Pain de Campagne

French country bread, usually a large round or oval loaf with a thick crust. It's traditionally leavened with levain, and it's made mostly with white flour plus some whole wheat or rye, which gives it a little more flavor and a slightly darker crumb than a plain white loaf. A loaf like this was meant to keep for days on a farmhouse table.

By Henry Hunter · Updated October 1, 2026

Henry's notes from the bench

• A small amount of rye goes a long way here. It deepens the flavor and helps the loaf stay moist for days.