A popular Jefferson County French bakery is racing to raise money to purchase its property, a critical step that owners said could resolve county zoning issues and keep the business alive.

Et Voilà! French Bakery, which opened in April 2025, has quickly built a devoted following for its traditional, from-scratch pastries.

But co-owner Rachel Miquel Dufour said the business is now at a make-or-break moment as the French-born family, who have lived in Colorado for 18 years, works to secure financing under a tight timeline.

“I don’t like to think about what would happen if this does not work,” Dufour said. “We would lose everything we’ve put our heart into.”

In September 2024, an anonymous complaint triggered a county investigation as they were preparing to open the bakery, where Dufour, her husband and her sister live and work in two trailer coaches on the property. 

The following month, officials confirmed the property’s zoning does not allow residential use in structures if they are not connected to the business, something, Dufour said, that leaves space-constrained businesses like hers with few options.

Dufour explained that Et Voilà! distinguishes itself through distinct French baking techniques that require constant monitoring and adjustment, particularly to address the challenges of high-altitude baking.

Baking often begins between midnight and 2 a.m. and a batch can take up to five days to prepare, with Dufour’s sister working long overnight hours to maintain a fresh product. The approach has resonated strongly, with the bakery frequently selling out and attracting international visitors. It has inspired a petition of support with more than 11,500 signatures.

“We don’t buy frozen products to heat up,” Dufour said. “We take the flour, we take the water, we take the salt and we make this happen.”

The RVs, she said, help the family temporarily sustain the bakery’s demanding production schedule while the business works to grow and hire more employees.

“Everything is baked at night, like we do in France,” Dofour said. “Without the trailers, we cannot produce our baked goods the same way. It would fundamentally change the product.”

Since then, the family has pursued multiple options, including exemption and permit requests through the county, but those efforts have been denied. Dufour explained that if the dwellings were connected to the business, such as a second floor, the property would fall within zoning codes.

During a February hearing for a temporary exception, members of the Jefferson County Board of Adjustment expressed support for the bakery but said they lacked authority under existing regulations to approve relief. 

“I want to and it seems that there has to be another solution to make this work,” board member Gregg Johnson said. “But I don’t think we have authority under the zoning resolution to grant this.”

County officials have said rezoning the property is the clearest path forward to resolve the issue, according to Dufour. However, the current property owner is unwilling to pursue a rezoning application, leading to the Dufours’ campaign to buy the property outright.

“Starting a business, not living on site, would not work,” she said. “On a financial level, it’s not possible.”

Still, Dufour said, the financial realities remain steep.

Jefferson County’s median single-family home price was about $721,500 in March 2026 — 13th highest in the state — according to the Colorado Association of Realtors — and fair-market rents are 52% above the state average, according to the U.S. Department of Housing.

“It is not their dream to live in a parking lot,” Dufour’s attorney told the board in February. “This is a temporary solution while the business is becoming profitable and is able to hire more employees.”

Dufour said the situation has created a financial Catch 22. Lenders typically want zoning issues resolved before approving financing, but the zoning issue itself cannot be addressed without first owning the property.

“To resolve zoning, we need to buy the land,” Dufour said. “But to buy the land, we need financing.”

The pressure has sparked a community-backed push to raise funds. The owners are seeking private investors, loans and public support to complete a purchase agreement, with crowdfunding efforts and loan offers already emerging from loyal customers.

Dufour said that county staff have been helpful throughout the process, and said the situation reflects broader challenges for small businesses navigating zoning rules.

For now, the family remains focused on raising the money needed to purchase the property and move forward with rezoning. 

“This is supposed to be the American Dream,” Dufour said. “But it is difficult to be a small business.”

Denver Gazette freelance writer Carol McKinley contributed to this story.