Fatima Selini, co-owner of Le Marche Parisien, in the French cafe and market near Bedford on Thursday. Photo by Tim Krochak /Chronicle HeraldArticle contentHichem Mefaredj and Fatima Selini have never been afraid to chase adventure around the world.THIS CONTENT IS RESERVED FOR SUBSCRIBERS ONLY.Subscribe now to access this story and more:Unlimited access to the website and appExclusive access to premium content, newsletters and podcastsFull access to the e-Edition app, an electronic replica of the print edition that you can share, download and comment onEnjoy insights and behind-the-scenes analysis from our award-winning journalistsSupport local journalists and the next generation of journalistsSUBSCRIBE TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLES.Subscribe or sign in to your account to continue your reading experience.Unlimited access to the website and appExclusive access to premium content, newsletters and podcastsFull access to the e-Edition app, an electronic replica of the print edition that you can share, download and comment onEnjoy insights and behind-the-scenes analysis from our award-winning journalistsSupport local journalists and the next generation of journalistsRegister to unlock more articles.Create an account or sign in to continue your reading experience.Access additional stories every monthShare your thoughts and join the conversation in our commenting communityGet email updates from your favourite authorsSign In or Create an AccountorArticle contentThey are originally from the quaint city of Strasbourg in France, right on the border with Germany, but spent close to two decades living and working in exotic places like Iraq, the United Arab Emirates and countries in Africa. But three years ago, they decided it was time to settle down.Article contentArticle contentArticle contentRather than return to France, they chose Canada. Specifically, they’d heard Nova Scotia was a nice place to live, although they’d never even visited.Article content“At some point we said, ‘OK, our kids are getting older, so we need to think about a future for them, especially university,’ so we wanted a place where we will still feel like expatriates but at the same time being (settled) with the kids,” Selini said. “We looked at Canada and thought it might be the best place for that.”Article content“We did all the immigration process, and we got an invitation letter from Nova Scotia,” she added. “So then we moved here and decided, ‘OK, now it’s time to have our roots here.’”Article content Fatima Selini, one of the owners of Le Marche Parisien near Bedford, serves a customer on Thursday. Photo by Willy Palov /Chronicle HeraldArticle contentOnce they got their feet under them in their new home, the couple wanted to find a professional pursuit that represented their philosophies about life. Somehow, they wanted to strike a balance between family stability and the thrill of globetrotting, while also honouring a connection to their home country.Article contentExactly one year ago, they opened Le Marche Parisien near Bedford. It’s a cafe, bakery and specialty grocery store meant to recreate the markets in France.Article contentArticle content“My husband has experience in retail, so he has experience in baking, in coffee, in everything relating to retail, so we brought his experience here in Canada,” said Selini, explaining how Mefaredj worked for the massive French chain Carrefour, which is comparable to Walmart in North America.Article contentArticle content“We wanted the decoration to be like in France. And the coffee is like what you get in France but not modern coffee. I would say it’s back in time, so it’s quite different from what we can find here in Halifax.”Article contentIn addition to the popular coffees, the authentic pastries are also favourites with customers. Occasionally, Selini said other French expats come to the store to get specific treats that aren’t carried anywhere else in the province but that remind them of home.Article content Fresh croissants at Le Marche Parisien near Bedford on Thursday. Photo by Tim Krochak /Chronicle HeraldArticle contentLikewise, Selini and Mefaredj get to indulge in those French flavours themselves but also create a bond with France for their 17-year-old daughter and 12-year-old son.Article content“At the end, even if we moved a lot around the world, we still have this French connection,” said Selini, who pointed out that her husband is in France at the moment. “We really wanted that for our kids.”
French connection: Family moved to Halifax area to open Parisian-style market despite never visiting Nova Scotia before
