Locals drift into the new French Pastry Cafe to try out their high school French on Isabelle Briens or to thank her for bringing a little bit of France to Encinitas.

"Bonjour," says a shy high schooler in a black leather jacket as he walks by holding his coffee mug. Pat inquires about a sugar-free cake Briens is going to make for Pat's husband, who is waging his war against the battle of the bulge. And seated by the window, a young woman reads the sequel to "Why French Women Don't Get Fat," while enjoying a muffin and latte.

The aroma of fresh pastries combined with the earth-tone walls give the cafe a warm glow in the late afternoon sunshine. And to complete this scene of cafe society? The plaintive voices of Charles Aznavour and Mireille Mathieu above the buzz of frothing milk.

"I would sleep here if I didn't have a family to go home to," said Briens, owner of the cafe, which opened last summer. "I love it."

Family is obviously very important to Briens, who chose to open her cafe June 21 to commemorate her grandfather, who died on that day in 1989.

Along the golden walls, Briens' own photos are displayed. One is of Mont St. Michel monastery when the tide is out and a herd of sheep graze on the fertile land below; another is of the medieval fortress of Rocmanadour in the Dordogne region of southeastern France. Two big prints behind the pastry case feature 3-year-old Logan, the son of Briens and her husband, John Chambers, seated next to his little cousin. Others showcase Isabelle's father-in-law, Stan Chambers, a longtime Los Angeles newscaster.

A native of Versailles, France, Briens came to work at her cousin Eric Briens' Del Mar French Pastry Cafe 11 years ago before he sold the successful enterprise in 2002. The cousins still keep in close contact, and Eric Briens, who now owns the Carlsbad French Pastry Cafe in Carlsbad Village, has given his cousin all his recipes for croissants and breakfast pastries. The French baguettes are provided daily by Jean Claude Scudellaro, a local French baker.

On the menu is a full selection of breakfast pastries including croissants, muffins, biscotti, Danishes and apple turnovers, just to name a few. Also listed are a choice of omelettes, French toast, salads, quiche and salads. Briens' most popular breakfast entree is the Monaco -- scrambled eggs in a croissant with ham and cheese ($6.50).

There are also French pastries such as opera cakes, napoleons and tarts, though Briens admits "pastries are not my first choice."

"It's not my taste. I'm not a 'sweet' person," she says, with her warm, sweet smile. "I like salty better -- and cheese with fruit because it feels healthy."

Using her favorite combination of sweet and savory, she concocted the house specialty called Dejeuner a Pepe, slices of Gala or Fuji apple covered with Black Forest ham and the French white cheese Comte on a bed of lettuce ($6.25). "It is simply delicious," said Briens.

Like the Specialite Maison, many of Briens' sandwiches are her own creation. "I like unusual flavors that will work together," she said. "Of course, I get a big influence from France, but they are mostly what I like."

Briens' sense of whimsy is apparent not only in the decor but in the names for her sandwiches and paninis (all $6.75 or $6.95). Like the Brigitte Bardot (panini with three kinds of melted cheese, tomato, garlic, basil with light olive oil). And the Fifi La Rue (panini with prosciutto, basil, tomato, fresh mozzarella and mayo). Perhaps you'd enjoy the Inspecteur Clouseau (Black Forest ham or turkey in croissant with lettuce, tomato, cheese and mayo) or the Charles Trenet (tuna, olives, lettuce, bell pepper, tomato and mayo).

The Edith Piaf (sliced turkey, hard-boiled eggs, grapes, tomato and mayo, $6.75) is the most popular cold sandwich, she said.

While such sandwiches are usually made on a baguette in France, Briens said she has found that her American clientele is "not so crazy about crispy (bread)," so she rotates among torta bread, mesquite torta, multigrain, French baguette and sourdough, also provided by Scudellaro.

Though only open since June, the talk around town of a new French cafe is catching on, and the locals are discovering that Briens' cafe is a warm, friendly place to enjoy a coffee and a pain chocolat.

"We put up balloons for a couple of weeks -- whatever the center allowed -- but most of our customers hear about us from word of mouth," she said.

In fact, Briens said, so many people have been coming in to practice their French that she has started a sign-up sheet to determine which times and days of the week would be most popular to host an informal French conversation group at the cafe. "It looks like most people want Wednesday and Sunday afternoons," she said, glancing at the clipboard by the cash register.

"The people are super genial," she said, lapsing into the French expression meaning something like "incredibly nice." "And for two or three dollars, we bring a smile to them."

- Contact staff writer Ruth Marvin Webster at (760) 740-3527 or rwebster@nctimes.com.

WHAT: French Pastry Cafe

WHERE: 127 N. El Camino Real, Suite A, Encinitas; north side of Ralph's shopping center between Longs Drugs and Pick Up Stix

HOURS: 7 a.m. to 6 p.m. Mon-Thurs; 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. Fri-Sat; 7 a.m. to 2 p.m. Sun

CALL: (760) 942-7891

PRICES: Sandwiches/panini, $6.75-$6.95; omelettes/specialties, $3.95-$6.95; breakfast items, $1.95-$3.25.