Authentic & Locally Focused
Discover French Canadian Delights at Our Beloved Bakery in Nelson
Our mission is to unite people through the joy of freshly baked goods while prioritizing the well-being of our community by offering wholesome and nutritious products.
Learn MoreOrder Now1. Our Story
La Ruelle Bakery journey started with a simple vision : Let's keep the dream alive. The owner, Justine, was working as a baker at Au Soleil Levant French Bakery inc. for the last 10 years. After spending 23 years creating beautiful and creative artisanal sourdough breads and establishing a solid customer base, Au Soleil Levant was closing its doors. Justine's passion for authentic sourdough bread making and love for her community drive her to keep the bakery open. As of January 1st, Au Soleil Levant evolved into La Ruelle Bakery, keeping the most popular recipes and the heart of the bakery: The love for crafted sourdough bread.
2. Our Mission
At La Ruelle Bakery, we are driven by a passion for baking that goes beyond the kitchen. Our mission is to unite people through the joy of freshly baked goods while prioritizing the well-being of our community by offering wholesome and nutritious products. La Ruelle Bakery takes pride in sourcing the majority of its ingredients from local organic farms and adhering to sustainable practices for a more promising future.
We’re honoured to bake bread on the shared unceded territory of the Ktunaxa and Sinixt First Nations.
3. Our Values
We favour organic, local, fresh and quality ingredients. We support local and regional suppliers and continue to use and improve eco-friendly practices that have a positive impact on our environment. We believe in the power of authenticity and commit to being honest in our interactions. We value the trust of our customers, employees, and partners and strive to maintain it by staying true to our principles and delivering on our promises. We value our customers, employees, and community by creating a safe and inclusive environment that allows people to feel included. It is shown in the way we speak to people, the way we make them feel and the support we provide. We create a team that listens to customers' needs and offers friendly service. We commit to serve the best way we can our customers.
4. Our Vision
La Ruelle Bakery 's vision is to become the leader in offering quality sourdough breads in Nelson and to create a strong sense of belonging to our customers.
Our love and care is shaped into each and every product. We see our customers as part of our community and want to share with them the experience of comforting feelings associated with our baked goods, evoking the warmth of our childhood memories.
Our Team
Justine Gareau Loyer
Owner
Justine’s journey as a baker began 10 years ago at Au Soleil Levant, a French bakery known for its artisanal breads. She immediately fell in love with sourdough and the craft of bread making. Justine values good food, a healthy lifestyle, and strong community connections. As the mother of three energetic boys, she’s mastered creativity and problem-solving to balance family life with running La Ruelle Bakery. When she’s not baking, Justine enjoys exploring the outdoors—camping, hiking, and rock climbing with her family.
Julie Lamoureux
Head Baker
Julie has been passionately baking for over 15 years. If you know her, you know she loves food—and she especially loves sharing that passion with others. As La Ruelle’s proud Head Baker, Julie brings creativity and care to crafting our daily menu. When she’s not baking at the bakery, you’ll find her experimenting in her kitchen, discovering new favourite recipes and ingredients.
Nancy Guillemette
Bakery Chef
Nancy brings years of experience in the food industry, having worked in cafes, restaurants, bakeries, and catering. Passionate about all the possibilities food offers, she loves being part of La Ruelle’s team. When Nancy isn’t working, she enjoys foraging for nettle and other wild plants, cooking delicious meals for friends, and going for a run.
Don't take our word for it
Here's What Our Customers Say:
This bakery is terrific! We bought a loaf of the whole wheat flax sourdough and it is delicious. Fabulous eating alone but with cheese is out of this world. We also sampled the orange ginger cookie, excellent, and the double chocolate chip cookie was tasty too. We didn’t try their sandwiches as we had just eaten lunch, but they look tremendous. It’s a little tricky to find this place (behind/next to Bank of Montreal) but well worth seeking out. I hope they are here for many many years!
Wow! This is a hidden gem that is worth a stop. Delicious French Bakery with fresh sourdough base to many of it's delights including pain au chocolate, brioche, and other tasty delectables. The coffee was high quality and fresh brewed, the atmosphere was vibrant but not over stimulating, and the owner was incredibly friendly and helpful. I loved the artisinal woodcrafts for sale and stylish decor as well the fresh flowers throughout the store. The effort to add class is obvious and the attention to detail was astonishing.
I'm completely addicted to this bakery. They constantly surprise with new sandwiches and fougasses. But the real stars are their sourdough brioches - as a brioche connoisseur, I can say these are the best I've ever tasted, perfectly balanced and not too sweet. The staff is cool and fun, adding to the great atmosphere. Whether you're a casual bread lover or a devoted enthusiast, this place is a must-visit. Trust me, you'll find yourself coming back again and again!
This incredible bakery in Nelson is tucked away down a back alley, but it’s well worth finding. The moment you step inside, you’re greeted by the warm, welcoming atmosphere and the irresistible scent of freshly baked bread.One time, I stopped by for fresh buns, and they just happened to have that dough out—without hesitation, they offered to make me a fresh batch on the spot, ready in an hour. That level of care and dedication is rare and truly sets this place apart.