Just rummaging through my Paris file and found this reminder of another thing I didn't explore on my recent trip Anyone been there recently?:

Someone here on fodors had once written about a bakery that makes bread in the shape of the Eiffel Tower. If the bread will be for display rather than eating, they put some sort of permanent glaze on it. Anyway, it was called Boulangerie Saint –Ouen, 111 boul Haussman, metro Madeleine. Location puts it quite near the Monoprix flagship store.
I just checked pagesjaune, the bakery still exists.

I'm trying to think of something tackier than Eiffel Tower-shaped bread. I'll let you know if I come up with anything.

Permanent glaze? -- eeeuuwww! Ranks right up there with an Eiffel Tower key chain!

Awww, but Melle-belle, I HAVE an Eiffel Tower keychain!!

Oh I can think of lots of things that are tackier than Eiffel Tower bread or a keychain.
Eiffel Tower-shaped cheese anyone?
With or without permanent glaze.

Yuck!!

I think Eiffel Tower-shaped bread is high camp!

I don't remember where--probably in several small cities/large towns in Italy, definitely not in Paris--but I remember seeing several bakeries displaying breads made into the shapes of animals, flowers, and other intricate representational forms. I've seen photos of bread sculptures made in Germany and Mexico as well. I had the impression that the intricate breads I saw in Italy weren't for sale, but was just on display, to show off the baker's craft and to decorate the window. Some special shapes may be produced for sale on certain holidays. Some of these bread sculptures were beautiful, and they were certainly, at the very least, interesting. I wouldn't want to buy one to add to the clutter in my house, but I like looking at them in the store. If bread can be made into animals and flowers, why not the Eiffel Tower?

Some people make small sculptures out of flour, water and salt, forming it like clay. It can be colored with some food coloring or dyes, and varnished. It is doable as a children's craft project. If they're done by a skilled person, the results can look almost like porcelain.

P.S. I don't like heavy metal keychains myself, and, since I'm not quite as in love with Paris as some people here, I don't really want to think about the Eiffel Tower every day of my life. However, some Eiffel tower key chains look rather nice. For example: http://www.frenchselections.com/data...s+6950+Jewelry

Some years ago, on a cruise ship, my Lady Wife was feeling poorly and went to bed instead of attending the midnight buffet.

I found a bread, in the shape of a crab, that I brought back to the stateroom (with permission) as a souvenir.

Rather early in the morning, LW awoke with a case of the hungries.

You guessed it.

She thought it tasted stale.

ira, LOL, that stale taste must have come from the 'permanent glaze'
Hope it didn't make her crabby.

We bought 3 of them years ago. Ate one when we got home. It was fine. But we shellacked the other two. It's a giggle that's all. Wife has Eiffel Towers all over the house. Go figure!!!

Here's a bouquet of bread: http://www.panificatori.tv/images/scultura.jpg I just did a quick casual search. The photos of bread sculptures of animals were too small to show up well.

bread doll: http://www.artekjara.it/sculture/pane.jpg

map of Italy, nativity scene, etc., in bread: http://www.scultureinpane.it/home.htm

duckies: http://web.tiscali.it/rimarraidisale/new/oche/oche.html

history and more examples: http://www.coldiretti.it/sicilia/Cam...osit%C3%A0.htm

While I cannot gnaw on it if I get hungry, a friend gave us an Eiffel Tower with a small clock in it. We really like it. It is black delicate iron and has a quirky look. Maybe this trip, we will buy a loaf of bread to lie beside it

Scarlett, are you sure it's made of iron?
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I read in the times of a whole room made of chocolate!
Talk about eating your way out of house or home!

Delicate lacy looking wrought iron.

Mimi, you would find me on the floor, at the door, full but happy with a smudge of chocolate on my lips .

Many years ago I worked banquets at a posh hotel. One night a customer cut a slice from a waxed pig head that was a centerpiece at a wedding buffet. It was six years old.
Later we had to clean a pile of puke from the carpet.