Breakfast at Geraud's Patisserie, Anguilla (and a trip to AARF)

With two different beaches, a balcony overlooking the sea, and a lounge with a perfect sunset view every evening, it’s temptingly easy to spend whole days at the hotel here. But Anguilla is such an interesting island – and so easy to get around – that one of our favorite things to do is get in the car and explore.

I wanted to visit AARF (the Anguilla Animal Rescue Foundation) to donate some collars and toys, and we decided to stop for breakfast on the way. One of the names I heard over and over was Geraud’s – and we do love pastries, so that’s where we went.

It’s fairly easy to spot the bright, aqua-painted bakery in the middle of a low block of shops, but harder to find parking. Geraud’s is definitely popular!

We chose an almond croissant, a cheese danish, and an apple danish, and headed to a shady table out front. There’s a good mix of tourists and locals – it’s nice to feel like we’re in a “real” part of the island.

The croissant, nicely flaky and with the right amount of almond filling, was our favorite; the cheese danish had a pleasant tanginess. I saved the apple version for the next day, and it was perhaps even better than the cheese, with tender-firm apple slices and not a hint of the syrupy-sticky filling that sometimes plagues danish (and pies).

More than anything, I liked the ambiance at Geraud’s. The patio has the feel of a sidewalk cafe, with small groups chatting at tables and coming and going inside the cool bakery. Though it’s just off the road, there’s plenty of greenery to provide a natural barrier from the occasional passing car.

We spotted a happy dog in the parking lot, enjoying the shade. Anguillan dogs seem universally easygoing, and we come across them napping in all sorts of unexpected places, like on the beach in the dark, or – more nerve-rrackingly when driving – at the side of the road.

The dog reminded us of our AARF mission, so we pressed on towards the far end of the island.

If you come to Anguilla, I highly recommend a stop by AARF. There’s a veterinary clinic there, and more importantly, the AARF volunteers take in unwanted puppies and kittens (and adult animals) and find homes for them.

I dropped off my donation and then played with the puppies for a little bit. There were lots, of every color, all adorable and sweet-natured. One rambunctious litter seemed primarily interested in chewing on my toes.

The volunteers and staff do a fantastic job in the face of a seemingly unending supply of puppies (two were adopted to the US, but then three more arrived when we were there!).

I’m so glad we stopped by AARF!

If you’d like to support AARF, here’s a link outlining how you can help.

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