If there is something everyone yearns for, no matter where you are living, it is surely a top-knotch boulangerie (those legendary French bread bakery shops). Walking into a French boulangerie in the early morning is a warming experience in more ways than one.
A meeting place for the smiling faces of old friends, the chance to chat with the bakers who have been up since the wee hours of the morning mixing, kneading, shaping & baking a load of delights so that the shop can be filled with warm, fresh baguettes.
It’s the iconic long bread roll that is part of every Frenchman’s daily routine. There is a broad range of vienoiserie such as croissants, pain au chocolat, brioche, pain au raisin, chausson au pomme. It’s a glistening, tantalizing & tempting display.
An exceptional boulangerie – Le Fournil de Fenua – has just opened in Bora Bora and needless to say, is besieged by locals. There’s a choice of baguettes from the standard size to a slightly larger Parisien.
It mirrors that which is so fundamental to the life of Parisians, through to an extensive range of breads, both deep brown to white, from pain cereal to pain compagne. It all depends on the day, so slip in & try a sample of what’s on offer each day.
Jeremy, the ever smiling face of Le Fournil du Fenua tells me:
“My parents were bakers in a small village in Auvergne in a town called Saint Amant Roche Savine. I grew up with my room being just above the bakery – that wonderful smell of freshly baked bread wafting into my room made an impression on me that would guide my life. Funnily enough my brother too is a baker with a boulangerie in a town called Ambert near Clermont Ferrand”.
Stop for a moment to chat with Fabien & Romuald who are the hard toiling bakers or be guided in your purchases by the well-informed Cindy:
There are plans to expand so as to incorporate a patissiere.
Le Fournil du Fenua can be found opposite the dispensaire (just ask a local) in a new commercial building on the waterfront & is open daily except Mondays.
The waterfront position (see photo above) sees the bakery well patronized by the discerning yachty. If you’re moored off Bloody Mary’s, run your eye over to the foot of Mt Otemanu to find the building above. Do yourself a favor and head over at first light for some great breakfast delights for those aboard.