New Zealand-inspired Pae Pae Café to open in Lille in September – 08/07/2024

Another new country is settling in Lille, and this is a change from the norm. It's not Italian, Japanese or American cuisine that you'll soon be able to devour, but New Zealand.

Let's start at the beginning. Manon, 26, started her career in cosmetics, but soon realized that she had adapted. Once her boyfriend finished his studies, the lovebirds decided to travel abroad for a few months.My goal was to improve my English. We were never a fan of the US, Australia has a lot of French and we really wanted a change of scenery so we thought of New Zealand.“Manon explains,” he says.

In total, the lovers left for 10 months, from September 2022 to July 2023. And then to earn money and continue to enjoy it, you had to find a job. So Manon became a barista in a cafe, and she loved it: “The profession of waiter or waitress is highly valued in New Zealand. There are cafes absolutely everywhere, everyone goes there before work, but also at lunchtime for breakfast and lunch: it is really rooted in them“

So here's the thing, ever since the travelling couple returned from the other side of the world, Manon has had only one idea in mind: to recreate a typical New Zealand café here, in his home in Lille.Without being cliché, I will not be hanging huge country flags.“She laughs.

After extensive searching, I found a place in 177 Clementine Deman Alleyto European techniques in the Bois-Blancs area His little name will be bye Byeand will open in early September. Manon is the sole manager of the new café, but “My friend helps me with the work and I hired a cook because doing everything by myself was not possible.”