Our Story
PAUL is a family company built upon a foundation of time-honored production methods
passed down for five generations.
It all starts in 1889 when Charlemagne Mayot takes over a small bakery in Croix, near Lille in the North of France. His son Edmond Mayot takes over the family business in 1908. Suzanne Mayot, Edmond's daughter, marries Julien Holder. They move into a bakery on Rue des Sarrazins in 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.
We launch our first cake range in the early 1950s using our own family recipes. More than 60 years later we're still making wonderful French cakes that taste every bit as good as they look and are hand crafted using only the finest ingredients….
Francis Holder begins working with his parents, who have taken over a well-established local bakery owned by the PAUL family. The PAUL name is retained. Following the death of Julien Holder in 1958, Francis Holder takes over the family bakery, and a second bakery is opened in 1963.
Francis Holder refurbishes the family bakery in Lille, installing a wood-fired oven and bakery that operates in full view of customers. To Francis this is simple common sense, but it is innovative at the time to see bread being made in the traditional fashion – kneading, shaping, proving and baking.
PAUL opens its first bakery outside France in Barcelona, heralding the start of the company's international expansion. Two years later, some PAUL bakeries start to incorporate a café or restaurant area.
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.
PAUL opens its first bakery and restaurant in London, Covent Garden- an instant hit! Encouraged by Londoners' enthusiastic response, PAUL opens further branches in London and beyond, now with 37 UK locations including our PAUL Express branches in St. Pancras and Tottenham Court Road, and two branches of Le Restaurant de PAUL!
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.
Every year, we create around a hundred new products and introduce fresh ideas like PAUL le café and PAUL express. We also improve accessibility with options like click & collect and online shopping. By working closely with farmers and millers, we aim to build a responsible French wheat sector, showing our dedication to nutrition and the environment. As we grow into new areas, our goal stays the same: to bring joy and connection through our tasty, wholesome, and high-quality offerings.
Quality at Heart
Delivering the highest standard in all we do
Passion for Bread
Freshly baked everyday all year round
French Tradition
Taste of France at your local bakery
Family-Owned Company
Established since 1889