That French Place is located at 212 Bridge Street in a charming historic building in downtown Charlevoix. This cute little cafe serves up delicious treats inspired by owners Emily and Brian's frequent travels to France.
Brian and Emily now offer private tours of locations in France and Italy customizable for you and your friends/family. Reach out to them directly for more info by visiting thatfrenchplace.com.
Brian and Emily love to cook. While neither Brian nor Emily are French, they both have an unquenchable thirst for travel and believe that the only way to truly experience a culture is through their food and wine. Having traveled around France a number of times both together and apart they have both developed a passion for French food. French cooking, especially in the South is about taking basic ingredients and elevating them, through technique, into something magical. Brian and Emily try to bring that to every dish they prepare. Whether it be authentic traditional Breton Crepes, classic Breton and French pastries and baked goods, or their soups and dinners that draw inspiration from all their travels, not just France. Nothing brings them more joy than to share their passions with others.
Charlevoix Main Street (CMS) sat down with owners Brian and Emily Freund (B&E) for a Q&A.
CMS: Why did you want to be a small business owner?
B&E: We have had many other jobs prior to owning our own businesses. Our talents led us to a place where opening a business seemed like the best option going forward.
CMS: Why did you choose to open a business downtown Charlevoix?
B&E: At the time we were looking to open our business, Charlevoix had the best location for the money we could ever hope for. It all worked out the way it was supposed to!
CMS: Tell me a little bit about your business.
B&E: We have a bakery/creperie and a ice cream/macaron shop.
CMS: What do you enjoy most about living and working in the Charlevoix area?
B&E: Great business community and you can’t ask for a more beautiful place to live!
CMS: What is something unique about your store/business?
B&E: We do everything from scratch using local producers as much as possible. But what really sets our businesses apart are the two of us. We treat our customers like family and show them how important they are to us each time.
CMS: How would you describe downtown Charlevoix?
B&E: A family friendly place with quaint small town charm that makes doing business a pleasure.
CMS: How has Main Street helped your business?
B&E: Coming up with new programs to help promote the city and businesses. Hosting events that bring people downtown and working with business owners to problem solve and help businesses navigate the unique business landscape of northern Michigan.
CMS: What’s your favorite thing about your business?
B&E: Our customers and being able to share our passion for what we do to them.
CMS: What’s your favorite Charlevoix event?
B&E: Applefest
CMS: Is there anything else you would like to add?
B&E: We really appreciate all of the people who have become our regulars over the years, these short exchanges have grown into friendships and a sense of community that we didn’t know was possible.
What customers are saying:
"That French Place has the best cookies of all time and very friendly faces!" - Caitlin
I stop here every time I’m in Charlevoix! They have the best coffee, crepes and baked goods. Sometimes there’s a wait, it’s worth it.