2023-09-19 14:14:21
It is a preserved place, in the center of the village of Grand-Leez. The Petite Place café has been open for almost 40 years. Nothing has really changed, starting with the boss, Adèle Denil. At over 80 years old, she still serves drinks to her loyal customers.
A life behind the counter
Adèle took over the “Salon Rouer” in 1969, to help her husband Willy, whose parents owned the place. In this room, Grand-Leez residents met to swing and have a drink. In 1985, the couple moved to the other side of the square. On the ground floor of their home, they set up “Le café de la Petite Place”. It still exists today.
First open 7 days a week, the café welcomes clubs and young people from the surrounding area. Pigeon fanciers, dancers, cyclists, etc. The café is also a meeting place for darts and pétanque players. “It was good-natured,” remembers Adèle. “No one came to win prizes.” The evenings often end following midnight. A few hours of sleep, and the boss left for a new shift. Little or no vacation, independent life is difficult.
One of the last traditional cafes
Adèle and Willy will nevertheless find time to visit distant cousins in America. In the village of Duvall, Wisconsin, an ancestor of Willy founded the “Joe Rower’s Bar”, where they still serve very “made in USA” burgers. The couple keeps memories of this trip.
Today, the Petite Place café remains closed on Monday and Tuesday. You have to breathe well. The faithful are fewer in number than before. Young people no longer come to the café. Adèle knows that none of her children (she had six) will take over the establishment. Too many constraints, too many administrative burdens. With Willy, she continues to serve the Sunday morning belote players and passing customers with a smile. She remains the guardian of one of the last traditional cafés in the region.
1695134523
#Adèle #runs #traditional #café
