Perhaps you should come to Paris more frequently and buy three rounds of bread. They freeze VERY well and @ $34.95, you would be covering some of your airfare. Especially during low season .. ! :-)

The bread did smell good, but not quite fresh-from-the-oven, after all, it had winged its way across the globe, double wrapped in paper and in a cardboard box. However, it tasted wonderfully fresh. I'm still eating it, too...down to the last bit today. It's still great. I love it toasted, too. I also made some tartines with it (open-faced sandwiches) that my family really loved. I might have to do this on a semi-regular basis. Once a quarter? Twice a year?

That is one of those life-long experiences and worth every calorie and gram of cholesterol! Your post wasn't clear - did it still have that fresh-out-of-the-oven smell ?? And especially to do it among friends !!

All I can say is, "Wow!" What lucky friends you have! Great idea. Yes, I can you tell you are suffering from severe withdrawals

I brought home lots of chocolate to share with friends, but I really wanted them to experience some of the great bread we had in Paris, so I took the plunge and ordered a loaf from Poilane to come to my door. The large 4-pound loaf arrived on Wednesday, just in time for that evening's gathering. It was fresh and perfect. Everyone loved it. Cost? $39.95e. A splurge to be sure, but soooo worth it. Now I know what to do if/when I really get desperate for Paris!! To make it even better, I went to my local and wonderful French bakery-cafe and bought a log of French butter and some cheeses to go with the bread. If I closed my eyes, I was back in Paris in an instant. (Can you tell I'm suffering from severe withdrawals???)