In Barbizon, the village of painters, the bakery is called La Galerie des Pains. The nod is deliberate, and there is an explanation for it: Stéphanie Tiffonnet, who founded it in 2009 with Guillaume Potherat, studied at the Beaux-Arts before running a bakery counter.
A baker who has cycled the Tour de France
Guillaume Potherat attended the journeyman system from 1996 to 2003, he obtained his master’s certificate at the National Institute of Bakery and Pastry, then spent more than four years working as a demonstrator for the Moulins Bourgeois. In other words, he knows all about flour.
Ten baguettes and 4-kilo loaves
The bread aisle sets the tone: about ten baguettes various types, and organic breads such as the from the Limousin region or the slicer, a loaf sold by the slice. The bakery bakes it a 4-kilo one every day, and rises to 10 kilos for special occasions, only very occasionally. The bread is certified organic (certified by Ecocert, according to the Agence Bio directory), with an entire aisle dedicated to organic products since 2011, alongside the standard range. When it comes to sweet treats, the plain madeleine is the star of the company, as even his bosses admit.
A shop that fits right in with the village
The couple have refurbished the shop whilst respecting Barbizon’s architectural style, and the house has been awarded the label French Baker, as well as certification Produced in Île-de-France awarded by the Region. Stéphanie Tiffonnet also served as chair of the Seine-et-Marne Bakers’ Association for five years, according to a profile of her published in *Les Nouvelles de la Boulangerie*.
When’s the best time to pop in? As you stroll up the Grande Rue between two art galleries, or before setting off for a walk amongst the rocks in the forest. With a madeleine in your pocket, the walk is all the better for it.
