French croissants in The South

When we moved from Greenville to France in 2010 we left a fast-changing town. I was especially peeved that as we left the country Southwest Airlines decided to come to GSP with their direct flights to Chicago. In addition, Trader Joe’s had waited until we were moving away to open a store here in Greenville; I had grown to love them and their two buck chuck while living in Northville, MI. Upon our return Trader Joe’s was still here, and a slew of other chains had opened/are opening including a Cabella’s, but there is one completely unexpected business that brought me extreme happiness to know had opened in our town.

 

It shouldn’t surprise me that there are a few French establishments here in Greenville, as the French company Michelin has its North American headquarters in our town and with it come expatriates and French nationals. There are a growing amount of Americans returning from life in France on expatriate assignments as well, ones that can discern a proper baguette from the Publix supermarket counterpart. In addition to Passerelle Bistro, the French restaurant on the Falls, Rick’s Deli and Market has also been doing business in Greenville for over a year now. The addition to the French scene that has me saying merci beaucoup! is LeGrand Bakery, the closest thing to Le Pistore, Boulangerie & Pâtisserie (the bakery downstairs from our apartment in France) you’ll find here in the Upstate.

 

We stopped in while the grandparents were in town, knowing my mother would appreciate a respectable pain au chocolat from her trip to visit us in France. In addition to the usual baguettes, croissants (plain, with chocolate and with almonds), brioches and meringues, they also have seasonal favorites such as the galette des rois and buche de Noel. We bought one of each… well, not quite, but it felt like it!

 

Everything we brought home smelled and tasted just like I remember from France. Fresh-baked that morning (as I’m sure was everything else), the croissants especially disappeared quickly. I would like to request that they make a croissant with almonds and chocolate, but otherwise have only praise for their wonderfully authentic French breads and pastries.

 

I hope to try LeGrand for lunch one day, as there was beautiful display of quiches and a salad Nicoise and croque-monsieurs on the menu, but that might have to wait for a day I’m traveling sans children in tow. On second thought, I could probably take them with; a baguette each would probably keep them quiet long enough for me to polish off a sandwich Parisien…