Carnet de Voyage: Somewhere Unusual in Troyes 

Travel notes from the real France. Carnet de Voyage is a weekly personal travel story in France sent in by readers. If you’d like to write a story for Carnet de Voyage, head here for details on how to submit. 

Quirky, different, appealing. We were in Troyes – but I’m not just talking about the town and its architecture. We stayed in the lovely Maison de la Reina, as different and charming as the town itself. This was our fourth visit. 

It didn’t look like a hotel, more a smart house or even a business. A small plaque by the front door quietly identified it. On our first visit, we walked past it, not realising what we were looking for. 

The open plan entrance hall has a winding staircase leading upwards with rooms on two floors, all unique. They aren’t spacious – it’s not a place for a week’s holiday – and doesn’t boast large wardrobes and cupboards. But you don’t need storage when you’re here for one night, passing through from England to the Alps, as we were, or returning. Just a good, interesting place to split the journey. The original, modern interior is at odds with the outside appearance of the building but somehow it doesn’t jar. 

Unusually for French accommodation, coffee, tea and something sweet like a madeleine are waiting in the rooms for guests; a cosy welcome. And more surprisingly, breakfast is included in the price. Typically French fare: croissants, pains au chocolat, jams, cheeses, fruit, yoghurts, with juice and coffee or tea. Even a nod to the tourists with cereals and milk. The same pleasant Madame has been serving here for years. It sets you up for the onward drive. 

On the ground floor, adjacent to the breakfast room is a residents’ lounge. I’ve yet to see anyone sitting there – maybe I’ve simply not been around at the right time. It boasts a large silver model of a puma (or maybe some other wild cat?), atmospheric lighting and comfortable seating. 

It’s a ten-to-fifteen-minute walk into Troyes for an evening meal. The choice of restaurants is huge and the narrow streets and crooked, medieval buildings a delight. There is a romance to it, as many lovers have undoubtedly found. You have to walk the length of the Ruelle des Chats (Cats’ Alley), so called because the closeness of the buildings, especially at attic level, meant that felines could easily jump from one side to the other. And Goldsmiths Tower is never without its photographers. 

You can, of course, stay in all sorts of places when you visit Troyes – there is a large choice – but we keep returning to our favourite, the Maison de la Reina. 

Read our other Carnet de Voyage entries here.

Linda Fawke is a writer, a skier, a chatterbox, a traveller, and a frequent misplacer of handbags. Passionate about languages (especially French), food (especially cheese), wine, and time spent with family and friends, she has self-published two novels drawing on a pharmaceutical background: A Taste of His Own Medicine and A Prescription for Madness, as well as a non-fiction book, Going Downhill – A Retiree’s Guide to Ski-Bumming. The latter is based on personal experiences in France, both in summer and winter—not just skiing! Linda is also a member of the thriving Wokingham Writers’ Group.