In a fragrant celebration of one of France’s most cherished culinary symbols, nearly 600,000 scratch-and-sniff postage stamps have been released by La Poste, France’s national postal service. The stamps, which cost €1.96 each, feature an image of a baguette adorned with a red, white, and blue ribbon and emit a bakery scent when rubbed.
These unique stamps, now available for purchase, were launched on the day of Saint-Honoré, the patron saint of bakers and pastry chefs. They commemorate the baguette’s designation as a UNESCO intangible cultural heritage in 2022, highlighting its significance in French gastronomy and daily life.
Damien Lavaud, a printer at Philaposte, detailed the intricate process of incorporating the scented ink into the stamps. “This scent is encapsulated. We buy it from another manufacturer,” Lavaud explained to French media. “The challenge for us is to apply this ink without breaking the capsules so that the smell can be released by the customer rubbing the stamp.”
The stamps are available for sale at Le Carré d’encre, a Parisian stationery shop, and other outlets. La Poste described the baguette on its website as “the bread of our daily lives, the symbol of our gastronomy, the jewel of our culture.” This creative initiative not only pays homage to a staple of French culture but also brings a sensory experience to philately, making it a memorable addition for collectors and baguette enthusiasts alike.
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