Paul%26#39;s or anywhere -- I%26#39;ve yet to find anything like it in the states -- and I live in a great pastry town.

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There is no such thing as the best boulangerie in Paris, as many of the most famous ones are known for one particular specialty ; croissant, country loaf, baguette, etc and so on.

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Are any of these in 7th?

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In 2 words, probably not.

Define best

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In the 7th, the best boulangerie is probably Jean-Luc Poujauran (20, rue Jean-Nicot). Kaplan gives him 16.6 points, and dedicates 4 pages in his book to him.