Who is “Rosa Gallica”? Exceptionally furnished tourism…

Rosa Gallica (or Rose de Provins) is the oldest known rose in France. She would have been brought back from the Holy Land on the return of the Crusades by Thibault de Champagne.

In 2003, Martine and I, Jean-Paul Krebs, created the Clos de la Rose, a guest house in Ile de France, not far from Provins. Our small family business that manages it has taken the name of Rosa Gallica, a nod to the rose of Provins and the large garden with more than a hundred roses that we had created there. We are enthusiasts who have evolved in the world of air transport and tourism throughout our career, serving destinations close to Scotland or more distant like Seychelles. In 2006, we renovated our first house on the Riquewihr rampart and created the Dove’s Nest*****.

Other cottages followed: we carried out several projects for the renovation and development of old Alsatian houses to make them exceptional holiday apartments. It took a lot of effort and work but we are proud of the result. Here is, one example among others, our family cottage of the Lucky Dragon*****.

Martine and Jean-Paul Krebs with the Westie Happy

Ruins of the house that will later become our holiday home of the Dragon of the Good Lune. People told us that we were crazy to buy such ruins, like this 17th century Alsatian house.

After 2 years of work, the old house in ruins became our beautiful holiday apartment of the Lucky Dragon*****.

But we are heritage lovers and the magnitude of the task does not scare us!

Our realisation, carried out with traditional techniques and materials, won the Gold Medal of the ASMA, Association for the Safeguarding of the Alsatian House.

There are travellers who are primarily looking for a place to sleep, no matter what roof they have above their heads and the decor around them. In the past, we were looking for a cottage to have cheap accommodation for several people, much cheaper than the hotel. The visitors we welcome to our home are not in this approach. Many of our guests cross the world and cross the oceans to visit France. Some have become friends over the time. They want to enjoy every moment of their stay.

We had the chance and the privilege of being able to restore houses steeped in history and set in a setting of great beauty. Riquewihr, a classified mediaeval village, is among the most beautiful in France and Europe. We couldn’t bring ourselves to make our cottages only places where we sleep. We wanted you to enjoy a comfortable moment of relaxation in an apartment that is your home for your stay. We wanted to honour a remarkable site at the same time as all the aesthetes and epicureans, lovers of good and beautiful things, who will know how to savour the place and the moment…

We have brought together the holiday apartments we created in Riquewihr under the name of “Riquewihr Walls®” because they are all located in one of the two mediaeval ramparts of the city.

Since 2009, we have settled permanently in this beautiful region of Alsace, which is also that of part of our ancestors.

When we left the Paris region to settle permanently in Alsace, we were looking for a house in the middle of nature with a beautiful view. And we discovered a pretty architect’s house built in 1929 by the former forest ranger of the state forest of La Vancelle. This man close to nature had taken the time to study the movement of the sun and shadows on the mountainside, in the great clearing of La Vancelle. This charming village of 400 inhabitants is south-east facing the sun, and the horizon is crowned by the silhouette of the famous Haut-Koenigsbourg castle. Here again, major development work was necessary to renovate the building and bring modern comfort to it. But the site is extraordinary by the quality of its environment. In this house located on a large orchard, we were able to develop two comfortable apartments. A private apartment for us and the holiday apartment The Mountain Hiker***** for travellers who wish to rest in a quiet and exceptional site.

In the garden, we have set up a small private terrace for our guests, with an arbor where you can eat on sunny days. The Mountain Hiker***** is easily accessible from the Alsace Wine Route in a few minutes by car. It is a particularly pleasant place to stay from April to November and an excellent base to discover all of Alsace as well as nearby Germany and the Black Forest.

The gazebo in the garden. On sunny days you can enjoy a barbeque

Our holiday apartment in Mandelieu-La Napoule on the Côte d’Azur is a small gem, facing the sea, right next to the beach and the mediaeval castle of La Napoule.

Regularly, our visitors who appreciated our Alsatian apartments asked us: “Do you have other apartments elsewhere, in another region? “.

We have travelled through many regions in search of another hidden gem. We were seduced by the Mediterranean coast and its special light appreciated by artists. Right next to the mediaeval castle of La Napoule, by the sea, a few kilometres from Cannes, we found a small jewel. Not very large but wonderfully well located, with a terrace facing the sea.

Here is our holiday apartment in Mandelieu-La Napoule, on the French Riviera.

Legal information

Rosa Gallica est une société à responsabilité limitée. Capital 224 000 Euros. Création 2001.

Gérant – M. Jean-Paul Krebs – Seuls associés: Martine et Jean-Paul Krebs

Adresse du siège social – 23 rue du Général De Gaulle, 67730 LA VANCELLE – France  – Téléphone +33 608033752

RCS Colmar 441 666 252 00024 – Numéro de TVA Intracommunautaire (EU) FR11441666252