Wake up and smell the coffee
Real Coffee on the Cap
La Torref de Fersen is the only place in Antibes where you will find coffee roasted in house. Opened in 2017 by Franck, La Torref de Fersen quickly became Antibes’ most popular coffee house. If you love real coffee then you need to visit this little place on Rue de Fersen. Tucked away in the backstreets of old Antibes Franck blends, roasts and grinds his coffee beans daily to make his beatiful cups of coffee. When Franck isn’t making coffee he also shares his passion by offering coffee and espresso workshops on demand. Definately worth a pitstop when you are next in Antibes.
Yes I know it’s a bit of a tenuous link to Cap d’Antibes but I bumped into Frank this summer in the port d’Abri de l’Olivette where he was taking photos of his coffee. Also one of Franks best friends is Francois so he spends a lot of time here relaxing on the Kanabistro. I think that’s enough of a connection to merit a post:).
What are you doing on the Cap today?
I have a roasting atelier and coffee shop in the old town called La Torref de Fersen so I thought I would come and take some photos for my social media and get some fresh air.
Why here?
I have a good friend of mine, Francois, who has a pointu in Olivette so I know this little port well, actually it’s my favourite place on the Cap. I come here a lot to meet with him and chill on his Pointu. The view here is beautiful so it’s nice spot for taking photos. It was also a good excuse to take a spin around Cap d’Antibes on my motorbike.
How long have you owned La Torref de Fersen?
I opened my coffee shop two years ago.
Are you originally from Antibes then?
No not at all. I am from Paris. I spent 40 years in Paris but, after having my children, I decided it wasn’t the best place to be anymore. The life is too fast paced and there is too much pollution. My partner and I decided to leave Paris for a different place with a different lifestyle. At the very beginning I wanted to go to Biarritz because I am a big fan of surfing. Finally we decided to come to the Cote d’Azur. The weather is great and also my girlfriend has a family house in Menton. We stayed there for a year while exploring the area to decide where to settle. After a lot of time looking all over the coast we decided to install ourselves in Antibes. Both of us had a really good feeling about this place. I was also looking for somewhere to open a coffee shop and Antibes seemed like a good place for that too.
Tell me a bit about when your passion for coffee began.
It began the first time I tried a cup of coffee. I was probably about 17 years old.
At that time I used to drink a very small coffee with 2 or 3 spoons of sugar in it, can you believe it. It was terrible but that’s how I liked it at the time! I didn’t focus on the quality then, at that time I just liked the social aspect of going for a coffee rather than the quality of it. I wouldn’t say that the coffee itself was a passion at this point though.
So when did it become something you wanted to do professionally?
Several years ago now. I was working in Paris selling flats and music studios in with a friend of mine. However for me this became very boring. I got bored of my clients really, People with a lot of money who I just didn’t identify with so I decided to quit and find something else.
A few days after I quit I took a plane to NY to meet one of my best friends and take a barrista class, just like that. At that time there weren’t any good places to learn about coffee here in France so that’s why I went to the states to study. When I came back to France I started to work in the coffee industry. As a barrista to begin with then as head barrista in a very famous coffee shop called the Ten Belles in Paris.
How long does it take to become a barrista?
To learn the basics of Barista’s profession, an initial training of 5 to 10 days makes it possible to understand and master the basics but then it is necessary to practice a lot to improve your techniques and knowledge, you never stop learning and there is always room for improvement!
After a while being a barrista wasn’t enough for me I wanted to be a roaster so I went to learn that too. I learned through colleagues and training workshops. The job of a roaster requires so much knowledge and humility that I can not give a learning time period, it depends on the person, only practice makes perfect.
Which country makes the best coffee beans?
In my opinion Ethiopia, but I stock great coffee from Kenya, Burundi, Rwanda, Brazil, El Salvadore, Guatemala and Colombia. I change coffees often as I buy small amounts from small producers all over the world.
What’s the best time of day to drink a coffee?
The best time of day to drink a coffee is between 9.30-11am. At this time of day your palate is most alert and receptive to the sensory and aromatic analysis of the coffee.
Apart from Coffee, what else are you passionate about?
My family, skateboarding, my motorbike and surfing. Unfortunately I don’t have much time for the surfing.
Can someone come and learn how to make a great cup of coffee at Le Torref de Fersen?
Yes, I run espresso and barista workshops on demand, you can book by calling the shop or just pop in. A 3hr work shop costs from 90.00 euros and you can choose from Espresso basics, slow coffee basics and Latte art basics.
La Torref de Fersen opening Times:
Tues-Fri 9am-12.30 13.30-18.00
Saturday 9.30-18.00
Tel: 09 67 04 64 68
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