Perched between Saint-Michel-l’Observatoire and Banon, Revest-des-Brousses, a small village populated by a few hundred inhabitants, is home to a unique social ecosystem. It’s 11:30 a.m. this Wednesday morning, when Place de la Mairie, address of the Petite Cassette Inn (formerly Lupine Blanc), comes alive.
Terrace installed, door open, the cheerful restaurant team finishes setting up and goes to the table, just before the arrival of the first customers who come for a coffee, a meal… or simply a moment. But why talk about a social ecosystem?
La Petite Casserole is not an ordinary restaurant: it has welcomed and supported people with intellectual disabilities by offering them employment since July. Welcome to an inclusive restaurant in a rural setting.
“We are not starting from scratch”
The creators of this project, Antoine Yver and his wife Gaud, settled a year ago in the village where, forty years earlier, they were married.
He is a pediatric oncologist and she is an intensive care nurse. From their union were born six biological children and four adopted children, all suffering from mental disabilities. “When we reached the age of 21, we realized that there was nothing for them“, confides Antoine. Inspired by Yann Bucaille, creator of Cafés Joyeux (cafes based on the Starbucks model which employ people with Down syndrome), the couple created their first inclusive restaurant in 2018, in the United States.
