WILMINGTON — Finding authentic French croissants or French specialty pastries in Wilmington just got a little bit easier. Alban Pelletier and his wife Josephine have opened Far from France – an authentic French bakery and pastry shop.
The shop offers customers a range of fresh baked pastries like almond or chocolate croissants as well as a selection of desserts like crème brûlée or macarons imported from France.
Far from France opened at the end of May and business has been picking up, the store is one of the several new restaurants and shops that have recently opened at The Pointe at Barclay.
Pelletier was born in Western France and moved to the United States in 1997, he said. The Pelletiers moved to Wilmington only a year ago, but have been coming to Wilmington three to four times a year since 2012, he said. When they happened to come across the new development, they decided it would be the perfect location to open their new store.
The café offers patio seating so guests can enjoy their pastries and a cup of coffee in true Parisian style. Customers searching for unique gifts are also in luck because Far from France stocks the shelves with gourmet chocolates from Maxim’s de Paris and Voisin chocolatier as well different jams, jellies, and savories from L’Epicurien. Pelletier plans on offering different cheeses for customers as well.
Far from France not only sells desserts for guests to enjoy on the patio, but also offers entire pies or desserts – just be sure to place an order at least two days in advance.
Like many shops in Europe, Far from France is closed on Monday, but open at 9 a.m. – 7 p.m. Tuesday through Thursday, 9 a.m. – 9 p.m. on Friday, 8 a.m. – 9 p.m. on Saturday, and 10 a.m. – 7 p.m. on Sunday. It is located at 1474 Barclay Pointe Boulevard, Suite 204, across from the movie theater. The hours of the shop could change in the future to account for business demands, especially once new stores open in the shopping center.
Pelletier is also in the process of setting up an online store where customers can order a selection of fine French products from the comfort of their home.
Prices for products vary, but expect typical café pricing for items like croissants and coffees. Gift items from Maxim’s De Paris are in stock at Far from France and customers can even purchase handbags filled with chocolates.
________________________________________________________________________Michael Praats can be contacted via email at michael.p@localvoicemedia.com
