Le Croissant Chaud brings art of French pastry to Victoria’s Broad Street

Published 6:00 pm Friday, January 30, 2026

The wafting smells of croissants and the skills of French pastry chefs are moving into a shop at 1315 Broad St., likely come March.

Le Croissant Chaud was born from a family adventure, explains owner Aviva Chorin. While her son Lucas Fourrier was passionate about pastry from a very young age, the dream became a reality when Chorin visited him three years ago in Australia, where he was working as a barista.

“It was there that the desire to combine our shared love for food, craftsmanship and hospitality truly came together,” Chorin said.

To deepen his skills, Fourrier went on to train at École Ducasse in Paris in 2025, immersing himself in the foundations of French pastry and baking.

“From the beginning, our goal was to share authentic French know-how in an English-speaking country, not only classic croissants and pain au chocolat, but also brioches, traditional breads, madeleines, chocolate éclairs, and other staples of French daily life,” Chorin said.

But deciding where to set roots was a journey of discovery.

“When we visited Victoria, we completely fell in love with the city. Coming from islands ourselves, we felt an immediate connection to Vancouver Island, as well as a deep appreciation for Victoria’s architecture, history, and strong local food culture. Inspired by Victoria’s architectural heritage, we chose a historic location on Broad Street, across from the future hotel development.”

The project grew stronger when Gwendoline, a pastry chef inspired by her baker grandfather, joined as French head pastry chef. She comes with five years experience, including baking in Montreal alongside chefs trained by Cedric Grolet.

While Le Croissant Chaud will be a bakery and cafe with a small sit-down area, offering fewer than 30 seats, it also puts focus on private workshops.

“A key part of our concept is sharing knowledge: we’ve integrated a dedicated classroom within the bakery to host pastry and bread-making courses throughout the year, allowing us to pass on our passion and techniques,” Chorin said.

The team is currently awaiting final city permits before beginning renovations. Chorin estimates they will open in March. In the meantime, the chefs are already offering in-home classes.

As per the cafe’s specialities, Chorin said part of their aim is to help customers discover, or rediscover the traditional French baguette – “at the heart of our craft” – and fall in love with French baking.

“Simple ingredients, treated with care, can create something truly special,” she said.