Macarons, millefeuilles, Paris-Brest and regional pancakes could one day join the list of treasures protected by the United Nations. French pastry has officially entered the race for intangible cultural heritage, with a file taken to the highest level of the State. Behind this gourmet image lies a very serious issue, at once political, cultural and economic.
Because for more than two years, the Pâtisserie et Patrimoine association, chaired by Pierre Hermé, has been preparing the recognition of “know-how, practices and culture of French pastry”. An inventory sheet was sent on January 10, 2026 to the Ministry of Culture, the first step before possible inclusion on the UNESCO list. It remains to be understood what this approach covers and where exactly the application stands.
French pastry and Senate: a very political candidacy
On January 27, 2026, “pastry know-how” left the shop windows to invite itself to the Palais du Luxembourg. In the Salons des Carthusians of the Senate Questure, Senator Catherine Dumas organized the official presentation of the candidacy for the National Inventory of Intangible Cultural Heritage. More than twenty senators and five deputies were gathered, alongside Pierre Hermé, Philippe Conticini, Michel Roth, Guillaume Gomez and more than thirty Meilleurs Ouvriers de France pastry chefs.
The meeting had several objectives: to make parliamentarians aware of the approach, to recall the cultural and professional dimension of pastry, and to bring together a large support committee with a view to the next steps. In the room, tastings of regional specialties illustrated this diversity, such as the Bisontine galette with goumeau championed by pastry chef Joël Baud, mentioned by the site Macommune.info. For Catherine Dumas, the issue goes beyond simple greed.
From French intangible cultural heritage to UNESCO: a long road
In her article, the senator summarizes the philosophy of the approach: , explains senator Catherine Dumas on her site catherinedumas.fr. This is exactly the definition of intangible cultural heritage given by UNESCO and the Ministry of Culture: a living heritage, made up of traditions in motion.
Concretely, the French pastry file must first be examined by the ministry’s services, with the support of the French Center for Intangible Cultural Heritage. The National Committee for Intangible Cultural Heritage (CNPCI) then issues an opinion on registration in the National Inventory. Once this step has been completed, the State can, a little later, choose to bring the file before the UNESCO Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity. The example of the baguette, included in the Inventory in 2018 then at UNESCO in 2022, shows that this journey extends over several years.
What this recognition would change for French pastry
For the sector, registration as intangible cultural heritage would not create an official recipe or legal protection comparable to an AOP. The 2003 UNESCO Convention instead insists on “safeguarding”: better documenting practices, supporting transmission, encouraging educational projects, strengthening the attractiveness of professions. In this context, the commitment of the Meilleurs Ouvriers de France, trainers and craftsmen from across the country becomes central.
Senator Catherine Dumas finally recalls that French pastry is present “in our daily lives as well as on special occasions” and that it embodies a demanding but accessible France, attached to its traditions while remaining open to creativity. After the gourmet meal of the French, registered in 2010, and the “artisanal know-how and culture of the baguette” recognized in 2022, this new file wants to affirm pastry as a living heritage to be preserved, transmitted and promoted, in France and internationally.
FAQ: French pastry and UNESCO intangible heritage
Is French pastry already classified as a UNESCO intangible heritage?
No. The file is currently a candidate for the National Inventory of Intangible Cultural Heritage. A possible UNESCO registration would only come later, after a decision by the State.
Who is nominating French pastry for intangible cultural heritage?
The candidacy is supported by the Pâtisserie et Patrimoine association, chaired by Pierre Hermé, with the support of Senator Catherine Dumas, numerous chefs, Meilleurs Ouvriers de France and parliamentarians.
What does a UNESCO intangible cultural heritage listing protect?
Above all, it protects living practices: professional gestures, know-how, social rituals, modes of transmission. It does not set specific recipes or commercial brands, but encourages safeguarding actions.
Which French gastronomic elements are already listed as intangible heritage?
The gourmet meal of the French has been listed since 2010. The artisanal know-how and culture of the baguette have been on the UNESCO list since 2022, after passing through the National Inventory.
