L'accroche coeur - Charming B and B in Strasbourg, Haguenau, Baden Baden, Alsace, France

New projects in 2012...

2012-01-29T19:16:00.000+01:00

The projet of conversion of the dependencies

After a season full of joy, with a charming B&B booked almost every day, we hibernated during January… Not even had time to wish you a happy new year... It took time to put the house in order, to do small works, and... to rest.

For this new year, we wish you, kind reader, health and happiness. The world is changing, many are worried, yet it's also a chance to build a better world.

At l'accroche coeur, charming bed and breakfast in Alsace, we will once again try to improve our services. Two projects are important to us :

the imaginary evening, a cultural dinner with foreign guests as well local visitors
conversion of the dependencies of the house in cinema, meeting room, bedroom and sauna... what a program!

The design of this conversion is completed. We are in the process of costing. The current garage will be changed in an adaptable room :

either a meeting room (for meetings and training up to 10 people, maybe 12),
either a home cinema, available for our guests
either an extra bed and breakfast for peak periods, adapted to the disabled.

Adjacent to this space, a small area to make coffee, and separate toilet for the disabled, shower and locker room for the sauna.

The sauna will be installed at the rear of the pool. It will be accessible from the room. The sauna is available to our guests.We also build a shelter for our bicycles.

The garden will be refurbished and if we have enough money, we will resurface the courtyard. Our dream: a fountain in the middle of the courtyard with benches.

Cars will be parked outside. But there is parking in the street and if the rumors are confirmed, our street will be one way: therefore more security for vehicles parked on the street.

Another surprise is being prepared ... but shhh ... One will still not tell you all in January.

Mourning

2011-11-09T08:00:00.001+01:00

Racecourse of Strasbourg : 40 years of emotions

2011-09-03T11:00:00.002+02:00

This horse is very happy to live between our bed and breakfast and the racecourse of Strasbourg-Hoerdt

It provides us as much emotion as the Hippodrome de Vincennes : The racecourse of Strasbourg-Hoerdt, close to l'Accroche Coeur, charming Bed and Breakfast, is over 40 years old.

It's a fascinating show to see these beautiful horses leap to conquer victory. The earth trembles, our hearts get carried away.

The season resumes this tomorrow, 4th of September ! For the schedule of races:
Program of the races

L'accroche coeur, our charming Bed and Breakfast is 10 minutes drive from the racecourse. And not much more to bike... For enthusiasts, it is an opportunity to spend a great weekend in our bed and breakfast near Hoerdt.

Musica 2011 : a Journey to the center of the music creation

2011-08-27T13:12:00.000+02:00

The (beautiful) poster of the Musica festival 2011

Again this year, Musica, international festival of contemporary music will transport our senses through new sound and visual territories.

An incredibly rich program that you can find here (click to download the program of the Musica festival - available in french only, but easy to understand) :

Programme de Musica 2011, festival international des musiques d'aujourd'hui

Musica is a festive and friendly festival, combining pleasure and novelty. It explores contemporary music crossing major works of the past and the creations of today's musicians. Musica explores the music beyond the instrumental borders in visiting other forms of arts such as performing arts or movie.

The Festival runs from September 21 to October 8, 2011. The scene of the Musica festival is mainly located in Strasbourg, but also Sélestat, Saverne and Bischwiller.

L'accroche coeur, charming bed and breakfast is ideally located between these cities. Our charming B and B is located 20 minutes from Strasbourg, by car or train and offers exceptional comfort in a home that combines tradition and modern : L'accroche coeur, charming bed and breakfast is the first Alsatian house renovated in low energy standard (and the only B and B labeled Ecogîte in Alsace).

Traditional mowing at the Archaic House of Weyersheim

2011-08-20T09:32:00.001+02:00

Traditional mowing wheat... in a good mood:)

Sunday, August 28, the association s'Kleenderfel ("the small village" in Alsatian dialect) is holding an open house with demonstrations and animations in Weyersheim, north of Strasbourg and one kilometer from l'accroche coeur, charming bed and breakfast in Alsace.

On the agenda: ancient harvest in traditional costume to rediscover of one of the first civilized human gestures : mowing the wheat, picking up the ears, binding sheaves, gleaning the ears.

The association will demonstrate threshing wheat with the flail and the thresher. Other workshops are planned:

stringing tobacco leaves,
baking bread,
iron working in the forge,
weaving.

There will be a bar and a restaurant on site. Admission is free. L'accroche-coeur, charming bed and breakfast in Alsace, is one kilometer from the village of Weyersheim. It can be reached by car, but also by bike.

L'accroche coeur, charming bed and breakfast, rents bikes (4 to 5 bikes in very good condition, and a baby seat) : cycling to Weyersheim takes less than ten minutes.

Calendar :
Sunday, August 28, from 14 am to 20 pm at
La Maison Archaïque (the archaic house)
11, rue du village
67720 Weyersheim - France

Source : DNA

Strasbourg cathedral as if you were there ...

2011-08-14T11:30:00.000+02:00

An exceptional quality of image, and a stunning "immersive" effect

Pascal Renard, a photographer in Alsace developed for many years a method of 360° shooting. He called it "Sphenoramic Photography™" and it's really super nice.

On this site, he presents a gallery of amazing 360° images of the Cathedral of Strasbourg ! Of course, l'accroche coeur, charming bed and breakfast, is 20 minutes from Strasbourg and it is even better to see the Cathedral in real life. But if you are far away it gives you a impressive preview of its beauty.

Here's the link: http://www.juste-pour-voir.net/20100312Cathedrale/
You choose the sight picture with the menu at the bottom.
You can also have a full screen view. It is magnificent.

We love our cathedral of Strasbourg. For us, it is one of the most beautiful in France. We deadly recommend our guests to visit it.

From our charming bed and breakfast, you can get there by car. But it is also pleasant, and more cautious for the planet, to go by train and trolley. The Cathedral of Strasbourg is a 5 minutes walk from the trolley station grand'rue - langstross.

L'Accroche coeur in honor in our local Newspaper.... woooow :))

2011-08-07T11:12:00.001+02:00

The news in our locale Newspaper DNA

This morning, reading the local newspaper (DNA) for breakfast, what a surprise : a picture of our charming bed and breakfast in the middle of the newspaper!

That is a result of the initiative of Carmen Kuhne, organiser of "nature and heritage walks" of the community of Basse-Zorn. On August 11th, Carmen will host a morning on the theme "Bietlenheim, a changing farming village".

Our village and our so dynamic mayor, Patrick Kieffer, deserve it. With little means and many will, he steps up initiatives.

The morning will conclude with a tasting of apple juice produced by the workshop of apple juice located in Bietlenheim ... at l'accroche coeur, our charming bed and breakfast, renovated in Low Enegery standard (l'accroche coeur is the only bed & breakfast in Alsace labeled Ecogîte by Gites de France).

To register for the morning (if you are not living too far...):
Thursday, August 11, 9 am 00-12 am 30.
Registration required by phone:
+33 (0)3 88 69 30 69 or +33 (0)6 07 95 25 83
The appointment will be communicated to the precise registration with Carmen Kuhne.

A bed and breakfast for children !

2011-07-30T10:23:00.000+02:00

One of our youngest guest... lol

In our bed & breakfast, children are welcome. It is quite natural, with seven children and three grandchildren! Our charming Bed and Breakfast in Strasbourg is also a little paradise for the youngest guests.

Last week we hosted two young couples from Flanders, on holiday in Alsace for the week. Each couple had a baby boy. They lived at 50 km of each other and they did not know. For one week, all those people got on very well together : parents, children, guests, cats... to our great delight.

L'accroche coeur, charming bed & breakfast, is free of charge for children up to three years. We offer them a cot in the suite, full of toys and parents can prepare meals for the baby in the kitchen.

Our bed & breakfast meets the strictest environmental standards

2011-03-21T19:03:00.002+01:00

The renovation of the house has achieved performance Low consumption (BBC)
The label "Ecogîte"is a new recognition of our efforts

This is not official yet : our charming Bed & Breakfast "l'Accroche-Coeur" is labeled "Ecogîte". Our house meets the strictest environmental standards.

We paid the utmost attention to environmental sustainability since the beginning of our charming b&b project. Our house was the first Alsatian traditional house renovated "BBC" (low energy building).

In the labeling "Ecogîte", energy consumption is not the only criterion. The materials, household appliances, species of tree in the garden are among the criteria. Our house is not only a low energy consumption house. It is also close to carbon neutral, since the heating is a wood burning (wood pellets).

Insulation materials used are natural and renewable: 15 cm cellulose wadding in the walls and 25 cm below the roof.

135 km with 2.7 l gazole/100 km ...
our best performance

More important for a sustainable life is our ecological mobility : we bought a house 1 km from a railway station, we bought the nowadays most environmental friendly car (the Polo Bluemotion emits 89g / km CO2).

We save more than 2,000 liters of fuel per year, just by our mobility choices! Yet this is not reflected in the "Ecogîte" or "BBC" criteria.

It is possible to be cool, to have fun and to respect our natural environment. We are among the first in France to believe it and to do so.

Last day of december...

2010-12-31T12:09:00.000+01:00

Biethlenheim after Christmas, december the 27.

The Christmas market closes today, and the year 2010 that closes with it. We had a wonderful December : snow and sun, sun and snow, fire and ice, extreme cold and great blue... We end the year with a small -2 ° C which retains a duvet of snow over the fields.

We have welcomed a lot of guests, more than we could have hoped. It seems they were all delighted with their charming bed and breakfast. We thank them for coming. We shared with them a great time, as for aperitif, for dinner or breakfast.

Apparently they sleep extremely well! The beds are excellent and often they leave their rooms and breakfast later than expected. They also enjoyed our breakfast and take their time. We welcome couples and families from all over France, discreet and nice Germans, sparkling Luxembourgers and charming Italians.

Our guests felt comfortable in our family. We even hosted a couple and their two children for Christmas. Surprising? No. Generous and joyful.

Each meeting was a trip. As we imagined. Better than we imagined. In January, we will work with our new projects ...

Thank you all for your kindness and your presence.

How to have fun visiting the Christmas Market in Strasbourg

2010-11-01T08:00:00.001+01:00

Strasbourg in December is magical. The huge Christmas market in Strasbourg occupies the center of the city. Craftsmen are in their little hut with all kinds of small goods and the most beautiful Christmas decorations and tasty treats. With the Christmas lights, the streets are magical.

But the Christmas market in Strasbourg has its confines : you must book in advance to find accommodation during that period. And travelling through the city to the Christmas market of Strasbourg is not easy.

We facilitate the Christmas market in Strasbourg, during the month of December, except 25, 26 and 31 December (when we are celebrating Christmas and the New Year with our whole family) :

Access within 20 minutes from Strasbourg station by station Weyersheim (2 minutes from the bed and breakfast)
In the evening we can pick you up at the terminus of tram station Hoenheim Gare
Prepurchase tickets tram
Taxi booking
If you insist on taking the car : tips and explanations to access to the center of Strasbourg (parkings, combination parking and tram...)
Tips for visiting the Christmas market in Strasbourg, and Strasbourg in December (monuments, restaurants, entertainment ...)

And if for once you do not want to go out, you can participate with us in the preparation of the famous Bredele !

Our last avice : if you can do it, prefer weekdays to visit the Christmas Market than weekends.

Useful links:

www.noel.strasbourg.eu :
Program and practical information on the Christmas market in Strasbourg.

wikipedia.org/wiki/Christmas_market :
History and background information about the tradition of the Christmas market.

www.cathedrale-strasbourg.fr :
Agenda of the Cathedral of Strasbourg

Comfortable bathrooms: a mark of respect for our guests

2010-10-31T08:00:00.002+01:00

We wanted that each of our charming guestrooms have its own bathroom, beautiful and comfortable. The materials are noble and genuine.

All civilizations of the world, at all times, bear particular attention to the bathroom and toilet. For us it is a mark of respect we owe to our guests of our charming bed and breakfast to offer them a pleasant place to wash and relax.

We discovered that in Japan you must shower before taking a bath. How refined ! Try is : the bath becomes a delightful moment.

That's why we wanted each bathroom has a sink, shower and bathtub. They are spacious enough to feel good. Each has its own window, so that the light of day, the soft light of the sunrise or sunset, and the mysterious moonlight illuminate the room.

Our architect gave them two strong and very different characters. One is matte black and white, refined and very original. The other is brilliant, white and blue, fresh and sweet. Both give off an exotic and relaxing atmosphere.

Deep countryside, deep feelings

2010-10-26T08:00:00.004+02:00

Poster of the RICA of Wissembourg...
If it tickles while you are watching the film, don't worry : it is natural.

From 15 to 23 November will be the international meeting of animation movies in Wissembourg. Short films and feature films will compete.

It is also the opportunity to learn about the wonderful world of animation movies : retrospective of the animation world, perspectives of the artistic production of a country, animation films schools ... Directors will come to meet everyone.

An event definitely not to miss ! And for the occasion, I will open a part of my library of comics (a few hundreds of books) for guests of our charming bed & breakfast.

I think we all have a deep affection for animation. The "cartoons" have enchanted our childhood. They are deeply engraved in our memory. They still travel through our dreams. Their drawings, dream characters and fictional, funny creatures, perfect princesses, nice heroes, clumsy dragons, avatars and Pigwidgeon, depict on giant screens and graceful movements that is both present and invisible in our mundane little day to day lives.

The cartoon is as familiar to me as my childhood home, the street in front of the house, the school downtown Strasbourg, the wheezy old No. 9 bus with his grumpy driver, the smell of the paper of my books, the old traditional houses in the village of my great aunt, the forest in Soultzeren with its wooden house with red shutters...

All that to say that Wissembourg, peaceful little town in the North of Alsace, where the shadows are never disturbed by the agitation of the makers of fashion, there will soon be the festival of the makers of fascination.

For more information:

http://www.rica-wissembourg.org/

Ciné Club de Wissembourg
2 route de Weiler - 67160 WISSEMBOURG
Tel. 33 (0) 3 88 94 06 26

The Protestant Church of Bietlenheim celebrates its 175th anniversary this weekend

2010-10-23T09:42:00.000+02:00

The church is right in front of the house, visible from one of our guestroom. We never tire of watching her sleek and white facade becoming yellow-orange in the sunset.

Our Protestant Church of Bietlenheim celebrate its 175th anniversary on Sunday afternoon. On this occasion, a concert is held. Admission is free, and everyone can make a donation to help fund interior renovations of the church.

The choir "Choeur de la Zorn" will give its recital, accompanied by the organ of the church.

The Protestant church was built in 1835 on the site of the ancient Catholic Church St. Arbogast.

Like almost all places of worship in Alsace, faiths and religions succeed in one place. The Church of St. Arbogast is already mentioned in the XIVth century and it's a safe bet that another place of worship existed before.

The area was never densely populated: in 1590 the village had 16 inhabitants ... not enough to fill a church. When we're married in June of last year, the village had 280 inhabitants (with us).

Anyway, there are good waves in our guesthouse. I do not know if it's because of the church and its bell tower which dominates our house as if to protect it.

To attend the concert and support the renovation project:

Sunday, 24 October 2010 to 16 hours.
Protestant Church Bietlenheim.
Free admission, tea.

Map:

Agrandir le plan

Cool outside, warm inside

2010-10-22T06:58:00.001+02:00

What a refreshing weekend ! The cold is appearing. But in Alsace, we never know... Indian Summer tends to come back later in the year for some time.

For this weekend, cover up and enjoy the sunshine for a stroll in the countryside or visit our beautiful cities. Strasbourg, Baden Baden, Haguenau or the pretty villages of northern Alsace.

And at night, stay warm in a winstub. Or have a delicious dinner with us in our charming bed and breakfast, near the stove.

The darkness and the fir: the place of the fir tree in Alsace

2010-10-21T08:00:00.001+02:00

The fir tree, crossing the winter darkness is a sign of the divine presence on Earth

The fir is a tree of life in Alsace. The relationship between the fir tree and Alsace is unique. It was built over time, due to geography and history.

Fir forests cover the Alsatian Vosges. They have always formed a thick and mysterious forest that created the backdrop of Celtic and German myths and legends. With the intensification of forestry, there are also pine plains. It is a very common tree that lives together with other species, many in the region.

The Celts who occupied the region 2,500 years ago vowed to the fir tree a cult. Like all Neolithic and agricultural societies cults, the sun and the light have a central place. Among the Celts, the fir tree that passes through the darkness of winter without losing its needles is the hope of the victory of light over darkness, of life over death.

It is a symbol of life, and also fertility. Thus, further East, in Germany, infertile women were flogged with pine branches to conjure sterility.

In Celtic astrology, the fir tree is supposed to be the "mysterious". This term is to be understood cautiously: the "mystery" is a Greek concept (which means : what is hidden, secret religious ceremony). What I understand is that the fir tree could be a link between the earthly and the divine, a crossing of the night, a sign on earth of divine presence.

The symbolism of the fir tree has survived the centuries and religions. It is expressed today through the Christmas tree, a tradition born in Alsace in the twelfth century.

In the sixteenth century in Alsace, the Christmas tree became the media of religious message : it is decorated with roses (symbol of the Virgin), apples, sweets, cakes, and the star of Bethlehem at the top. The Provence has its santons, Alsace has its Christmas tree.

I do not know if, in the Middle Age, the guesthouses decorated a Christmas tree for their guests who travelled all over the multiple Alsace routes. In any case, for our guests of our charming bed & breakfast, we will install a huge Christmas tree on our terrace.

L'accroche coeur B & B labelled by Gîtes de France

2010-10-20T08:25:00.001+02:00

Our brass plate from Gïtes de France in the category "Charmance" (B and B)

Our charming bed & breakfast should be labeled 3 ears of wheat by Gîtes of France, on a scale which has 4. This is the result of the first accreditation visit that took place yesterday.

It's a great reward after a year of work and stress at the opening of our charming b an b.

And for us it is just the beginning. We are starting the second phase of work to lay out the garden and the outbuilding. With a beautiful garden, a cinema, sauna, swimming pool and photovoltaic panels to reduce the CO2 impact of all these facilities, I have no doubt that we will get the fourth ear of wheat.

But what is important is to see the project of an entirely new perspective. We have other ideas for our guesthouse becomes an original and unique place of conviviality and culture.

The pretty woman and her funny car

2010-10-17T08:00:00.002+02:00

Sylvie to launch l'accroche coeur, our charming B & B in Alsace, France

So many changes for Sylvie, these days ! My lovely wife quit her job this week to dedicate to our charming bed and breakfast. With her colleagues, she celebrated her departure.

Judging by the gifts and flowers she has brought from his office, everyone loved her there (but not as much as me). Fortunately, the week before, we received the our new car!

The consumtion, in the center
of the dashboard

We chose to buy a VW Polo Bluemotion. We immediately marked the car with the logo of our charming B and B : pink hood, and a huge heart on each side. Sylvie does not drive unnoticed ... when she drives in the city, traffic on the website of our bed & breakfast increases!

This car is impressive. Its design, like a little race car, maximizes its penetration into the air. It is designed specifically to reduce its carbon footprint.

For example, at the speed of 90 km / hour, it consumes less than 3 liters of diesel per 100 km! With 89 g / km of CO2, the VW Polo Bluemotion is currently the least polluting car in the world.

Ready to be picked up at the railway station with our new Polo Bluemotion ?

Rainy weekend, happy weekend...

2010-10-16T07:09:00.000+02:00

After a series of beautiful sunny weekend, we have a break : this weekend will be super ugly. For us, it will be the opportunity to stay quietly in the house and refine the design of our charming bed & breakfast.

And the guesthouse is so spacious and comfortable as the weather remains at the gate : inside, it's nice warm, there are comfortable sofas, and our old traditional Alsatian chest full of board games.

As in all regions of the Eastern or Northern Europe, when it's gray outside, it warms in the heart of the house. The same in our charming bed and breakfast.

Tradition, gingerbread and innovation in Alsace

2010-10-14T08:00:00.000+02:00

The christmas tree is alsacian, the spices are oriental

The world capital of gingerbread is in Alsace : it is the village of Gertwiller. Gingerbread is a tradition during the Christmas feasts in Alsace. And yet it is a pure product of import: as the idea, than the spices are Chinese. The "Mikonga" honey and wheat bread baked, was imported into Europe from the fifteenth century, five centuries before its appearance in the East.

To bake gingerbread you need wheat and honey of good quality. These raw ingredients are available in Alsace, in quantity and quality. But you must also add cinnamon, candied orange peel, aniseed, cumin, ginger and orange flower water ... All this does not grow in Alsace.

But Alsace is a crossing point : a trade route and a natural boundary. Imported spices have seeded the creative intelligence of the Alsatians who transformed it in a delicacy, a specialty, a trade, and finally a tradition embedded in its rituals and its everyday uses.

From this point of view, Alsace, like other similare areas, is a land of innovation: its inhabitants were able to integrate, transform and take anything that came from abroad.

It is often said that the Alsatians are "rigorous" or "workers" or "serious". Doubtless some are. But it is not theirs that Alsace owes its relative prosperity. As a human being owes its vitality from others, the economic but also social and cultural richness of Alsace, is due to travelers and aliens.

When Alsace is open and tolerant, when it hosts the world in its heart, Alsace is flourishing. When it withdraws into itself and thinks it is the center of the world, it fades.

Alsace is a border region, a region that has been ravaged by wars and invasions (Tomi Ungerer said: "Alsace is as water closets, it is occupied all the time"), its people and its representatives are always tense between ostracism and hospitality.

In our charming bed and breakfast, open mind and hospitality is our tradition, culture and customs. And nothing will stop us from sharing with our foreign guests a recipe of Baeckeoffe that will lead us perhaps to imagine another delicious dish.

Links :
The Lips of Gertwiller's recieps of gingerbread (only in french or german)
Lips in Gertwiller (only in french or german)
Fortwenger in Gertwiller (only in french)

A journey through time : destination Strasbourg the Roman

2010-10-12T08:00:00.000+02:00

At the Musée Archéologique de Strasbourg, 20 minutes form our charming bed and breakfast

From 15. October until 31. December, explore the Roman camp Argentorate, which marked the founding of Strasbourg. The Archaeological Museum of Strasbourg update on recent excavations which are carried out in recent years on the site of the camp and its immediate surroundings.

During the exhibition, you will discover:

the contributions of recent excavations and new knowledge they have delivered
the evocation of the two legions of Argentoratum : August's Second and the Eighth Legion
legionnaires' daily life.

Many objects and documents from recent research will be presented. They illustrate all aspects of military life in Argentoratum during the first centuries of our era.

The exhibition is made for all audiences, children and adults.

It will be held at the Archeological Museum of Strasbourg, 5, place du chateau, in the city center next to the cathedral and ... under the Palais Rohan. The opportunity to kill two birds with one stone : see Strasbourg before and today.

From our charming bed & breakfast, you go to the center of Strasbourg by train or by car in 20 to 25 minutes. If you take the train, we'll drive you to the station, on the next village.

Links:
Exhibition Strasbourg Argentorate
Archeological Museum of Strasbourg
History of Strasbourg, from its origins to Roman times

Sylvie's Alsatian fish sauerkraut

2010-10-10T20:16:00.003+02:00

Sylvie's three fishes sauerkraut

Sunday with our family: Sylvie's parents came back from a journey of seven months in a camper. To celebrate the reunion, her twin sister's family joined us for lunch. In the afternoon, we took advantage of a beautiful sun and walk along the river Zorn.

For lunch, Sylvie prepared her famous fish sauerkraut. It is probably one of the most delicious Alsatian dishes. Sylvie's recipe is perfect. At the end of the meal, there were no more rest.

Funny : yesterday, on Facebook, Philippe's sister, who lives in Tahiti, sends a message to say she cooked a delicious sea sauerkraut with tuna, blue shrimp, mahi mahi, smoked mussels, herring, riesling and coconut milk ... at the same time in the world and at the antipodes, two fish sauerkrauts were cooked.

For food lovers who love to cook, here is the recipe for fish sauerkraut, for 4 persons (also called sea sauerkraut):

800 g cooked sauerkraut
300 g skinless fillet of zander
300 g skinless salmon fillet
300 g skinless smoked haddock fillet
60 cl white wine (alsatian Riesling)
30 cl cream
300 g fresh butter
60 grams chopped shallots
90 cl of fish stock
Salt and pepper

Reduce 25 cl of white wine with shallots, add cream and reduce by half.
Make the sauce with 250 g of butter.
Remove onions with a strainer.
Season the sauce at your taste and keep warm.

Cut the salmon and the zander in four portions.
Poach the fish in white wine and fish stock.
Heat the haddock in the stock for a few minutes.
Heat the cooked sauerkraut, toast it a little.
Arrange the sauerkraut and fishes on the plate, top with the sauce.
Serve with potatoes in their skins.

For guests of our charming bed and breakfast, we can propose the fish sauerkraut. The dish can be eaten all year. You need to book it in advance.

And why not imagine with the foreign guests of our charming bed and breakfast, an original recipe using ingredients and spices from other continents.

2010-10-10T08:00:00.000+02:00

The installation of the two bathrooms of our charming bed and breakfast is finally coming to an end ! We waited a long time, but it was really worth it : they are splendid, and both very different.

The bathroom of the Sunflower guestroom: fresh and bright. With its white "metro" tile on the wall, and its high gloss white tiles, the bathroom is particularly bright. Especially a large window brings daylight above the bathtub. The top of the wall is blue. It looks like some thermal baths. It is fitted with a spacious shower, a basin and a comfortable bathtub.

The bathroom of the Tulip guestroom : true to the spirit of the rest of the guestroom, it is austere and soothing. The bathroom is black and white : black and white cement tiles, black wooden siding and black light and white sanitary fitting. Yet it is not dark, lighted by a large window. It is equipped with a spacious shower, a double sink and a bathtub. The toilet is in the bathroom, separated by a door.

Bath is a special time, in all civilizations. This intimate and important moment of the day is also a moment of pleasure in our charming bed and breakfast.

Full sun, full colours !

2010-10-08T08:00:00.001+02:00

I must confess, this early autumn is absolutely gorgeous in Alsace. What a sunny weekend ! Too bad our charming bed and breakfast did not welcome more guests ...

Right now, with this sun, you must wander in the forest in the plain or at the foot of the Vosges. Imagine: golden sun, blue sky and colorful forests. Flaming reds, oranges almost fluorescent, yellows glittering, ochres, old roses and deep greens.

Autumn in Alsace is not famous and yet so incredibly beautiful. The secret of its inhabitants and the curious travellers who appreciate beautiful things.

Link:
Some pictures of autumn in Alsace

The character of Hans Trapp, the Alsatian fallen angel

2010-10-07T08:00:00.002+02:00

Kristkindel and his shadow, Hans Trapp

The "Hans Trapp" is our local bogeyman. It is the armed wing of the Christ Child (Kristkindel in Alsatian) to punish naughty children at Christmas. Santa Claus distributes the gifts. Hans Trapp distributes the slaps. That's the way it is.

Hans Trapp derives its name from a knight that might have existed in the fifteenth century, Hans von Trotha, a creep and lawless guy who sought only to enrich himself by all means. A shame, isn't it ? That's inconceivable today. Excommunicated, he was ostracized and forced into exile in the forest. One day, he allegedly killed a ten year old child with intend to eat him. God punished him by lightning before the first bite.

Interesting about the legend is that Christ recycles evil for the sake of efficiency. That's very Alsatian : a man for the awards, another for punishment. It's binary, yes, but in terms of team management, the job descriptions are clear.

But I think it's also very healthy in terms of theology. In Genesis, Eve is tempted by the snake who is a part od the Eden. Nobody speaks about it, but it means that in this case, Evil exists because God wanted it. Well here it is. God has willed Hans Trapp, and Kristkindel used him for the service of Good. So, for us, imperfect human, the question is not to deny the evil, but to ask ourself how we can make good with it.

This thought emerges on Christmas. It is not quite a coincidence: Christmas is the feast of light in the middle of the dark night of the winter solstice.

Jazzdor Strasbourg: jazz at heart

2010-10-05T08:00:00.001+02:00

Festival de Jazz of Strasbourg Jazzdor, November 5. to 19

I listen very few jazz music currently, but this music is part of my life, as some books I read long time ago and I need to feel close to me sometimes, as if they were markers in the winding wire of my life.

I forgot about John Coltrane, Tete Montoliu, Dave Brubeck, Michel Petrucciani, Bill Evans, Miles Davis, Oscar Peterson, Michel Portal and many others modest demigods. Snatches of melodies from their instruments surfaced occasionally on my consciousness yet.

I listen still Eberhard Weber and Carla Bley, music pieces enjoyed a thousand times in thirty years, always so enthusiasming. Here, the word "enthusiasm" is appropriate. Its Greek root, ἔν-θεος, literally means "God into". And that is what is happening, it is something divine and timeless escaping from the tenor saxophone or the piano.

So it's important for me to warn you early enough about Jazzdor 2010 : the Strasbourg Jazz Festival will take place from Novembre 5. to 19. Apart Louis Sclavis and Armand Angster, I do not know anyone. But it does not matter : the jazz music is a generous music for a better world where celebrities are never shading the unknown musicians. Choose the musicians looking their eyes, their smile, the light on their face and you certainly make the right choice.

We should think about organizing a small jazz concert for the guests of our charming bed and breakfast. What an honor it would be for us to host a musician in one of our charming guestroom.

More information about Jazzdor:
www.jazzdor.com
www.facebook.com/Jazzdor
www.flickr.com/search/?q=jazzdor&w=all

If you want to enjoy a weekend of jazz in Strasbourg, spend the night in one of our bed & breakfast : we will go to a Jazzdor concert together.

Our charming bed & breakfast : so geek

2010-10-02T07:51:00.001+02:00

Denis, Philippe, Alain and Stéphane shot by Sylvie

Since Thursday night we welcome Denis Pansu. Denis works at the Fing (Next Generation Internet Foundation). He developed the concept of "crossroads of the possible" Carrefour des Possibles. We met 5 years ago, as Philippe launched the BarCampAlsace.

We suggested being beta testor of our charming bed and breakfast to Denis. He said yes, and confirmed that there was no bug. Now we can start our charming bed and breakfast :)

Last night, Stéphane Bayle and Alain Bregy joined us at home. Stéphane is a freelance consultant in Innovation Management & Web 2.0.. One of his projects is to create a space for co-working in Strasbourg. Alain is designer of Internet solutions, today very interested in Augmented Reality.

Aperitif, dinner and a lot of fun and exciting conversations at the fireside. Denis, Stephane and Alain have two things in common: humility and curiosity. Each excels in his field. They know how to listen, and together, we shared rewarding ideas.

It's nice to go to bed less stupid than in the morning.

Saturday under the duvet, Sunday in the sun

2010-10-01T08:00:00.001+02:00

Autumn in Alsace is full of contrasts: hot and cold, gray and bright sunshine, flaming canopy and dark gray sky ... This weekend will be a pure representative of autumn in Alsace.

Saturday, keep warm under the duvet in one of our charming guestrooms, unless you like the blue atmosphere of Simenon's novels. Get up late, take a hearty breakfast and visit one of the numerous museums in Strasbourg. Unless you'd prefer to stay in the lounge of your suite and immerse yourself in reading (Hey... why not a Maigret)

Sunday, put a good sweater and go breathe the clean and invigorating air in the countryside. If the sun is out, enjoy the beautiful light : clear and golden.

The Alsatian legend of Wolfdietrich, or the repetition of the great myths

2010-09-30T08:00:00.003+02:00

All the heroes of the mythology feel to have to scrap with a dragon

The Alsatian legend of the sleeping warrior resumes like an echo the myths of Achilles and Hercules, the founders of Rome and the Nibelung. Basically, Wolfdietrich is our mythical local hero.

Illegitimate son of a powerful philanderer lord and an imprisoned princess in the dungeon of his father, Wolfdietrich was abandoned in the forest and rescued by a she-wolf who breastfeeds. Someday, his father, walking in the forest recognizes his son and takes him to his castle. But the father get tired of him and Wolfdietrich becomes the ugly duckling of the family. The father made him kill in the forest. The servant in charge of the dirty work takes pity on the child and confided to a coleman.

The coalman educates him and gives him work. First he is coalman, then lumberjack. Wolfdietrich grows quickly and becomes very strong. One day he meets a fairy in the forest, who takes him home. She lives with twelve glamour and cool girls, and they also take care of him and teach him that the coal could not teach him. Yet that leaves him cold.
Apparently, he meets a norn, more mature this one, which impresses him more. After learning the business of coal, lumberjack and lover, he changed his job and becomes a warrior. The norn gives him an invincibility armor, and now our hero goes to carve out the neighbor dragon. He crushed the dragon, not without difficulty, and bathes in its blood to become invincible.

As in the myth of Achilles and the legend of Siegfried, a small part of the body is not touched by the magic blood, and this will be his weak point. As for Siegfried, a linden leaf had stuck to his body. In addition to the invincibility, the blood of the dragon gives him the intelligence of the language of birds. Why not.

On his return he was rewarded with Sidrat, a sort of Miss Princess of the middle age. I do not know where they found this name : Sidrat. It looks like Siddhartha, the Indian avatar and hero of a novel by the post-romantic german author Hermann Hesse. "Siddhartha" means "goal ended". Indeed, the story ends with Sidrat.

That pinhead of Sidrat find nothing better to do than write on Wolfdietrich's body and clothing the place of his vulnerability. A squire, a kind of bodyguard, was supposed to ensure that nobody ever touch this place.

But you can imagine : that is too tempting. A few days later, as Siegfried was drinking from a spring, a traitor pierced him with a spear.

He is called the sleeping warrior. He wakes up every threat of war. Then your can hear the noise in the valleys of arms and horses.

The myth of Achilles, the legend of Siegfried or our local tale of Wolfdietrich, repeati that it is futile to seek all-power. The more powerful you are, the more your weakness is visible .... and tempting.

Haguenau, humble and joyful capital of the franco-german blues

2010-09-29T20:22:00.002+02:00

An excellent franco-german blues festival

The second annual Blues Festival of Haguenau will be held from September 30. to October 9. Haguenau is a pretty small town in Alsace, a few miles from our charming bed and breakfast.

And small is beautiful ! This Franco-German festival is worthy of the greatest, in a humble and joyful atmosphere. That's all the the charm of initiatives called 'regional': there are treasures of real talents, moments of real life with real people in a real city.

So if you just stay with us in one of our charming guest rooms, and if you plan to go for a ride at the Haguenau Blues Festival, we would go with you ...

Site of the Haguenau Blues Festival: www.festivaldeblues.fr
(sorry... only in french and german)

Cosy entrance

2010-09-26T08:00:00.008+02:00

A warm and practical entrance

The entrance of the house is finally ready. It is a room where guests can take off their shoes and get comfortable.

On the ground, we laid a coconut matting. It is a kind of huge mat, easy to maintain, we can remove from time to time for a complete cleaning. Its natural color create a warm atmosphere.

Polychrome cupboard

The room is furnished with a polychrome cupboard from the nineteenth century. Its pattern is unusual : a trompe l'oeil that reminds the artwork of Maurits Cornelis Escher. The cupboard will store the shoes.

An antique chest bench is used for sitting to remove the shoes. In the trunk we put some games and garden accessories.

We will soon install an umbrella stand, and a climbing houseplant. It is important that the first room of our charming bed and breakfast offers a warm atmosphere and a practical use.

Cocooning or night out weekend ?

2010-09-24T10:49:00.000+02:00

There will be autumn weather this weekend with seasonal temperatures. For those who do not fear the rain, they might go out with a good raincoat or windbreaker : the air is nice and full of good smells of autumn.

Other choice : walks when it's sunny and laze about in the house when it rains ...

Otherwise, some ideas for getting out :

The Onion Fair of Brumath, 6 km from the guesthouse : renowned chefs will offer the cooking and tasting of recipes on the theme of the onion and regional products.
Love and Other Demons at the Opera of Strasbourg.
Legends to spend time at the musical theater of la Choucrouterie: Legends Celtic, Roman, Germanic and cousins of Upper and Lower Alsace and other tales.
Remix ensemble, concert of contemporary music in the City of Music and Dance in Strasbourg.
And for the restaurants, we'll advise you if you sleep in one of our charming bed and breakfast. We have a lot of addresses.

Strasbourg christian : the Alsatian legend

2010-09-23T08:00:00.002+02:00

Icone de Saint Materne

Strasbourg was christianized around the fourth century AD. But a legend alleges that Alsace and Strasbourg were evangelized sixty years after the birth of Jesus Christ. From Rome, St. Peter himself had sent Saint Materne. The disciple and two fellows, convert easily into the Alsatian countryside healing the suffers and preaching.

Strasburg, the bourgeois city, was more restive. After a first attempt, they were fired and beaten. They fled to Ebersmünster, where Saint Materne died.

Eucharius and Valerius, the two fellows, returned to Rome, sheepishly. St. Peter gave them his holy stick and ordered them to return there to convert the pagan. With their faith (and holy stick), they managed to resuscitate St. Materne. The news spread around the region and at the end, all the pagans were converted.

The legend pretend that Saint Materne erected the first church of Strasbourg in honor of Saint Peter at the current location of St. Peter the Old. Reality does not confirm the legend : there are traces of older churches in the basement of St. Margaret's or St. Thomas.

Later, Strasbourg became a major economic city at the crossroads of trade routes. Crossing point of cultures from all backgrounds, it has also become a city of religious tolerance.

Saint Materne was apostle to Gaul, Belgium and the Rhine river valley. It is celebrated on September 20.

Alsace : discover Alsace here and now

2010-09-22T09:26:00.001+02:00

TEDxAlsace : a TED talk in Alsace, October 2. 2010

You might visit the Alsace for its culture and its past heritage. But what about Alsace here and now, in a changing world ?

Well... yes, Alsace is still the storks, half-timbered houses (and charming bed and breakfast in traditional villages...), sauerkraut and beer.

And behind this beautiful facades of its glorious past, there is a highly dynamic present :

world-recognized R&D, from the United States to China,
one of the most dynamic economies in Europe with a network of entrepreneurs who have nothing to envy the heroes of start'ups California (by the way, with whom they maintain good relationship)
an unusually high density of associations working in all areas of society,
a multitude of approaches to reach a sustainable development in Alsace,
innovative experiences in economy, society and education, for a better world...

Interested to meet the hidden face of Alsace ? Take a look at TEDxAlsace, October 2, 2010 .... Damn. There is almost no place anymore... You may find soon the presentations of this event on TED.com.

Next time you're in Alsace, book a dinner in our charming bed and breakfast. We'll tell you what to see and whom to meet to explore the future of Alsace.

Living with our books

2010-09-19T08:00:00.000+02:00

We have so many books and it's been almost ten years since we had not enough space for storing all. Finally, since a few days, we have libraries. The largest is in the living room of the guesthouse.

They are not yet classified, but since they are here, the atmosphere has changed in the living room of the guesthouse.

It is as if these books emitted a charm. All these quiet and lonely moments, these whole weekends, these evenings and sometimes nights immersed in the imagination and spirit of novelists are coming to mind.

We did not put the book in the guest rooms. But during tea or dinner, we hope to share our favorite authors with our guests. And breakfast will be served near the library.

Invigorating weekend !

2010-09-17T08:30:00.000+02:00

Another sunny weekend ahead. Autumn is coming and there will be fresh air in the morning. Photography enthusiasts, brave joggers and veteran cyclists : get ready !

From our two charming guest rooms, you see the sunrise. This allows our guests to take the most of the sun. Leave the house, walk two hundred meters out of the village and there your are in the nature.

For us, on Saturday, we will take breakfast with smoked trout, early in the morning (Romain goes to school on Saturday). Then we go out of our charming guest house for a little walk. And at noon, we go to Strasbourg by train to meet our friends at the famous flammekueche party. The weekend looks really great.

The Alsatian legend of Thibaut the juggler, or the values of friendship

2010-09-16T08:00:00.008+02:00

Nights in winter in Alsace inspired a lot of legends and tales

There is a very nice legend in Alsace called "Thibaut he juggler". It caught my attention because one of our son's name is Thibaud, and I found some similarities with the hero of the legend.

During a cold and snowy night of close to Christmas, Thibaut, a juggler, partied with a group of buddies. In Alsace, the climate is continental and food is excellent. That's convenient : it can be very cold in winter, then we stay at home or we spend our time into winstubs, keeping warm.

In the midst of feasting, our Thibaut has the potty idea of going for a walk in the woods. I must say: the weather is fine, and winter landscapes in Alsace are beautiful, with its mantle of snow covering the plain, and the white frost on the trees. He let go of his dreams, and get caught in the night. And here comes the trouble :

In the night, he encounters a deer caught in a trap. He releases it. Then he meets a magpie dying of cold. He takes it in his arms and keep it warm. Then he meets a mouse whose hole is plugged with a clod of mud. It clears the hole and the mouse rushes inside the hole.

He sees a castle and the lord offered him hospitality. He notices that he is a juggler, so he asked for a few feats of skill. Thibaut is so clever, he seduces a young woman, next to the lord. The lord notices it, and, frustrated, stop partying. Thibaut is sent to prison and the lord locked the young woman named Odette in the dungeon. Rough spot for our hero...

In the night, the magpie brings him a file in its paws. The mouse checks that everyone is asleep. During this time, Odette hands him a silk cord. At the bottom of the wall, the deer is waiting with a sled and it takes them away from the castle.

Along the way, Thibaud hears that Odette is a kidnapped princess to her husband by the lord. And they return back to the husband. Husband and Princess Odette thank Thibaut for having saved them. Thibaut returns home after greeting all these new friends, prince, princess, deer, deer, mouse and magpie...

Thibaud is lamenting. He would have loved the beautiful Odette. But, he said after a while : I have to leave, because I would have loved her too much.

For once, this is not a love story but a story of friendship, with a very fine moral : greet and help your friends, as diverse as they are, they will be there the day you're in trouble.

Finally, we should not use the word "guesthouse", even "charming guesthouse" or "charming bed and breakfast", but simply : "friendhouse".

Saturday : flammekueche party !

2010-09-15T08:00:00.013+02:00

The flammekueche is an all-you-can-eat alsatian traditional dish

Saturday, September 18th don't miss the feast of the flammekueche in Strasbourg ! Rue des Frères, in this pretty little street near the Cathedral. The famous restaurant of flammekueche Flam's and merchants of the street, organize a flammekueche party.

The party occurs in the whole street. The tables are lined up along the street, and everyone settles on the benches. It is an opportunity to taste the excellent flammekueche (Alsatian traditional dish), and meet the others who share your table.

It is the second time we attend this event. Last year, we were delighted by the cool atmosphere, laughter, entertainment and good smells of flammekueche (Flammkuchen) all over the street. We met friends, who made us meet their friends, who have become our friends... Children could play in the street, closed to cars.

For visitors, it is the event of the weekend : away from tourist traps, it is frequented by both tourists as Strasbourg citizens. A good melting pot where adults as children, men and women, politicians as humble citizens, workers and employers have fun, eat and drink all together.

After the feast, you can visit Strasbourg, and if you drank too much beer, we can bring you back in our quiet charming bed and breakfast.

Visit rue des Frères, Saturday, September 18, 2010, 12 to 14 hours and more ...
The rue des Frères is a street behind the Cathedral of Strasbourg, in a student district.

Agrandir le plan

Preparing the garden for winter

2010-09-12T08:00:00.001+02:00

The woodcutter cut the threatening tree in no time.... wow !

It has been three years since the garden has not been maintained. The previous owners were quiet lazy. The workings for achieving the guesthouse lasted two years. It was not a romantic garden of a charming bed and breakfast in Alsace : It was a jungle.

We called a woodcutter, used to the dense forests of the Vosges forest to overcome the invading vegetation of the garden. A tree planted too close to the guesthouse threatened to damage the wall studs. The woodcutter cut it in no time. It was very impressive.

Now the garden is cleared. The charming guesthouse seems to breathe better, and the garden seems bigger.

All the trees are pruned for the winter. Next spring, our charming bed and breakfast in Alsace will be surrounded by a spacious and romantic garden and flowers. Next to Strasbourg, guests of our charming bed and breakfast can enjoy quiet and greenery.

2010-09-11T08:48:00.001+02:00

After the rain comes the weekend !

2010-09-10T18:51:00.002+02:00

Cool and sun, ideal weather neck of the woods

Lucky days : after a week rather rainy, sunny weather comes back for the weekend.

First fog in the cool of the early morning. The climate in Alsace offers these splendid mornings when the fog lazes around the rivers and stretches languidly in the meadows. Later, the sun: the light is as clear as in the Northern countries.

Our charming bed and breakfast is at the heart of a beautiful agricultural area, near the river Zorn. Perfect for shooting some very nice photos...

The alsatian legend of the "forget-me-not" or how to ward off the fear of abandonment

2010-09-09T08:30:00.004+02:00

"Vergiss-mein-nicht" means "forget-me-not"in German and Alsatian

Psychoanalysis claims that we have two main fears: fear of abandonment and fear of merger. We spend our lives to manage these opposite anguishes to strike a balance: not too far, not too close, but always with the other.

The legend of the forget-me-not in Germany and Alsace, is a beautiful love story that conjures both fears the same time. In german, forget-me-not is called "Vergiss-mein-nicht". More literally, this could mean "Do not forget mine," as if to say: do not forget that I own myself.

A knight, Rudolph, falls madly in love with a princess, Bertha. They love at the first glance and swore fidelity (fusion). But Rudolph, sensitive to trendy ideas, decided to crusade (abandoned). On his return, many years later, the love between Bertha and Rudolph is intact. They spend an unforgettable evening and prepare the marriage (merger).

One evening, the couple walks along the Rhine, and the knight wants to pick a bouquet of myosotis for his bride. Damn, he slipped and fell into the icy water. Before drowning, he has time to throw the bouquet to Bertha, shouting "forget me not !".

These cute little blue flowers are found everywhere in Alsace. They bear the brunt of human neurosis. They represent a balance between the merger and abandonment. The etymology of the word "myosotis" has nothing to do with it : it means in Greek "Mouse ear", probably because of the shape of its petals.

Musica, contemporary music festival in Strasbourg from September 20. to October 9.

2010-09-07T08:15:00.006+02:00

Musica is one of the best contemporary music festival in France

If you are passionate or simply curious about contemporary music, Strasbourg is unmissable. For its 19th edition, from September 20 to October 9, the Musica festival offers a rich program and a unique artistic experience.

See the program here : www.festivalmusica.org/programme

Musica is certainly one of the most rewarding artistic initiatives in Strasbourg. Every show transforms oneself. Love it not, you experience something really new, out of your daily comfort and habits. And it's a always invigorating.

Escape a weekend in our charming bed and breakfast in the countryside, near of Strasbourg, in a cocoon of nature and comfort. Let us pamper yourself and book a Musica show. Culture shock is guaranteed as well as a successful weekend ...

Links :

First quetsches pie

2010-09-05T22:16:00.003+02:00

First quetsches pie of the year, cooked by Sylvie

The "quetsch" (pronounced coo - at - shh) is an Alsatian plum. It is delicious and very fragrant. Our charming bed and breakfast is located in the north of Strasbourg, an area where fruits and vegetables are plentiful.

The word "quetsch" is the local pronunciation of the German word "Zwetschge". It is derived from Ancient Greek "damaskênon" meaning "Damascus plum", but also "the one from Damascus" Curious ... which confuses the etymology with the inhabitant of Damascus and with the plum that crossed land and time to finish in the oven in our charming bed and breakfast in Strasbourg, in France.

The villagers of Bietlenheim and around own orchards. Of course, the farmers sell their produce at the farm. Thus, we take advantage of early season fruits. For breakfast, guests of our charming guest rooms will savor pies, but also raw fruits and fruit jams. And as there is a sugar refinery not far from Strasbourg, all this production is 100% local, 100% natural.

Sunny week end

2010-09-03T07:35:00.002+02:00

Beautiful sun all weekend over our charming guesthouse ! This is not the place to stay locked at home: the sun of September is one of the most pleasant in Alsace.

If it takes your fancy, join us and have a drink at home. It is the ideal weather to bask in the garden, walk along the river Zorn or admire the horses grazing in the nearby meadow.

Our charming bed and breakfast is soon ready to welcome our guests. You will visit.

Funny mirabelle

2010-08-30T17:05:00.002+02:00

The mirabelle jam of the charming bed and breakfast "l'accroche coeur"

This is the season of the mirabelle plum, the little funny yellow plum. The mirabelle plum is the fruit "par excellence" of Lorraine and north of Alsace. It seems there is a bad crop this year. It was already the case last year. Harbinger of climate change?

Meanwhile, Aunt Yvette has picked a few pounds for us. And Sylvie made the first jam that we can offer to our guests at breakfast or teatime. A charming bed and breakfast in Alsace must offer Mirabelle. If not, it is not a charming bed dans breakfast in Alsace.

In our guesthouse, you will find mirabelle plums in several forms : as raw fruit and pie (in season), as jam and brandy (in any season). For the brandy, say "Schnaps".

Our charming bed & breakfast in the social networks

2010-08-28T08:46:00.007+02:00

Our charming bed and breakfast is open to the world. We would welcome all kind of people, from everywhere, far and near, as well globe-trotters as lazy vacationers.

To achieve it, our guesthouse in Alsace must be known throughout the world. It seems that a majority of people choose their destination and accommodation on the Internet. This is even more true for charming bed and breakfast. Social networks are increasingly important players : you can interact, this is a better way to get to know.

Stay in a charming guesthouse is way of life. The guest needs to know more precisely what place he goes. In a bed and breakfast, you are greeted at home, within the family. It's warmer, it is more authentic. This is not comparable to a hotel.

To get acquainted, we opened a Facebook group, a Flickr group and a Twitter account. It's also an opportunity for our friends and guests entering into contact with each other. They will be able to share recollections of Strasbourg and Alsace, in text and image. They will also continue their conversations initiated at our table.

On Facebook and Twitter we also announce events : parties in the guesthouse, in Strasbourg and Alsace, themed dinners in the evening at our guesthouse, conferences in the garden of the guesthouse, tourist activities in Strasbourg or Alsace.

To find us on the Internet :

Blog and website :

In french : http://chambre-alsace.blogspot.com

In english : http://guesthouse-alsace.blogspot.com

Description of our charming bed & breakfast and news

Facebook page : l'accroche coeur

Description of our charming bed & breakfast on Facebook

Facebook group : l'accroche coeur - guesthouse

News and conversations between friends and guests of our bed & breakfast

On Flickr : http://www.flickr.com/photos/accrochecoeur/

Pictures of our guesthouse and area

Flickr group : http://www.flickr.com/groups/accrochecoeur/

Friends and guests pictures during their stay in our guesthouse (empty, nonce)

On Twitter : laccrochecoeur

Short news about our charming bed and breakfast

The accroche coeur logo of the guesthouse

2010-08-23T17:55:00.003+02:00

Our charming bed and breakfast is called "l'accroche coeur", that means "kiss curl" or litteraly "the heart catcher". Because we wish our guests want to come back in our guesthouse. We wish that something pleasant grip them, and that they leave a bit of themselves in the house.

There was another idea we followed : there is a large cherry tree in the garden. And a name with "cherry" in it would be good too.

So, we were attracted immediately, when an art director showed us this logo. It was really appropriate: a heart with the article "l" as a cherry stem.

A hanging heart, a heart shaped cherry, a small Alsatian pattern engraved on the heart. Isn't it perfect ?

D - 60

2010-08-16T21:43:00.001+02:00

After a year of work and seven months of silence, the house begins to take shape. We are resettled in the house since late June. It's hard work to move, day after day, to store, to decorate, to prepare rooms for our future guests ...

Our activity will start next October 15. In exactly 60 days. There is still much to do. But it is so exciting ! How stimulating to see the guesthouse become realevery week!

Annual report...

2009-12-30T14:51:00.008+01:00

The year 2009 ends and work is going on :

the outer frame and floors are laid,
the wood boiler is delivered,
we found a suitable financing with the Credit Cooperative.

Environmental choices are validated and we got a technical and financial assistance of the Alsace Region and EDF: we are part of 50 pilot houses assisted by this program in 2009.

Thanks to the contributions of our friends at our wedding, we can install earth cooling tubes and a heat retriever ventilation. This investment will save energy and naturally cool the house during the hot days of summer.

We also install a recovery of rainwater for watering the garden.

Our guesthouse project has improved this year. Three ideas have enriched it in a social way.

We want to offer some vacations to poor people. For this we offer our guests who wish to participate to offer a weekend bed and breakfast to poor families in our city. The amount of the pot and its use will be posted at the entrance of the house and on our blog.

For dining, we propose to involve guests who want it to prepare dinner together. We will share our recipes, and why not, we will create new dishes that will cross the tastes and cultures.

We propose to the Mayor of the village to organize one or several neighboring celebrations this year. With those we meet, we will use their talents to enliven the evenings or weekends of our guests.

A lot of work in 2010… but how exciting!

Six attic windows and a floor

2009-12-05T22:59:00.003+01:00

The roof has now six attic windows. Three overlooking the street and three overlooking the garden. The floor of the second floor is installed. We were walking on it : the soundproofing plates are effective. As in any Alsatian house, the steps will be heard from one stage to the other, but the sounds are very attenuated.

The craftsmen worked well. The attic windows are perfectly integrated into the roof of the house. Now it is the turn of the first floor. The old floor will be entirely removed for a new one, more solid and more plain. We lunched with the architect and his assistant, at the restaurant "Le Pigeonnier" in Hoerdt, a neighbor village. We spoke about details and planning. The architect said the work will be finished in June. We hoped earlier. We were a bit disappointed, but it is important that the work has to be well done, even if it means to wait one month more.

The first step of the carpenter

2009-11-22T17:40:00.004+01:00

--
Demolition ends. The carpenter is taking over : there is nothing in the house except the washing machine. It was too heavy to move. The housewreckers have been cautious. Not a scratch. There is even a wall, floor and ceiling.

The carpenter began to lay the floor in the attic. Then he will lay the 6 new windows in the roof. We will dwell in the attic. The first floor will be reserved for 2 guest rooms. On the ground floor there will be the kitchen, a large dining room and the lounge.

Going back home, we met 6 deers in a field ...

We barely had time to take a picture, and they fled. We live in the city durgin the work and we are well settled. But we look forward to returning to live here.

It's off to a good start !

2009-11-07T19:23:00.004+01:00

-Maybe we neede this time (more than a year) to take action. We do not regret this maturation. It allowed us to think, to feel and to perceive our project.

Conclusions: our project is more than ever close to our heart, we have redesigned it completely, we made the right choice of a good architect who accompanied us, we waited for the best time to negociate the best bank rate for our bank credit.

For three weeks the yard is started. The house is empty, there is almost nothing in it anymore. Even the ceilings and floors will disappear ...

In a few days the roof will be modified to create six windows.

The work will last 9 months until now. We will move in the house in spring.

Reset...

2008-10-04T15:55:00.001+02:00

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Who would have thought that the financial crisis was going to affect our quite small project... But i guess it must be that the international turbulences paralyze the bankers and the small artisans.

It is now 3 months long we run around with banks and construction workers but the result is almost nothing. At the beginning of October, we have neither loan nor estimate.

On the one hand, the banks: on 5 banks whom we consulted, one made a rickety proposition, two did simply answer after having spent more than two hours in meeting with us, the other one said that it would not answer, and the only one answered with a month of delay with absurd conditions (2.000 € of "administration charge" !!) by explaining that it was a base of negotiation. Crazy world...

On the other hand, the artisans : the past generosities of the credit swamp them with work. A general contractor came twice (scuffing), made a first part of estimate (a small third of all the works) after a month of reflation, then went on holiday, and did not honor the last meeting. He never called back. We reached it yet to order now windows and the kitchen. Wow.

Regarding the heater, we received four estimate with four totally different prices. We finally received an offer which seemed serious, but it would seem that the proposed boiler is sufficient to heat all the village. Another company asked very seriously in which year we wish to be delivered.

Our friends had warned us. But we did not think that it would be so... Then we reset the project, with stricter conditions of contract, notably in energy savings, and a longer lead time.

Target : opening in April, 2009. We bought some fuel...

Renewable energies: firewood or heat pump ?

2008-09-28T18:40:00.002+02:00

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Alsace is located on a geologic fault. The plain of Alsace sinks of some millimeters by century between Vosges and the Black Forest. The geothermal energy is available in the region. Our first reflex to replace the ancient fuel was to opt for a heat pump.

After a long and intersting interview with a engineer of Alter Alsace Energies, we will probably going to abandon this track to choose a firewood boiler.

The reasons are the following ones:

The inconveniences of the heat pump (in deep drilling):

Uncertain ecological balance: the heat pump consumes some electricity, produced by nuclear plant or fuel. The environmental impact of the maintenance (transport, energy, use of polluting liquids) is not clear
Required to modify the circuits of water for the heater (underfloor heating)
High capital cost
Risk (according to certain testimonies) of noise pollution for the neighborhood

The advantages of the firewood heater (automatic boiler fed by granules):

Excellent ecological balance: completely renewable energy. No carbon. Recycling of waste of sawmills. Clean production. Reduced transport (granules are produced in the region, from wooden waste of the region).
Available source of energy: the European forest increases every year
Excellent performance
Reduced cost of installation

I still wonder about the emissions of particles. But according to Alter Alsace Environnement, this problem is solved by the new boilers.

The cost of the energy of the heat pump (electricity) is weaker than that of the wood-fired boiler (granules). But that of the firewood boiler is twice lower than the fuel. The price of both sources of energy should not vary significantly in the years to come. At least, it is risky to dash into forecasts.

The heat pump allows to air-condition in summer. It is the only advantage. The solution consists, not to install air-conditioners, but in multiplying good practices: good thermal insulation, to close shutters and to aerate during the day.

How to arrange a big lounge in L?

2008-09-06T08:00:00.001+02:00

--We modify our plan of our big lounge. Our first idea was to reduce the kitchen and to make a lounge and a library. But nothing looks like more a lounge than a library. And two lounges, while there will be two other lounges for our hosts in floors that begins to make too many lounges.

Then, after turning around in the big room in L, moving sofas (which are sooo heavy !), we finally said ourself that a single, not too big lounge, would be nice and cosy. And as a result, we shall make a dining room near the fireplace, with a big table to welcome better our hosts for dinner. The kitchen can be bigger, and we can even install there a small table, when we are alone or with a few guests.

Really, we see that we make changes permanently, although we thought we had a clear idea of what we ant. Nothing takes place as expected, and it is cool. The most important is to be ready in December… but not sure.

The travel through our days

2008-08-30T08:00:00.002+02:00

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During the week, we tested the regional trains : schedules are perfect for our working rhythm. We take the train between 6:50 am and 7:05 am, we are unless 5 minutes in bicycle of the station.

One quarter of an hour later, we arrive at the station of Strasbourg, right in the center of the city. From there, we take the streetcar or the cycle. At this time, it is not still the rush. It is very comfortable and as we are morning, it is very well convenient for us.

On the way back, a train approximately every twenty minutes, till 8:25 pm, allows to choose the schedule the most adapted at the rate of the day.

We were very impressed by the precision of trains. We knew that in Japan, there was a tolerance of 10 seconds in the departures and the arrivals. Well… surprised: in Alsace (by the way, famous in Japan) it is similar. Repeatedly we noticed that trains left in the second near.

It is very reassuring, unstressing, and it is important to be able to count on the public transports if we want to avoid waste of energy for the transport.

Cat's tale

2008-08-27T08:00:00.001+02:00

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Hansel and Gretel have a passion in common: hunting flies. At the beginning, each went hunting from his part. At the moment, they venture on strategies of alliance. Yesterday, they sat both side by side, in front of a wall. On the wall, a fly faced them, derisive. The fly flies away. Two small cat’s heads follow attentively the evolution of the fly exactly as the spectators of tennis match to Roland Garros, perfectly coordinated. The fly had a plan: it lands on the nose of Gretel. Gretel, surprised, remains immovable by squinting at the fly. Hansel, in a fraction of a second arms its drive and Bang! Stick his right-paw side down at the nose of Gretel. The fly flies away, satisfied. Gretel counts the stars on the ceiling. Hansel follows the fly, who flies away by chuckling.

First special equipment for the guesthouse

2008-08-23T17:43:00.003+02:00

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Yesterday arrived the washer. It is a machine of 10 kg capacity which we bought on internet. I appreciated the quality of service of the site on which we ordered: user friendly, seriousness of the order steps, and perfectly respected lead time.

This washing machine will allow us to wash our household linen and that of our three rooms in any circumstances.

The 108 kg machine (really…) spent at first some hours in the garden before reinforcements arrive to install it in the lingerie. Since, it has already proved one's worth: silent, solid and persevering, it produced quantity of appropriate clean linen.

Now we have to resolve a new problem: where to hang out and dry all this linen?

First fire

2008-08-17T19:34:00.004+02:00

--A small blow of cold fell on Alsace at night from 15 till 16 August. In spite of the morning sun, it was chilly: we took advantage of it to lay a fire in the fireplace for the first time. Philippe installed a small table and a chair right by the hearth to work with his computer.

The fireplace is very effective. A councillor of the association Alter Alsace Energie deeply recommended us to put an insert in the fireplace. An opened fireplace has a 25 % yield, whereas an insert achieves until 85 %.

The fireplace is not being very well placed in the room to be able to surround it with seats. We are thus going to put an insert. As a result, Philippe thought of installing an insert in every guest room, to ally the comfort, clean energy to the aesthetics.

Welcome to Hansel and Gretel !

2008-08-09T18:55:00.002+02:00

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We have two new small residents in our house : we adopted Hansel and Gretel, two kittens collected by the SPA (society for the prevention of cruelty to animals).

Gretel is youngest. She lived 24 hours in the SPA and very quickly adapted to the house and the garden. She has a rotten temper, stuck a slap to Hansel and runs in all the directions. This night, she slept in our bed, she took all the place.

Hansel remained longer in the SPA. He is disorientated in the large house and he is lost at the hands of the temperament of fire of his little new friend. Very fast, he hid behind a kitchen furniture. During several days, he left only to eat or to poop.

« Hansel and Gretel » is an Alsatian traditional tale. Our two small boarders will take part in the history of our house.

Home life

2008-07-28T10:17:00.003+02:00

--On Saturday was dedicated to settle our temporary base camp: we threw all the waste of obsolete parquets and old bookcases. We also stored somewhere else a library which, finally, is too high to be installed in the house. Romain, my 9 year old son, helped us bravely, and we made a good work.

Now, the house is ready to be renovate. We have a little kitchen and a washer operational, the deep freezer is filled, the lounge is pleasant. Besides our room, we installed two rooms for the children.

Léonard came from Pau (France) Sunday morning. He travelled at night, and, the poor thing slept no more than one hour in a snorers' crammed train. He plans to help us this week to maintain the garden.

On Sunday, we welcomed part of my family to discover the house. The children bathed, we took advantage of the terrace. It was warm and muggy.

This night, thunderstorms on Alsace were very violent and lasted all night long. We did not sleep a lot, so the thunder was deafening. But this morning, the blue sky is reappeared over the roofs of the house.

Settling without resting

2008-07-21T09:50:00.000+02:00

--It has been one week since we are at home, in our house, and we have the feeling that it adopted us. The house is very pleasant to live, and the former owners made very clever choices to create warm and open spaces. This weekend allowed us to settle.

We learnt to maintain the swimming pool: cleaning the filter regularly, measuring the quality of the water, optimizing filtration (we filter at night, to save energy, and also filter when there are bathers). Everything works perfectly.

The house required a good internal and external cleaning. Then, Saturday was dedicated to some basic purchases: garden hose, high-pressure jet. On Sunday, I cleaned the terrace in stoneware, around the swimming pool, and the pavements outside the house. Two of my daughters, Audrey and Karen helped me a lot.

Boxes were better distributed. Those who will be opened only when all the decoration is finished are stored in the porch. Boxes containing the administrative papers were taken up to the first floor, in a room where we installed a desk during the week.

We also bought two deckchairs to rest in the garden, by waiting for more comfortable garden furniture in tek that we shall order next week. We so took advantage of very beautiful bright periods during the weekend.

We moved !

2008-07-13T14:22:00.000+02:00

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That's it, this weekend we moved. Thank you Xavier! Valérie! Régine! Alain! Loïc! Axel! Marianne! Philippe! Stéphane! In two round-trip of lorry, we move on an apartment of 100 square meters to a house of 300. The opposite had been harder …

Now we are going to live between boxes, works and permanent move until November, 2008. That looks like nothing, but the lead time is short !

Our first night in the countryside … Philippe and I slept happy and well. It is quiet. Even the bell of the church is smooth. We had breakfast outside. We look at the disorder with a sort of serenity: here is the job, certainly, but what an exciting project!

Every day, we say to ourselves that it will be great… Already we modify our plans, we improve our ideas.

I arranged as much as possible the house, as we would organize a base camp. Philippe installed makeshift lamps and ended to take all the measurements of the rooms.

First weekend of works

2008-07-06T22:26:00.005+02:00

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We spent our first weekend in the house. Romain enjoyed the swimming pool. It is taylored for him.

Philippe began to resume the measures of the rooms : the old plan which was given to us by the former owners turns out to be false. It was necessary to verify everything and to correct.

It was a boring work, and on Sunday afternoon he had not yet finished two floors on three that friends arrived to visit us.

Xavier, Valérie and their daughter Marianne are adorable persons. Enthusiastic, joyful and dynamic, they proposed us their help for the move, next weekend.

But especially, they helped us to look at what there was under the poor quality parquet of the lounge. Oh ! What a surprise ! We discover the original parquet of the house in rather good state of conservation. A parquet in oak, skated by the years.

As a result, in one hour of time, we revealed the totality of the parquet of the lounge. The things get worse later : carried away by the enthusiasm, we also tore away the tense ceiling, doubtless hoping to discover a polychromatic ceiling and beautiful visible beams …

Alas : what we found is a vile agglomerated wooden ceiling and heterogeneous ugly beams.

We do not win each time : it will be the lesson of the day.

--

Looking for ancient furniture

2008-06-29T16:26:00.003+02:00

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These last weeks, and this weekend in particular, we had the occasion to see some ancient furniture: cupboards, sideboards, big mirrors, desks, armchairs...

We shall take some which will be very useful to furnish four rooms and a very big lounge.

For the style of the decoration, we shall associate of the contemporary furniture (sofas, library, lamps) to some ancient furniture.

We shall limit the number of furniture: we want to keep opened and comfortable spaces to create a serene atmosphere. There will be the barely necessary to be able to arrange the effects and feel well.

More choices of rooms

2008-06-21T17:32:00.003+02:00

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At first we imagined to make four almost identical rooms. Today, we think of offering several options:

Simple room with bathroom,
Big room with mezzanine and room of bath,
Suite with two rooms, small lounge and bathroom,
Little room, soft budget, not communicating bathroom.

Rooms for every tastes, every moments : romantic, business, family, relaxation, effective, sentimental, base camp for shopping, solitary, gastronomic, passionate, idleness …

Thank you, monsieur et madame Martin

2008-06-15T13:31:00.005+02:00

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Yesterday, we went in the house for a new checking out. We were welcomed by the Martin family who still lives in it till the end of the month.

Mister Martin explained to us how to maintain the swimming pool. We made another tour in the house which begins to be empty. We begin to take up the space.

Monsieur and madame Martin bought this house 30 years ago. They completely renewed her, they lived here with love and that is obvious. Now, they leave for Brittany. They sold us the house, but, more important, they left us its history in inheritance. A house built some years before the French Revolution.

We shall take care.

First boxes …

2008-06-07T17:48:00.001+02:00

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In less than two months we move. At the moment the house is still lived by the former owners. We shall have the keys on June 30th and we shall move at the latest at the end of July.

The house will be livable, but we shall live during some months in the works. That will not be really comfortable but the advantages take it on the inconveniences:

We can watch the works
We want to feel at home very fast
To live over there will give us full of ideas

Then from the next week, we begin to box things up …

Parquet... to feel comfortable from top to toe

2008-05-31T13:26:00.003+02:00

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Another month and we start the workings. We are going to renovate everything: grounds, walls, ceilings. For grounds, we shall privilege the parquet.

We are asking artisans to renovate the ancient parquets, and put a quality parquet. We prefer to invest in the parquets that the tapestries. Walls will have to remain sober and neutral.

The parquet is in physical contact with our feet: the heat, the sweetness, the touch of the wood seem to us a must-have for comfort.

In the one or the other bathroom (there should be a bathroom for each room), we shall use teak, or, at least, a wood which will support the humidity.

What to do with an ugly garage ?

2008-05-24T20:34:00.003+02:00

--Today, this is a garage. Tomorrow it will be:

a private cinema
an equipped office
a room of seminar

As we shall have no car (except doubtless an electric car), we shall transform this space to welcome executive committees which will want to ventilate their neurones.

Obviously, they will reach all the services of our house: lunch, spa, massage and talbe soccer. Enough to make a memorable executive committee …

When the room will not use for executive committee, we can organize private and domestic projections of the movies we like. And why not, with an internet broadband connection, make a skype with relatives or friends of our guests.

Technologies and health

2008-05-17T14:18:00.003+02:00

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We were amazed to sleep so well... somewhere else that in our apartment. And we made a link with the number of WiFi networks of the building where we live now : a good dozen!

Has the WiFi effects on wellness ?

A friend insurer, who knows the risks, recommends us to avoid mobile phones, DECT and WiFi. On the other hand, the bio-assessments of a house integrate evaluation of magnetic fields.

If the WiFi is not a danger (I do not believe that a study proved that it is harmful for the health, contrary to the mobile phone), it remains possible that it provokes an embarrassment.

All this reminds us that it should be better have a house the most exempt possible from sources of electromagnetic fields. If we have enough money, we shall make a bio-assessment.

At least, we shall avoid the WiFi, but we shall propose the free internet: by armoured cables. There is always a solution to benefit from current technologies without degrading the health.

Have a gastronomic dinner : from theory to practice

2008-05-10T09:30:00.001+02:00

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Our host's table will be cosmopolitan, both around the table and in plates.

Since my training in the restaurant Bouquet Garni, i am propelled in the pleasures of the elaborated and spiced on cuisine.

From the practice, I moved to the theory : for my birthday, I received in present Alain Ducasse's Grand Livre de Cuisine. The result is appreciated, if I judge it in Philippe's face.

Now, several times a week I venture on more sophisticated dishes. I mix unusual ingredients, from all over the world. We invite friends to share my experiments : everybody seem satisfied.

I want to adapt my cooking on the taste of our hosts. Do not remain confined in the Alsatian traditional cuisine : i want to open the appetite as we open our spirit.

And as I shall be very happy to propose a sauerkraut or a baeckeoffe, I shall add it some exotic notes. Let us not forget that there is an Alsatian tradition of the travelling and the risk-taking.

Looking for best practices...

2008-05-04T13:16:00.002+02:00

We passed one week of holidays in the South of France.

As we do it for years, we stayed in a guest house. The one that we picked up in the last minute is one of the most beautiful: " La Bastide des Vignes ", 3 km from the sea, far enough to be quiet, just near enough to go to the beach almost every day.

Pictures speak about themselves. We were impressed by the quality of the rooms : simplicity, colour and tradition. And if you want to know more about it:

Pictures of the bastide
Picures of the village
Pictures of beaches
Pictures of a nice restaurant on a beach

Madam and mister Lecomte were fantastic teachers for us ! Professionals of the hotel business, they welcome us in a masterly way. They showed us how a guest house remains a place of dream : with skills and rigor. Wde have to try harder.

Large family, you are welcome

2008-04-26T13:24:00.003+02:00

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Among our 4 rooms, we are going to install a very big one. It can welcome a large family: a big bed for the couple, and a mezzanine for children.

Since our journey in Japan, we like very much the principle of the "tatami". It is what we wish to set up for the children: a big space to align up to 6 children who sleep on these small fine very comfortable mattresses.

An offer of this type is not necessarily frequent. It is always a little complicated to have a large family to be accommodated. As we like the children, it will be rather a pleasure for us.

And then, the room can also serve for small groups up to 8 persons (by squeezing a little).

Environemental friendly and cost friendly

2008-04-19T19:10:00.002+02:00

Conscious on the environment, we were interested in the European Eco Label. We wish to pay attention at :

Perfect the insulation of the house with appropriate clean materials,
To install a heater with renewable energy (geothermal and\or solar energy, probably),
Use an electric car for travelling into the region (we are 800 m of a railway station),
Buy foodstuffs in the village (by privileging farmers who respect the environment, even by inciting them to improve),
Reduce, sort out and value waste,
Limit the usage of cleaners and use biodegradable products.

We discovered in astonishment that Eco Label was paying and expensive: 500 Euro for opening a file (wow... what a precious file) and a royalty on sales. What else?

Anyway, the Internet site is illegible. We are convincend Europeans, we are very disappointed. We shall make without label and at least as well.

After dinner in our bar?

2008-04-12T19:41:00.004+02:00

Philippe would like to fit out the cellar in bar. A bar where we could serve draft beers and play table soccer.

Take care : Philippe could be a serious opponent (he says to me that it is because he studyied at the university), especially after some draft beers.

We shall placard the official rules of the table soccer and the french bar rules of table soccer.

I nosed about to see if the table soccer could interest our hosts. Well, there is an official site of the French Federation of Table Soccer (FFFT) with classification.

And there is even an international federation, with available rules in following languages: french, bulgarian, chinese, csech, danish, german, hungarian, italian, romanian, russian, slovakian, spanish.. holy cow.... not in japanese.. Ok, we will train to play Mahjong.

Thus, it is an international sport. Phew...

For the choice of the table, obviously it will be the authentic "Bonzini": we hesitate between the classical one and exotic one … It seems we could even order an alsatian one. Wow.

Are there players?

Pool, spa, and massages...

2008-04-05T08:43:00.000+02:00

My daughter Karen is a beautician. She ministers care and advice in a perfume shop of Haguenau, little town not far from our house. Yesterday, she told me she would like tp propose massages of relaxation to our hosts.

The idea seems to me so good: around the small swimming pool, we are going to fit out a sauna and, if possible, a spa. We can install a space there, so that Karen can exercise her art.

We wish to offer free of charge the swimming pool and the sauna, but the service of massages will be paying. Not to make "profitable" the service, but to encourage our young Karen.

Generally speaking, all of our 7 children are fascinated by our project. That makes us very happy. And each has his own talent.

Flavours of our garden

2008-04-02T21:50:00.006+02:00

Since the beginning of the year, I make a one day training course per week in the kitchen of the « Bouquet garni ».

This small restaurant located in the south of Strasbourg deserves to be better known. Frederic Olivier, the chef, initiates me with the art of cooking. He has his own secret tricks, and concocts dishes light, beautiful and open on the different tastes of the world.

I learn how to cook great quantities, to use spices, to vary the ingredients and the pleasures. I could speak about an exotic Alsatian gastronomical cuisine.

In connection with Alsatian receipts... I will be also inspired by a gastronomical TV show (into Alsatian dialect), "sür und siess" (sweetened salted). It is moderated by Simone Morgenthaler, and the famous Alsatian chef, Hubert Maetz.

Sweetened or salted delicacies, good wines and a cordial environment : this is the receipt which I take the time to simmer for a « table d’hôtes » of quality, which guarantees a pleasant and convivial evening.

Imagine the perfect b&b with us

2008-03-30T11:41:00.003+02:00

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Here we are, it is decided: we create our a guest house. We plan to open at the end of 2008.

We bought a beautiful Alsatian house, 20 minutes away from Strasbourg, the lovely european city, in a small and quiet village. We are going to fit out it to our taste, the year round.

During the workings, we would like to share our feelings and our choices with you.

If you like to join in the adventure, to follow its evolution, we suggest you improving our project with your opinions and your advices : about the decoration of the rooms, painting, services and even the plumbing...

Your experiences in guest houses all around the world and your desires are precious for us : details which pleased you, small pleasures and charming attentions does matter. All that you will tell us is important.