At the beginning of January and now that the end-of-year holidays have passed, it is the turn of king cakes to take a place at family tables. Young and old always hope to stumble upon the bean. Especially when it is as original as that of the bakery and pastry shop O Thousand Caprices in Blain, near Nort-sur-Erdre, in Loire-Atlantique.
Beans that remind the life of the commune under the German occupation during WWII. They are shaped like postal stamps on which black and white photos are printed. We can see the streets of Blain and Blinois in 1940. “We wanted to make personalized beans bearing the image of Blain. But we didn’t want to make beans simply with classic photos because that has already been done previously. We’re going to see landscapes that today we don’t ‘will have more. It’s a part of history that should not be forgotten” explains Maxime Feupier, manager of the Ô Mille Caprices bakery and pastry shop in Blain.
Curiosity of local residents
Nine different images were used to make these beans. They were lent by a person from Blain who has several photos dating from the Second World War. On some, there is a car from the period, on another there are buildings or the edge of the Nantes canal which passes through the town. Philippe observes them and tries to recognize the photographed places of this town where he has always lived. Difficult because “now there are laboratories, Pôle Emploi, the shopping center, so that has changed a lot”
The nine beans with photos of Blain under German occupation. © Radio France – Morgane Guiomard
Originality appeals to Lionel. Even if we must not forget that the German occupation “is a special moment, undoubtedly painful for many people.“He finds it all the same.”Interesting to see what the city looked like in the past.” He leaves with a four-part king cake: “There are only two of us eating it so I have a 50/50 chance.”
These original beans cost more to make than classic ones. A little more than one euro each, instead of 70 cents. Around 1,000 beans with these photos of Blain under German occupation were produced.
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2024-01-07 21:28:09
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