Julien Vicard has worked as a baker at 227-B S. Elm St. for more than 15 years. He still works there, but now he’s the bakery owner.
Julien Vicard opened his bakery, Breakfast in Paris, two weeks ago off S. Elm Street in Greensboro. And he has been selling his croissants, sugar brioche and more to appreciative regulars at the Corners Farmers Market in Greensboro on Saturday mornings for about five years.
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Vicard, a native of France, opened Breakfast in Paris two weeks ago in this spot right in the middle of downtown but down a quiet alley.
He didn’t mean to open so soon. “I was fixing it up. I still am fixing it up. But people were banging on the doors, asking for bread,” he said.
The reason people were banging on the door may have to do with the fact that Greensboro lovers of European bread and pastries know Vicard well.
The French breakfast, a butter croissant, chocolate croissant and sugar brioche from Breakfast in Paris.
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In fact, he has been using the Breakfast in Paris name for about five years – even though he didn’t have a retail bakery. Instead, he has been selling his croissants, sugar brioche and more to appreciative regulars at the Corners Farmers Market in Greensboro on Saturday mornings.
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The road to opening the bakery, though, has been long and winding.
Vicard, 58, was born in the French Alps. “My house was right on the (Swiss) border,” he said.
At age 23, just after completing his compulsory military service in France, he came to the United States, where a good friend was an exchange student at Clemson University – and where he met his wife.
Fresh assorted pastries at Breakfast in Paris located in an alley off S. Elm Street in Greensboro, N.C., on Tuesday, March 25, 2025.
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Vicard didn’t enroll himself – he had already completed his culinary training in France. And for a couple years he went back and forth between the United States and Europe.
Once married, though, he stayed in the United States, first taking a job managing Stax restaurants in Greenville, S.C. He was considering a baking job at Disney World in 2003 when he learned about an opening in a popular Greensboro bakery and café called Ganache (now closed).
Baguettes at Breakfast in Paris.
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Vicard worked at Ganache a couple of years and then had stints at Rendezvous in Oak Ridge and Bistro 150.
Other gigs included Piedmont International Bakery and Bestway.
Fresh made brioche, sourdough and French country loaves at Breakfast in Paris located in an alley off S. Elm Street in Greensboro, N.C., on Tuesday, March 25, 2025.
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His first encounter at 227 S. Elm was when it was called Loaf, and he was hired primarily to train other bakers and get the place up and running. (Loaf opened in 2011; another bakery, Simple Kneads had been there since 2002.) After Loaf, Table on Elm took over in 2016 and Baked Downtown in 2019. Vicard worked with all three of them in some capacity.
During the last few years of Baked, Vicard was using the space mainly to bake for his farmers market customers. When Baked’s owner decided to close and start a family, Vicard decided to take it over.
Breakfast in Paris
Address: 227-B S. Elm St., Greensboro, N.C. 27401
Phone: (336) 285-8377
Hours: 7 to a.m. to 3 p.m. Tuesday through Friday, 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday, “baker’s choice” on Monday (call first)
“I already had all my equipment in here. I didn’t want to move,” he said with a laugh.
Vicard plays with tradition a tiny bit, but he’s definitely a European baker.
“I use all European flour,” he said, “and I use European butter.”
Tables outside at Breakfast in Paris located in an alley off S. Elm Street in Greensboro, N.C., on Tuesday, March 25, 2025.
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His five staples of bread are baguettes, pain de levain, country boule and brioche, and French sourdough – the latter he bakes in a loaf pan in a concession to American tastes.
On the weekends, he often bakes other flavors, such as cheese, walnut and rosemary.
Loaves run $5 to $6. Pastries run $4 to $6.
Julien Vicard removes a loaf from the slicer at his bakery, Breakfast in Paris, located in an alley off S. Elm Street in Greensboro, N.C., on Tuesday, March 25, 2025.
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Croissants dominate his pastry selection, and he makes several flavors: butter (plain), chocolate, almond, cream cheese-raspberry and more.
He also makes cinnamon rolls, macarons, and several types of Danish.
For fun, he might fill a croissant with spinach and feta, or with sausage and mustard.
Then there’s the sugar brioche – as rich (or maybe richer) as it is sweet.
Julien Vicard at his bakery, Breakfast in Paris, located in an alley off S. Elm Street in Greensboro, N.C., on Tuesday, March 25, 2025.
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“In a café in Paris, when you order a standard basket for breakfast, you get a butter croissant, chocolate croissant and sugar brioche,” Vicard said. “That’s why I called the bakery Breakfast in Paris.”
The shop also sell espresso, tea and other beverages. There’s only one table inside – underneath a handful of French people kissing on the streets of Paris. “That’s the French kiss section,” Vicard said.
There also are a handful of tables outside in the alley – a peaceful respite from Elm Street.
Vicard said the bakery has been busy. He fills the case at 7 a.m. and it’s often practically empty by 10 or 11.
“Everything is handmade. Everything is fresh daily,” he said.
The one exception is on Mondays. “I call that baker’s choice. Anything we had left over during the week is flash frozen. Then I sell it (at a discount) on Mondays. It’s like day-old on Mondays. A lot of the college students come in on Mondays. They love it.”
Julien Vicard prepares pastries at his bakery, Breakfast in Paris, located in an alley off South Elm Street in Greensboro on March 26.
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Though he finally has his own retail location, Vicard plans to continue selling at the Corner Farmers Market, too.
“I have my Corner Market family,” he said. “I will never give that up. I love those people.”
Julien Vicard sets up table and chairs outside at his bakery, Breakfast in Paris, located in an alley off S. Elm Street in Greensboro, N.C., on Wednesday, March 26, 2025.
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The French breakfast, a butter croissant, chocolate croissant and sugar brioche from Breakfast in Paris located in an alley off S. Elm Street in Greensboro, N.C., on Wednesday, March 26, 2025.
WOODY MARSHALL, NEWS & RECORD
Julien Vicard prepares breads at his bakery, Breakfast in Paris, located in an alley off S. Elm Street in Greensboro, N.C., on Wednesday, March 26, 2025.
WOODY MARSHALL, NEWS & RECORD
Julien Vicard prepares pastries at his bakery, Breakfast in Paris, located in an alley off S. Elm Street in Greensboro, N.C., on Wednesday, March 26, 2025.
WOODY MARSHALL, NEWS & RECORD
Julien Vicard at his bakery, Breakfast in Paris, located in an alley off S. Elm Street in Greensboro, N.C., on Wednesday, March 26, 2025.
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Julien Vicard puts French country loaves in the oven at his bakery, Breakfast in Paris, located in an alley off S. Elm Street in Greensboro, N.C., on Wednesday, March 26, 2025.
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Julien Vicard prepares beguettes at his bakery, Breakfast in Paris, located in an alley off S. Elm Street in Greensboro, N.C., on Wednesday, March 26, 2025.
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Julien Vicard prepares pastries at his bakery, Breakfast in Paris, located in an alley off S. Elm Street in Greensboro, N.C., on Wednesday, March 26, 2025.
WOODY MARSHALL, NEWS & RECORD
The French breakfast, a butter croissant, chocolate croissant and sugar brioche from Breakfast in Paris located in an alley off S. Elm Street in Greensboro, N.C., on Wednesday, March 26, 2025.
WOODY MARSHALL, NEWS & RECORD
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