A Bed and Breakfast with a Heart
Mariette welcomed me with a Kir |
No, I haven't opened a bed and breakfast in Paris, but I did meet Mariette, the owner of a small B&B in the 19th arrondissement, while touring the herbalist's shop. Mariette was the Frenchwoman who kindly offered to translate for the four English speaking people when the translator from Meeting the French failed to appear. Being a former teacher of both French and English, she did an excellent job.
As I wanted to learn more about Mariette and her B&B, I was pleased that she agreed to accompany me to Starbucks* after the tour. When I mentioned during the course of our lively discussion that I didn't know how to make Baba au rhum, Mariette invited me over for a private cooking lesson and assured me that it wouldn't be an imposition because she is used to showing her guests how to prepare simple French dishes that they can make when they return home.
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One of the Japanese reviews of Mariette's B&B |
If you would like more information, please look at Meeting the French listing (A27) .
I'm sorry that there aren't more pictures with this post. I had to use the camera on my iPhone because I left the battery for my camera at home.
*Why did we go to Starbucks when there are so many great French cafés? We went there because it was the only cafe in the area. As an ex-coffee drinker, I was pleasantly surprised to learn that Starbuck's small tea is less expensive than the price charged in most French cafés. I couldn't believe it when a café on the rue de Rivoli charged me Euros 4.50 for a Lipton tea bag and a pot of hot water!
From the moment Mariette met us at the top of the escalator we felt like we were staying with friends. She was so very helpful in all we wanted to do. The guest room was delightful, the guest bath had all the amenities one could ever desire and their apartment was a mini-museum with lovely art work and shelves full of wonderful books in both French and English. We felt the location was perfect for getting on the Metro and from there getting wherever we desired. Mariette was alert to all that was happening in Paris and even accompanied us to a free evening at the nearby Music History Museum. Mihai went out every morning for the freshest of baguettes and croissants and was a most charming host. If we were to ever able to indulge in another visit to Paris there is no question that we would want to stay with them.
ReplyDeleteIn all sincerity...
Judy Schulz