Tourists In France Should Avoid Breaking This Unspoken Baguette Rule At All Costs

French culture is well known and loved worldwide. Some things, like blunt ways of communicating or fancy dishes of escargot, might veer into stereotype territory, but it is fair to say that the French have quite a few social customs that make their way of life so unique. Plus, they can be quite passionate about everyone upholding these norms, even tourists. There's more than one unspoken food rule that tourists in France should know to avoid coming across as clueless, but one you're almost guaranteed to encounter revolves around how you break your baguette, which should be with your hands and never with a knife.

Whether you are at a formal restaurant or picnicking along the Seine, baguettes are staples of French cuisine. And as you'll discover, there are customs. "We always tear pieces of baguette with our hands," explains the TikToker behind @frenchylo. This is considered the polite way to eat a baguette, and it is not as messy as it sounds. Rather than adding butter, the French often eat baguettes without toppings or use them to wipe up sauce and juice from other components of the meal.

The chefs behind Canada's French-themed Olivier's Breads offer insights into why French people tear off pieces of their baguettes instead of cutting them. "Because bread is meant to be shared, not measured, and tearing it creates that perfectly imperfect bite!" they explained in a Facebook video. Eating a baguette this way also helps you enjoy the "rustic, natural feel of each piece." The way they eat their bread reflects their culture's emphasis on fresh food and mealtime as a collective experience.

Aside from knowing how to eat a baguette, you should also know where to get one. A baguette is one of the foods you shouldn't buy at a Paris supermarket. Head to a French bakery instead (a boulangerie) to order bread like the locals do. Of course, you'll find baguettes at restaurants too. Upscale restaurants can be an exception to the tearing-off-pieces-with-your-hands rule, because in these formal situations, the baguette will likely arrive at your table already sliced. But according to Rick Steves, a rule you should know about when dining in French restaurants is to slow down and enjoy every bite of your meal, including that presliced crusty baguette.