The Poulin family has been in the baking business since 1932, when Pierre Poulin created bread based on stone-ground flour, natural fermentation and a wood-fired oven. In 1970, his son Lionel took over and under his leadership, the bakery became one of the most famous bread brands in France, specializing in the rustic loaf of whole wheat bread weighing about 2 kilos.
Unlike the industrial method where the bread goes through several stations and people until it is ready, Foalen believed in handcrafting and that the bread should be made by one baker from start to finish, which makes Foalen's bread special. Although the bakery's main fame comes from traditional bread, if you are looking for other baked goods, you can also find rye bread, nut bread, and bread cookies called Punitions.
In 2002, Lionel Poulain was killed in a helicopter crash along with his wife and dog, and since then his daughters Athena and Apollonia have continued his journey. At the same time, Lionel's brother, Max Poulain, went independent and opened three bakeries in Paris, and to this day many bread lovers argue among themselves which bread is better, his or his brother's.
And we end with the following amusing story:
During the 60s, a correspondent for the Soviet newspaper Pravda was stationed in Paris and began searching for evidence that the degenerate capitalist West was on the verge of collapse. One day he passed by the Poulain bakery and saw the long line outside the shop. As if out of a great deal of loot, the correspondent ran to his hotel and within a short time a report was sent to the USSR, which said that mass starvation had begun in France and the proof was the photograph of the line for bread outside the Poulain bakery….
Closed for comments.