Heaven is in fact, a boutique B&B nestled in the centre of the charming harbour town of Honfleur.
I actually said the phrase out loud, as we walked through the heavy, ornately carved wood door, "I have died and gone to heaven!"
As a girl with impossible standards, it was the first time that I have stayed somewhere that I would describe as faultless.
From the decor, to the eloquent staff, homemade touches and minute details that takes your experience at La Petite Folie, from marvellous to magnifique!
La Petite Folie is effortless vintage chic, encapsulated in a stunning historic property in the heart of the town. The owner Penny's (an American who married a Frenchman) passion for the house brims over when she described the history of the place and how they bought it within an hour of viewing it, completely restoring the place, sensitively and beautifully.
It feels like each carefully placed piece has been lovingly searched for, for that exact spot. It is a luxury experience, but one that has no pretence and you immediately wish you could live there!
The guest lounge is bursting with books and magazines, which came in very handy during the couple of hours thunderstorm on Saturday afternoon. Home made cakes, tea and coffee is available on tap during the late afternoon and every piece of literature feels as though it's been especially selected to enhance your stay.
An anniversary trip deserved a special room so we chose La Suite Bleue, a beautiful suite in the eves of the house which benefitted from far reaching views to the port and over the public gardens. The room decor was built around the wooden carved headboard and the attention to detail was impeccable. The room had two halves, a day bed and modern television, dvd player and music system for sitting and relaxing, and a more formal area for getting dressed. Don't you just love fluffy robes and slippers?!
The garden is tranquil and there are little secret areas to discover. Everything is authentic and for us, perfection.
Honfleur itself is a visual marvel. Quaint, pretty and cosmopolitan all wrapped up in one charming fishing village. But I will save those pictures for later this week!
Our most favourite piece of furniture was a turn of the century butchers chopping block. Penny explained how she had snapped it up for a steal, because the original legs were broken. The top is so warped from all the beating of the meat, the butcher must have done and that makes it magical!
Breakfast was divine. I don't think we would have cared what was actually served because we were completely in love with the way it was served! I love that Richard appreciated the cabbage leave vintage plates and said "Oooh look at the apple juice!" Home made delicious treats, so much food you could have eaten for hours and on our last morning, they packed us a little leftover lunch for our ferry journey home!
We cannot speak more highly of La Petite Folie. If you ever get the chance to visit Honfleur, this is the only place to stay!
Here's a taste of the village itself...
