“This is a question of the survival of our city,” the mayor, Christelle Lorin, assured to explain her municipality’s investment of 180,000 euros in the purchase of the real estate of the bakery “Au Pain Gourmand”, in Digny (Eure-et-Loir).
Across from him, Nizar Bokri, 41, is a baker on the verge of exhaustion. After seventeen years of activity in this charming town of 1,000 inhabitants, he sold the business for 60,000 euros, instead of the estimated 140,000 euros, to facilitate recovery.
The French-Tunisian arrived in France at the age of 20: “I dreamed of working in France and having my own bakery,” he admits. However, the dream turned into a nightmare. With an annual turnover of around 250,000 euros, he could no longer repay his loans and support social costs of 150,000 euros for his three employees.
Seven days a week without holidays
The failure was not due to quality because the Dignois baker won the title of Best Traditional Baguette in the Eure-et-Loir department in 2024.
However, the village baker gave it his all. He worked up to seven days a week without a break for almost twelve years. This overwork caused a stroke at the age of 34. “I was putting out fire when the firefighters came. I didn’t realize what was happening,” he recalled, both angry and emotional. This situation makes the relationship disappear. “It’s difficult… We gave everything… But in fact we didn’t realize that we were ruining everything,” he said, referring to his separation from his wife, who could no longer stand the situation.
The city is seeking candidates
On the other hand, Mayor Christelle Lorin launched a fierce fight against her city’s decline. The councilor pointed out the proliferation of supermarkets, the city is located between Carrefour and Intermarché, both 10 km away. “It’s killing downtown,” he said bitterly.
The city government’s decision to intervene was born out of urgency. Another buyer applied for the bakery’s current location. According to our sources, it was a burial chamber project, which was rejected by the city government.
To relieve future buyers, the city government decided to purchase real estate. The goal is clear: make these acquisitions more affordable for aspiring bakers. The city plans to introduce progressive rent over four years to help future buyers.
The profile sought is a couple, ideally with children, whose assets are a large house next door and a school nearby. Currently, Nizar Bokri remains in charge of ensuring the handover to the city hall and especially the future buyer, because he wants more than anything that his tool, his “baby”, remains an active bakery.
