The baguette- it's as much a symbol of France as the Eiffel Tower– and now it might soon be regarded under the same classification, the UNESCO cultural heritage status.

France's Ministry of Culture applied for the status for the 2021-2022 cycle- choosing the famous bread over other cultural staples, such as Paris's zinc roofs and as La fête du Biou d'Arbois, a wine festival in Eastern France. 

The ministry called the bread, "an emblem of French cultural heritage," in a statement announcing the application. And it's not a stretch to say that France loves its baguettes. 

By some estimates, 320 baguettes are eaten every second in France - or around 10 billion baguettes a year. And during the hight of France's lockdown, bakeries were classified as essential businesses, allowing their doors to stay open. 

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But the exact origin of the bread is unknown. One story claims that the stick-shaped bread was first commissioned by Napoleon so his soldiers could easy carry them around. 

Another story places the bread's origins alongside the creation of the Paris metro, as the shape made it easier for workers to share with each other during breaks. 

Regardless of its history, there is some concern in France about the future of the country's corner bakeries. Over the past 50 years, the number of bakeries making the bread the historical way has been on the decline- from 55,000 in 1970 to 35,000 today.

And according to the Ministry's statement, this means that there was one bakery for every 790 residents in the 70s, and only one for every 2,000 residents today.

"The inscription of this element would allow for the appreciation that this food practice, that is part of daily life, shared by the great majority and taken for granted, constitutes a heritage in its own right," the statement added as an explanation for why the status was necessary.

The decision to give the bread the UNESCO heritage status will be announced in late 2022.

Video editor: Riaz Jugon.