This morning, after so many years and an honest spelling mistake corrected (N.B. I had only ever heard the name spoken by the baker's wife), I finally found the bread I fell in love with in France as a student: Pain Brié or Normandy's traditional "beaten" bread.
"Pain traditionnel de Normandie originaire du Bessin, à la croûte blonde et à la texture compacte, le pain brié était jadis apprecié des pêcheurs et des gens de mer pour sa longue conservation. En font, de nos jours, le compagnon idéal des plateaux de coquillages et de fruits de mer."
Long forgotten, even in France, Pain Brié is a traditional bread from Normandy. Its name comes from the pounding of the dough, as "brié" is derived from the Old Norman verb brier, meaning "to pound". The preparation includes a long kneading period and a beating of the dough, which tightens it, producing a heavy, yeasted bread with a tight crumb. Once appreciated by fishermen and seafarers for its long conservation. Baked these days, it is an ideal companion for shellfish platters and seafood. Very time consuming and not many bakers in France bake it, therefore not many Frenchmen even know it.