Franck's New Tea Room

Franck has opened his new tearoom across from the 700-year old church. He and his English wife Louise used to own Les Flowers a crêperie where we had many parties, conversations and meals but when they tired of 18-hour days, they sold it.

The new tea room was a chacuterie forever, successful until sold to a man who did an excellent job in insulting his customers first by his mouth and worse by the inferior quality of his meat and pre-pared salads, meatballs and roasted chickens.

The inside walls were auctioned off, allowing Franck to get it at a good price. In France, merchants often own the inside, but not the outside of the buildings. They can sell it, or even charge for use of the inside walls as a one time charge in addition to the rent that is paid monthly.

For months Franck lugged stone, tile, plaster out of the small shop, which has metamorphosised into a really big place now that the back is open. In one way I am delighted. In another, I feel disloyal to George who runs a tea room around the corner. Franck had pretended interest in buying George’s place, found out how to run a tea room, than opened one that will compete.

I will frequent both places. Too lazy to make lunch I stop for a sandwich and order a smoked salmon and shrimp salad club, something George doesn’t carry. George has brownies and good chocolate things that Franck doesn't. Maybe I will be like Doug, the huge Canadian who plays musical tea rooms moving one tea room left when the music stops.