There are probably not many things that are more quintessentially French than a baguette.
After all, about 16 million long loaves of bread are produced in France every day.
However, in recent years, traditional bakeries are struggling to survive because there are an increasing number of large supermarkets on the market.
But now is the time to celebrate the baguette, because UNESCO, the United Nations agency for education, science and culture, has included it in the list of "intangible cultural heritage".
UNESCO announced that it had added "the artisanal knowledge and culture of baguette bread" to a list of 600 other items, joining the French product with other things like traditional tea making in China and the Korean masked dance known as "talchum" (talcum) - both were included in the first half of this year.
Its listing "celebrates the French way of life," UNESCO chief Audrey Asoulay said, adding: "The baguette is a daily ritual, a structural element of a meal, synonymous with sharing and socializing."
"It is important that these skills and social habits continue to exist in the future."
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"We are the envy of the whole world"
The exact origin of the baguette is unknown: some suggest that the bread was ordered by the French emperor Napoleon because it was the easiest for soldiers to carry, while others say that it was created later - bread that workers easily tear and share in Paris.
Others credit the shape of the baguette to an Austrian baker from the 1830s.
However, the baguette as we know it today officially got its name only a little more than 100 years ago - in 1920.
Back then, strict rules were set on what qualifies as a baguette - standardized at 80 centimeters and 250 grams.
It even had a fixed price until 1986.
By the middle of the 20th century, the baguette had conquered France.
But since 1970, 400 artisan bakeries have closed each year, and the total number across France has fallen from 55.000 to 35.000 today, according to the AFP news agency.
And yet, it remains key to the French identity, and President Emmanuel Macron said that the baguette is "the envy of the whole world".
For artisan bakers who remain committed to the long loaf, Wednesday's news came as a tribute to the craft they've perfected.
"A baguette is flour, water, salt, yeast - and the master's knowledge," says Dominik Anrakt, president of the Federation of Bakers.
Baker Priscilla Hajerc told AFP that it is a "basic product", but "which affects all socio-cultural categories, whether you are rich, poor... it doesn't matter, everyone eats baguettes".
Watch the video about the traditional Kolašin kačamak:
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