Gaby
A new stamp released for the Paris Olympic Games is not just visually appealing; it also has a scent. The stamp was unveiled on May 16, coinciding with the feast day of Saint Honoré, the patron saint of bakers and pastry chefs.
This stamp carries the aroma of a beloved French pastry—the baguette. It was printed using a “scratch and sniff” technology, allowing you to experience the scent by simply rubbing the stamp lightly.
The design was created by illustrator Stéphane Humbert-Basset. The image features a classic baguette tied with ribbons in the colors of the French flag—blue, white, and red. Accompanying the illustration is the text: La Baguette, de Pain Française (“Baguette, French Bread”).
The stamp has a print run of 594,000 copies, with each stamp priced at €1.96, according to Designboom.
The creators of this idea hope that the new stamp will make the mail sent by guests and participants of the Summer Olympics more heartfelt and meaningful.
The release of this stamp is a tribute to the baguette, a quintessential symbol of French culture. Interestingly, in 2022, the baguette was added to UNESCO’s list of intangible cultural heritage.
“The baguette is the bread of our daily lives, a symbol of our gastronomy, and a gem of our culture,” stated the La Poste team in their announcement of the stamp’s release. “As a bearer of culture and customs, the baguette is deeply rooted in the everyday life of the French. It embodies the ritual of visiting the bakery, a local business that thrives in communities and serves twelve million consumers daily. The production of six billion baguettes each year underscores its iconic status in French culinary heritage,” noted the French National Postal Service.
As a reminder, the XXXIII Summer Olympic Games will take place in Paris from July 26 to August 11.
