Bâtard loaves are my favorite to bake because they typically turn out fluffier than boules. The difference in the shaping process results in a more structured loaf.The term Bâtard in French means "bastard". At first, French bakers used to shape their bread into only two forms: baguette and boule. The use of term "bastard" in French is commonly used more like "cross-breed." Since Bâtard loaves are somewhere in between baguettes and boules, the name Bâtard was used.