LIVING THE DREAM

For our Autumn newsletter, we are spent some time talking with Benoit Lambert who relocated to the hamlet of Dyo, just to the south of Charolles, in the Saône et Loire

Moving to the region was a family decision. Originally from Lyon, city life was beginning to take its toll and with the birth of their daughter, Benoit, and his partner Ophélie knew that a move to the countryside was needed. It took them nearly two years to find the house of their dreams, peaceful and rural, with uninterrupted views over the rolling hills of the Charolais Brionnais; a house with lots of character but with all modern comforts too and, most importantly, an opportunity.

You see, for Benoit, there is more to life than just gazing across the Burgundy landscape, Benoit had another dream – to become a boulanger artisan (a baker).

Now for 43-year-old Benoit, this was a life-changing decision. Previously he was employed in the construction industry.

“I've always wanted to do things related to the dough," says this self-taught baker. “The bread, its complexity, its infinite subtleties stood out. I wanted to do something more serious with it, so I took the plunge.”
Benoit decided to renovate the old barn and bread oven that came with the property. With the help of local artisans and a specialist renovator of bread ovens, it took a year to establish his artisanal and organic bakery (Editor: and pastries too!).

On 28th July 2020, his first batch of 43 loaves left the oven. Customers came from hamlets and villages throughout the local area and Benoit now plans two bakings a week using his super-upgraded wood fired oven. But you must pre-order.

The family has settled into local life well and Ophélie has recently been elected to the local council.
Adds Benoit: ”Here, the few neighbours we have, we meet them, and we know them”. Life is definitely different from the city they left and a lot less stressful too, despite running a start-up business.

As the saying goes, cooking and baking is both physical and mental therapy and the Lambert family seem to have found the right recipe.