What is Élodie de Oliveira's committed neo-bakery?
Five years ago, a baker unlike any other set up shop in Fécamp, in the heart of the Côte d'Albâtre. A professional convert, amateur photographer and sourdough enthusiast, Élodie de Oliveira opened what we call a neo-bakery in 2018, an authentic place that reconnects with the bonds created by bread.
On this Saturday morning in Fécamp, at 29 rue André-Paul Leroux, customers hurry past Le Local, a small bakery. Their baskets full of market produce are soon filled with large, appetizing loaves of bread and a few viennoiseries. There are around ten bakeries in Fécamp, so why choose this one? It's no doubt thanks to Romain's warm welcome, the plump loaves of bread on the wooden display and Élodie's " bonjour!
Before getting her hands dirty, this Burgundy native worked in the paramedical field, then in after-school care. " I got to the point where I couldn't find myself in what I was doing. I needed to change and think about myself. I'd already been making my own bread, sourdough and brioches for three or four years. It was a passion that took hold of me, and it was all I could do. "
So, at the age of 28, she took a baker's CAP in Rouen, and left to learn the trade in a bakery in Haute-Savoie. After this experience ("hard but formative"), she returned to Rouen to train with Meilleur Ouvrier de France Christophe Cressent. It was there that she met Romain Niedergang, with whom she formed a partnership. Le Local was born.
Here, no pastries but large loaves sold whole or by the slice. Everything is natural, homemade and organic. Each ingredient has been selected by local producers to further the short circuit approach. Products change according to the season and the owner's mood. In fact, today, we're opting for a spelt-chocolate cookie, a crusty loaf of bread and this beautifully braided challah brioche, prepared this morning at dawn.
Good bread belongs to those who get up early
Élodie's specialty: 100% sourdough bread fermented for 48 hours. "It'sa skill to master, not 100% reliable, but there's this magic with sourdough: you make it grow, you feed it every day, water, flour, and depending on the weather, it's going to be different... And then, sourdough is the essence of our business."
To make the most of this neo-bakery, the best thing to do is to come in at 8 a.m. and sit on the wooden bench near the entrance. You'll be able to see Élodie rustling dough and flour in her open-plan workshop, while enjoying a warm viennoiserie. The drip feed of customers, conversations about the weather, the day's produce and the sweet smell of bread that fills the room make this a moment of pure pleasure, one we can't wait to repeat.
