New Friends

I visited the Alsace region of France for the first time in 2009. My friends and I stayed in Riquewihr, renting an apartment for the week. A gentleman named Jean-Paul Krebs owned it, and although we didn't meet him at the time, we were very impressed with our home away from home.

Fast-forward to 2013 when we decided to visit Alsace again. It was only natural that we check out Jean-Paul's accommodations. Jean-Paul has made a very successful business of renovating apartments/homes in Riquewihr into vacation accommodations, and he now owns quite a few. In light of what has to be done to work on these historical residences, what Jean-Paul has accomplished in such a short period of time is nothing short of miraculous. You can take a look here. Anyone interested in vacationing in this area would be hard pressed to find a better place to stay. They are top quality, and obviously owned by people who care greatly. In addition, their manager, Valerie, is gracious and very helpful. She meets you upon check-in, and shows you everything you will need to know about your lodging.

This trip, we were lucky to finally meet Jean-Paul and his lovely wife, Martine. When I emailed Jean-Paul prior to our arrival to see if he could recommend a guide for a day, he offered to rent a van and take us and another couple to nearby Germany. The drive was lovely, but the company was even better. Martine knows I'm a dog lover, so she brought Happy, their West Highland terrier, along for the ride. The following week, we were all in Paris, and they treated us to drinks at a cafe on the Ile Saint Louis. Their hospitality really went above and beyond, and along the way, we became friends. Looking forward to seeing you two again the next time I'm in France!