When Paris Sleeps…
At dawn, while Paris was still asleep, we stepped into the workshop of baker Régis, whose bakery once stood in the heart of the city, near the legendary Les Halles district in the 2nd arrondissement. There, he showed us how the mille-feuille was once made in its simplest and most indulgent form—the way a true baker crafts it—far from the stylized versions reinterpreted by today’s new generation of pastry chefs.
At dawn, while Paris was still asleep, we stepped into the workshop of baker Régis, whose bakery once stood in the heart of the city, near the legendary Les Halles district in the 2nd arrondissement. There, he showed us how the mille-feuille was once made in its simplest and most indulgent form—the way a true baker crafts it—far from the stylized versions reinterpreted by today’s new generation of pastry chefs.
This mille-feuille still exists, but it has become increasingly rare in its authentic form. Régis, a master baker, chose to end his career by making this exceptional pastry one last time, especially for us. At 4 a.m., in the quiet warmth of his Paris bakery, he shared his craft with us, reminding us that the beauty of the mille-feuille lies in its simplicity: crisp pastry, smooth cream, and a perfect balance without unnecessary embellishments.
In this issue of PROJECTVM, dedicated to the theme FRAGILE, we celebrate what is fading, what is slowly being lost—the taste of things made with care, without excess, by the hands of those who craft them with passion. Régis’ last mille-feuille is a tribute to this disappearing Parisian simplicity. Our images preserve its memory.
Photo
Buonomo Cometti