At a time when small municipalities are more likely to lose businesses than to gain them, a bakery is appearing in the landscape of Saint-Alphonse, ten kilometers north of Caplan.
Open in full screen mode
The first chocolatines were served to the many early risers from Baie-des-Chaleurs who came to line up there on Saturday morning.
Photo : Radio-Canada / Roxanne Langlois
Hénédine Boulangerie is the story of Guillaume Brochu and Andréanne Cyr Wright, who emigrated from the Magdalen Islands in search of daycare for their two little ones.
Guillaume Brochu co-founded the bakery-pastry shop l’Arbre à pains ten years ago, in Cap-aux-Meules. In 2022, he closed shop and packed up with his partner, to return to settle on the continent, in Saint-Alphonse.
Open in full screen mode
Guillaume Brochu and Andréanne Cyr Wright now want to contribute to the dynamism of their Municipality.
Photo : Radio-Canada / Roxanne Langlois
I felt like starting a bakery again because we finally found a daycare
explains Guillaume Brochu, the new owner and baker.
Open in full screen mode
Guillaume Brochu offers butt breads, like Andréanne’s grandmother, Hénédine, made them. Sourdough pastries and breads, nuts, and all other kinds are also prepared in the bakery.
Photo : Radio-Canada / Roxanne Langlois
Hénédine Boulangerie is also the story of Andréanne Cyr Wright’s baker grandmother, who would have been 100 years old on October 5, 2024.
Grandma Didine
made very good bread, according to the family gathered to support the opening of the business located in the same municipality where she lived.
Andréanne and Guillaume have worked very hard for a year, and then we see the result, there are a lot of people!
It was missing in the village
underlines Doryne Cyr, her voice full of emotion.
Open in full screen mode
“The primary goal is to serve the population of Saint-Alphonse,” says the new owner.
Photo : Radio-Canada / Samuel Ranger
The challenge of revitalizing the municipality
In this village where the bakery revives the premises of the old hardware store, there are at most 700 souls.
Providing and maintaining local services in a small municipality is a challenge. The opening of a new business is intended to be a real snub to devitalization.
It was really good news when we found out we were going to have a bakery!
Open in full screen mode
The mayor of Saint-Alphonse-de-Caplan, Josiane Appleby, shares that the opening of the business was well awaited.
Photo : Radio-Canada / Roxanne Langlois
Guillaume Brochu is betting that his business will make people want to leave Route 132, located about ten kilometers away, to head inland, time to enjoy a croissant and a coffee.
We have the convenience store, the rest on the corner, there we have the Boulangerie Hénédine
lists Josiane Appleby, who hopes that visitors will make more stops in the village during their visit.
The municipality is still actively working to ensure that the cellular network and an early childhood center are as accessible as good bread is now, she assures.
The first tasters
We didn’t believe [voir une boulangerie arriver à Saint-Alphonse]but it’s really pleasant the development that it brings to the municipality.
Open in full screen mode
Mélanie Ouellet discovered a warm atmosphere in the bakery, for which she already observes a enthusiasm in her community. “The entrance was full,” she says, accompanied by her little boy, impatient to taste the pastries.
Photo : Radio-Canada / Roxanne Langlois
Another resident, Émilie Lapierre, was there to collect croissants and bread. I can’t wait to pick up my coffee in the morning when passing by
she shares. She is happy to see another nice little corner
appear in Saint-Alphonse.
With information from Roxanne Langlois
