Maybe I've too much free time, but I can't help but notice that croissants are noticeable much better in France than in Switzerland - even just across the border. Adding to the intrigue, sometimes I've detected a 'chlorine' type smell around Swiss bakeries and even on occasion had croissants that taste slightly of chlorine.

Any else noticed this, or is it just my poor selection of patisserie ?

Patrious

I agree about the quality issue -- definitely better (bigger, lighter, flakier, butterier) in France. Haven't encountered the attempted chlorine gassing, myself.

Ah, I will agree that the pastries are generally a bit better across the border but the French speaking areas of Switzerland have them too.

Something noteworthy though is that in Switzerland, you have the Croissant/Gipfeli dilemma. To be honest, there's not much difference to me but to the Swiss, it matters.

As far as I can tell, the Croissants are the buttery, flakey ones and the Gipfeli (of which I had never heard prior to living here) look EXACTLY like Croissants, taste like I expect croissants to taste but are maybe a tiny bit more bread-like in texture... but they are still nearly identical to me.

I learned this one morning at the bakery when I asked for two Croissants. The woman behind the counter looked at me blankly and said they didn't have any croissants. I almost laughed out loud, the glass case was filled with them. I pointed. She announced in a rather annoyed manner that they were not croissants, they were gipfeli. Whatever. I bought them, consumed them and was pretty sure that they were croissants... but I'm not a connoisseur. Now, I don't care which I purchase, but I make sure to ask for whatever the label states... no sense in adding undue stress to my breakfast.

Maybe it was lye and not chlorine you were smelling?

Not sure about the chlorine smell, but I definitely prefer French croissants! In fact, I prefer anything pastry/viennoiserie in France.

I like those bio-gipfeli, made with brown flour, and with a few of those seeds sprinkled on top. They seem to be the rage here, though I had never seen those in Germany

I have an extremely sensitive nose but I've never noticed any "chorine" smells from a Swiss bakery. One noticeable difference I've seen are the chocolate filled croissants or "Pain au chocolat".



In France it's filled with a lovely pure semi-sweet chocolate but here in Switzerland the chocolate is most often laced with finely ground hazel nuts which I absolutely hate the taste of in chocolates.

note: if you're ever in Bauhaus DIY Center (Zurich) they sell the non-hazel nut "Pain au chocolat" at their snack bar. (and you all thought I went there for the wood..)

Taste is pretty much down to butter content, the more present, the tastier you perceive it to be (and the greasier your fingers are thereafter). I find that Bäckerei Steiner (all over Zürich including a couple of stores at the airport) make not only the best Gipfelis but their Zopf should also be given a world class ranking.

The Germans in Bavaria have another word for Croissants "Butterhörnchen" which pretty much sums up the butter theory.

What the heck is a gipfeli?????? Here in Lausanne we have croissants, and nothing else!

But it's true that in France the croissants are infinitely better.... Actually, each time I'm in France breakfast is my main and best meal of the day... I think it must be the butter, and I don't want to imagine the number of calories of a French croissant compared to a Swiss one...

Gipfeli = croissant in Schwiizer-Düütschland (that 70% majority in this country of ours).

That would be laugen (lye) - the base solution they put on bretzels, gipfeli, breads etc... it can be identified by having the pretzel coloured darker brown glaze.

The BEST croissants in the German part of Switzerland (well in Zurich anyway) are found at Gnädinger Bäckerei, Confiserie und Restaurant on Schaffhauserplatz..!!

http://www.gnaedinger-zh.ch/

Moi, je craque !!! I go NOW and get myself one

Personally I prefer the slightly breadier texture of Gipfeli vs. french croissants. Too soft, buttery I don't like. Same with bread for me. Baguettes are overrated.

mmmmhhhhhh, a fresh crusty baguette in the morning !!! just delicious

Mon dieu, this was done before!

I want a croissant

But in Complaints Corner back then...

2 year old bread Nathu that is !!!
We're having a fresh go at todays croissant

Have you had yours yet?

One particular type of French croissant that is unfortunately not to be found here is the "croissant aux amandes" (almond croissant):

We find them in every bakery in Lausanne...

Guess that in our small minority of 30% French speaking part of CH, we don't have strange gipfely, but we at least have croissants aux amandes...

Mon Dieux!

What's with the monotheism?