It all started when I was wandering around Angers on a sunny spring day. I stumbled upon this corner bakery on a small street across the river, from which you could see the city’s massive castle—the perfect French scene.

The red-framed windows were open, probably because it was a hot day and because the smell is the best marketing tool for a bakery. No one can resist fresh bread and pastries.

In fact, I could have grabbed a baguette, a croissant, or a brioche from one of the baskets and easily walked off with one of those little indulgences we call basic life necessities.

But I didn’t.

I turned the corner—and stopped.

The open window on this side of the street revealed something far more interesting.

It was the kind of quaint French scene Americans would pay a lot of money to see—and even I, as a French person, found it fascinating.

A young baker who looked so French he could have been cast as a French baker in a Hollywood movie was using a dough roller to make pâte feuilletée, or puff pastry dough. It involves a lot of rolling and folding, a lot of flour and butter, and a lot of concentration—I don’t think he even noticed me, standing on the sidewalk a meter away, taking a few pictures.

I stood there, mesmerized.

I know, in theory, how my favourite treats are made, but I rarely, if ever, see them being made. Bakers still start kneading dough at ungodly hours, usually around 4 a.m. By the time the croissants, pains au chocolat, chaussons aux pommes, and pains aux raisins—plus tons of baguettes, of course—are ready, they are likely catching some sleep while the staff open the bakery and sell what took hours to make, for just €1–3 apiece.

It’s a lot of money for the French these days. I remember we all complained when the average baguette price crept up to just over one euro. But really, when you think about it, it’s crazy. So much work goes into these doughy French essentials, and yet it’s a wonder bakeries make any money at all.

I find people’s work fascinating in general, from the many steps and tasks it takes to accomplish something the rest of us may or may not know how it’s produced, the “typical” days that are anything but typical for outsiders to the industry, the behind-the-scenes secrets, and more.

So I started paying attention to people at work out in the open—a twist on the “people around the world” series.

I took pictures of funfair workers during downtime hours, between 6 p.m. and 8 p.m., when most French people are busy eating and taking a break from thrilling rides.

I took the train to Saint-Nazaire and tried to spot the thousands of shipyard workers in their environment, where ocean liners are built like LEGO.

I went to Nantes’ art museum, where students and hobbyists spend hours painting in front of their favourite masterpieces.

And I just wandered around with my camera, keeping an eye open for the French at work.

This is the “People at Work in Nantes and Beyond” spring 2026 edition!