Bistrot Bertha

Organisation: Bistrot Bertha

Supported Project: Bertha Mobile in Indre-et-Loire

The Bistrot Bertha organisation works to create cheerful, welcoming spaces that offer a change of scenery within care homes for the elderly. By transforming institutional spaces, either temporarily or permanently, into genuine, open bistros, the association takes concrete action to combat the isolation of older people, encourage care homes to open up to their local communities, and rebuild social ties between residents, relatives, care staff and local residents.

Our Foundation is delighted to support the ‘Bertha Mobile in Indre-et-Loire’ project.

The value of the project

Building on the success of several Bertha Bistros across France and numerous pop-up bistros, the Bertha Mobile project will offer a new form of mobile third place, designed to go directly to meet elderly people in their local areas.

From 2026, Bertha Mobile will operate in Indre-et-Loire in partnership with six care homes, visiting each establishment four times a year, amounting to 24 pop-up bistros over the course of the year. On each visit, the team will temporarily transform the venue into a warm and open space, inspired by the bistro atmosphere: convivial tables, music, informal chats and festive events open to all.

Residents, older people living at home, families, relatives and local residents will be invited to come together for these social gatherings, designed to be genuine moments of shared life rather than mere entertainment.

A project promoting social connection

Bertha Mobile aims to break the routine of daily life in care homes and enable residents to enjoy an experience akin to an outing… without leaving their home. The project will also encourage care homes to engage with their local communities by creating regular, unifying events across the region.

For partner care homes, these quarterly events will become key milestones in the year and will provide a practical opportunity to explore what a sustainable ‘third place’ within the care home might eventually look like.

Expected outcomes

● Break down isolation and strengthen older people’s sense of belonging.

● Offer older people opportunities for social interaction that go beyond traditional activities.

● Foster intergenerational and family ties by opening up care homes to relatives and local residents.

● Changing staff perspectives on living spaces within care homes and encouraging the development of sustainable third-place projects.

● Testing an innovative and replicable model for preventing isolation at a departmental level.