Nestled along the Delaware River and the Delaware Canal is the community of Titusville. A paradise for bike riders, fishermen and plein-air artists, it is now home to L’Annexe de Mamie Colette, a French bakery and café.
The second bakery for Isabelle Noblanc and Chef Magali Henry, L’Annexe de Mamie Colette opened its doors in March 2024. They previously opened their first bakery, Mamie Colette in Newtown, Pa., before bringing a slice of France across the Delaware to New Jersey.
Mamie Colette was named after Chef Magali’s grandmother, who was the matriarch of her family and her inspiration. Chef Magali was born in Chartres, France, and studied baking, becoming an artisan “viennoiserie” chef and mastering French specialty doughs.
Isabelle Noblanc was born in the French region of Brittany. Her love for traveling took her to the United States. where she settled in Buffalo, N.Y., and worked as a business developer. One of her assignments took her back to Chartres. Through a mutual friend, she met Chef Magali. After dating for two years, the couple returned to the States in 2008.
With a common passion for opening a bakery and their combined skills, Mamie Colette opened its doors in Newtown, and now its sister location in Titusville.
Opening the door to L’Annexe de Mamie Colette and walking in is a sensory experience. The scent of fresh bread wafts through the air as a chef spoons crepe batter in a pan. The store is whimsically decorated with black and white polka dots and colorful rain boots. Delectables from Brittany are on display to take home, from candy to salmon spread. They also serve special coffees and teas.
The bakery has another building next door which houses their equipment and bread ovens. They make French baguettes, sourdough, and multigrain loaves. They use specialty imported flour, which produces a less acidic sourdough.
Noblanc returned to Brittany to learn the art of French crepe making, which originated in her home region. They use gluten-free buckwheat flour, and all crepes are made to special order. You can choose between sweet or savory, with your choice of jams, chocolate, meat, or cheeses.
The bakery provides indoor seating for a delightful breakfast, brunch, or lunch. On a clear day you can sit outside under a colorful red umbrella and enjoy the peaceful scenery of the Delaware Canal. If you have the willpower, you can save your treats to take home, although I did not manage to get that far!
For early morning risers or commuters, there are buttery croissants for breakfast and chocolate croissants for any time. The bakery case has chouquettes, which are small puffs of light choux pastry topped with pearl sugar, and pastry filled with light cream, passionfruit, and pralines. The filling choices change every other week and may include raspberry pistachio or any other delightful combo. Not only are they delicious, but they also look too pretty to eat.
A French-trained pastry chef has been added to their staff and will be baking specialty items and cakes.
Noblanc and Chef Magali want to share their passion for baking with the community by giving back. This spring they sponsored “A Love for Life,” donating 20% of their profits to Pancreatic Cancer Research at Penn Medicine. They plan to participate in Pride and more community events next year.
For a delightful morning or afternoon, make L’Annexe de Mamie Colette a special spot. If you cannot get to France this year, you can experience a slice of it here in New Jersey!
They are located at the Titusville Marketplace, 1462 River Road, in Titusville.
