Our Story

The very year of the inauguration of the Eiffel Tower, Charlemagne Mayot wrote the first lines of the family saga by creating a bakery on rue de la Mackelerie in Croix, near Lille.

His son Edmond-Charlemagne Mayot, born in 1889, took over the family business in 1908 with his wife Victorine. They had a daughter, Suzanne.

Suzanne Mayot married Julien Holder. They set up their own bakery located in rue des Sarrazins in Lille. Their son, Francis, was born a few years later.

Francis Holder began working with his parents who, by then, had taken over a famous karery-pâtisserie belonging to the PAUL family. The PAUL name was retained. In 1958, Julien Holder passes away took over the family bakery. A second bakery is opened in 1963.

Francis renovated the family bakery in Lille, and without realizing the effect this would have, installed a wood-fired oven that operated in full view of customers. A simple idea qualified by Francis as common sense, yet quite innovative at the time, seeing bread made in this purely traditional fashion: kneading, proving, shaping, finishing, long fermentation, baking, etc

PAUL now offers tea rooms and restaurants where customers can enjoy their products on-site. This dining experience remains the cornerstone of their presence to this day in many countries across Asia and the Middle East.

PAUL's first international franchise opens in Japan, where Japanese customers discover and fall in love with our French-style bread and pastries like croissants, palmiers, and cannelés. The stores, exact replicas of those in Paris, captivate visitors with their charm and authenticity. Thus, PAUL's global journey begins! From Washington to Moscow, Dubai to Johannesburg, Prague to Singapore, PAUL expands to over forty countries to date. Even now, teams at the first store in each new country undergo training in France. We aim to not only teach recipes but also instill the essence of French Art de Vivre!

Francis Holder decided to re-energise PAUL and added two new components to the business; the now famous black shop fronts and the development of a rustic line of specialty breads using sustainably produced winter wheat.

Maxime Holder, one of Francis's children, pioneers the first PAUL in London. Recognizing the untapped potential of take-away coffee, a novelty in France at the time, he introduces it to our brand. Fast forward twenty years, and London hosts approximately thirty PAUL locations, with coffee emerging as one of our primary sales.

Francis Holder passes the torch to his children, naming Maxime as CEO of PAUL International. With the 5th generation of bread enthusiasts driving our vision, we expand globally while remaining dedicated to our social responsibilities.

PAUL celebrates 130 years of complicity with its customers. Maxime Holder, who for 10 years had devoted himself to international development, takes over as Chairman of Groupe PAUL.

Each year, we craft approximately a hundred new products, introduce innovative concepts like PAUL le café and PAUL express, and enhance accessibility through click & collect and online sales. We collaborate closely with farmers and millers to establish a French and responsible wheat sector, reaffirming our commitment to nutrition and the environment. As we expand into new territories, our ambition remains unwavering: to cultivate moments of joy and connection through delightful, wholesome, and premium offerings.