Sacre bleu! Zut alors! The French are facing a big-time butter shortage, which is — oh la vache! — putting the croissant at risk.

The problem, Reuters reports, stems in part from growing global demand for butter, which has of late overcome its unhealthy stigma and returned to diners’ good graces. Supply has struggled to keep up. In fact, it has slumped – and as a consequence, butter prices in France have risen dramatically (like a flaky pastry), doubling in the past year and reaching record levels.

Butter shelves in French supermarkets are increasingly sparse, and bakeries are also feeling the pinch. They’re passing the high cost of butter on to consumers — boosting the price of baked goods like France’s beloved croissant.

The good news, Reuters suggests, is that the situation could right itself, to some extent, by the end of the year. The bad news? Relief probably won’t come in time for the holiday baked-good rush.

Oui, c’est terrible!

In solidarity, perhaps we should all make croissants. Or better yet... chocolate croissants.

Photo: Getty Images