Sophie and Jean-Claude
They were both born in the Paris region and lived there until they moved to Saint-Frichoux.
Jean-Claude pastry chef-chocolatier worked for ten years in Paris while Sophie worked as a commercial assistant in the industry, liaising between French customers and foreign factories.
In 1988 they embarked on a great adventure by buying a small artisanal chocolate factory in the Yvelines, very close to Paris. They are creating a pastry department there to complete the range of delicacies offered to customers. Jean-Claude makes all the chocolates and pastries and Sophie takes care of the administration and sales. As their small business developed, they surrounded themselves with apprentices and collaborators. At the beginning of the adventure they have two little girls and then a youngest is born a few years later. Sophie watches over them and in the back shop has the recitations and multiplication tables rehearsed. Although their schedule is very busy, free time is devoted to family and friends. 15 years later they decide to sell their business
Jean-Claude will be a teacher in a vocational school for a few years, but his life is so different from that of a craftsman that he decides to take over a business in the Hauts de Seine. Sophie, for her part, returns to her former functions in the industry.
Their children have become grown up and independent, they have become Grandpa and Grandma and a new life will be offered to them.
… a few years have passed …
La Belle Minervoise
Languedoc Roussillon, the City of Carcassonne, the Cathar castles, the beaches of the Gulf of Lion, they have come there on vacation several times with the children. They love this sunny region with a melodious accent, with varied landscapes between mountains and sea with a multitude of places steeped in history. They decide to change scenery and life at the end of 2013 and move to Saint-Frichoux, a small village of 200 souls 20 minutes from the majestic Cité de Carcassonne and 5 minutes from the Canal du Midi.
They buy a large house there dating from 1895. A great and new adventure is born by operating 5 guest rooms where they now receive throughout the year tourists from all over the world for whom Jean-Claude prepares “pastry chef” breakfasts as well as small dishes. for dinners, he also offers them pastry-chocolate courses during which he accompanies them step by step in the realization of delicacies.
Jean-Claude with a small group of friends was running in the Paris region, now it is in the middle of the vineyards that he runs and willingly takes guests who like him want to breathe fresh air in small paths to away from “civilization”. When the good weather is not there Jean-Claude makes models, cars, boats, tanks… Sophie likes to find decorative objects or make them to decorate the house, and organize convivial moments with her family, his friends, and now his guests.
They will be delighted to welcome you to La Belle Minervoise…