One of the more amusing sights of Paris is the numerous locals making their way through the city with a baguette sticking out of their bags. I'm not sure why I always found this funny, perhaps because that long loaf of bread always seemed so out of place amongst the fashionable Parisians.

The baguette is literally an accessory in Paris; one hardly leaves the house without one. Unlike the latest pairs of shoes or stylish hat, however, the fashionable baguette is eventually intended to be consumed--and the sooner this happens, the better.

When a tourist takes a bite of a baguette for the first time, he quickly understands why this simple loaf of bread has such a magical appeal.

Finding the perfect, flaky masterpiece amongst the hundreds of boulangeries which populate the streets of Paris, however, is a truly Herculean task. Thankfully, the fine folks at Budget Travel have done the homework for us and have come up with a list of the city's five best boulangeries in which to find the perfect baguette. Make sure to visit at least one on your next trip, pick up a golden loaf, and then parade it about for a few hours like the locals do before devouring it with a bit of cheese and wine.

Filed under: Food and Drink, France