Rouen: AirBnB Flat

AirBnB can be somewhat the luck of the draw. We booked a Superhost in Florence whose accommodation was so filthy that we had sinusitis from the dust mites.

We scored a good one with this apartment in Rouen. It comes with a charming outdoor courtyard, a well-equipped kitchen and even a bathtub meant for 2.

Maximilien Certain

The landlord is Maximilien Certain. He is a young man of 28, who grew up in the countryside around Rouen. He learnt construction from his father. He bought this apartment as a dilapidated storage room with a high ceiling. By his own hand, he refurbished it. He did the electricity, the floorboards, the mezzanine floor, the carpentry. He even made the coffee table by up cycling an old marble table top broken into 2 pieces. He mended it with melted steel. He designed and constructed the 2 person bathtub by hand.

He learnt his craft alongside his Dad, and bought this first apartment in his early 20s. Since then, he has refurbished many apartments. He buys dilapidated ones and sells them for a good profit after his own version of a design and build. He is now 28 years old, and owns 3 apartments and 1 apartment block. One of the apartments is in Paris. If you know how expensive Parisian properties are, you will understand how much this young man has achieved.

I chatted with him. He shared that he wanted to have an apartment in every major city in Europe, and most of the larger towns in France. I said that he had big dreams. He looked me in the eye and said: "It is not a dream. Dreams are elusive. Mine are goals. I prefer goals. Goals can be achieved. After achieving this goal, I will set another."

An Adventure

I had something of an adventure when we arrived. Maximilien asked me to chope the parking lot in front of the building, whilst he went to help The Husband get out of an underground parking complex, where our car was stuck because there was no way to pay parking fees in cash, and they would not accept our credit/debit cards. An old couple in their 60s came along. They were extremely nasty. The Husband tried to back forcibly into me: like run me down with his car. Thankfully, at that moment, 1.9 m tall Maximilien arrived. 

The couple left when he motioned to them to leave. 

Charming little courtyard.

The bed overlooks the courtyard.

The bed is in an alcove.

There is a walk-in wardrobe.

Small little kitchen with everything one needs for simple meals.

Lovely living room.

Bathtub made for 2.