Bourg Saint Maurice - Les Arcs - Established seven years ago in Arc 1600, " La Pierre Blanche "is much more than a pastry shop: it's a landmark for the locals, a welcoming stop-off for holidaymakers, and the life project of Louise Truptil and her husband, who have both fallen in love with the mountains.
It's one of the first smells that greets you as you leave the funicular. The smell of still-warm bread, melted butter on a brioche, steaming coffee being served at seven o'clock in the morning. "But it wasn't easy at the start... We only had time for one summer. But we hung in there " confides Louise.
Their adventure began in the summer of 2017, just six months before the first confinement. " We very quickly realised that there was a real place for us here, with home-made, fresh products rooted in the local area.
Simple, local products made on the spot
The challenge is clear: offer less, but better. Homemade pastries, with particular attention paid to the origin of the products. The milk comes from the Rullier farm in Bourg-Saint-Maurice. The cheese comes from the cooperative. Everything else is sourced locally wherever possible.
In the window are the local classics: blueberry tarts, flans made with raw milk and brioches with pink pralines. From "travel cakes And gluten-free options, which are increasingly in demand. And gluten-free options, increasingly in demand, without ostentation but with precision.
At lunchtime, the space is gently transformed into a tea room and snack bar. "In winter, we make homemade soup every day. It's simple, but people love it: a bowl of soup, a slice of cheese, a cup of tea and that's it. The spirit is there: welcoming, nourishing, without fuss.
An address for local residents
While tourists make up a large proportion of the clientele, particularly in winter, Louise insists on maintaining her role as a local shop. "We have a lot of holidaymakers, retired people, families passing through... And then there are the locals who come up from Bourg Saint Maurice thanks to the free funicular.
On grey or hot days, it's the ideal way up: a ten-minute journey, a stroll around the station, and a stop at " La Pierre Blanche " for a quick lunch or a gourmet crêpe.
The warm, welcoming space has retained the spirit of the original business, while being renovated and opened up. The tea room has been redesigned, the furniture changed and the atmosphere made cosier. "We wanted people to feel good, at any time of day, that they could come in for a croissant, a sandwich, a crêpe or just a moment."
Louise, originally from the north of France, hasn't left the mountains for twenty-five years. After running her own bed and breakfast, she has now found a new outlet for her creativity. "It's demanding, of course, but rewarding. You come into contact with people and their daily lives. And when you're cooking, you give a little of yourself.