Favorite Routiers and other European Truckstops

[chazzer]

I'm sure we all had our favorite watering holes that we would try to make a point of stopping at for the night, maybe a Routiers in France, a Ristorante in Italy or Hostel in Spain or somewhere else in Europe, maybe this topic has been done before but I did'nt find anything so I'm sure there are plenty of stories to be heard. One of my favorites was Norbert and Jaquellines on the N6 south of Chalon sur Saone, plenty of parking, excellent food and good facilities, so lets hear from all you european drivers and those passing through on the way to further pastures because we all had to transit these countries which lets face it have a lot better attitude to the truck driver.

[mushroomman]

Hello Chazzer, I used to really like The Algerians north of Auxerre just off the Route National 6 in France, I can't think of the name of the town at the moment but it was not far from Point Dain, a bit before where the railway bridge was on a bad bend. Thompson Jewitt, Berrisford and A1 drivers used to use it, you could park outside on the road through the town if you couldn't fit into the town square. In the summer the police never seemed to bother drivers and would even sit out on the pavement having a coffee/cognac. In fact whenever I see that scene at the front of the cafe in Hello Hello I often think of The Algerians, Tuesday night was always Lamb Couscous. I wonder if it's still there .

Regards Steve.

[Dieseldog66]

Charlies, between Luneville and Saint Die I think N59. or was it before Luneville? well it was a long time ago.

[jdc]

When heading for Germany would always try and make the Schwannhaus at Venlo. Nice food, immaculate showers and the dutch owner and his wife hated the Germans which made for interesting times when the football was on. It was only a short walk from the town centre also so if you were weekended there you had somewhere to have a mooch around.

[chazzer]

Hi Steve, the Algerians was north of Joigny between there and Sens and like you say plenty of CousCous on hand, though I can't imagine the British police sitting outside an english truckers cafe supping a pint, different way of life I suppose... There were several good Routiers on that road the N7 from Paris, one in a village before Fontainbleu right on a set of lights with a large truck park on the other side of the road.

[Jazzandy]

Great thread idea!

My favourites were the restaurant at Scwarzbach autobahn grenz which served the best Gulaschsuppe I've ever tasted and the bahnhof restaurant at Ludswigburg where we used to eat while waiting for the Kombivehrkehr. fabulous Wiener schnitzel! I was there one winters night after battling through blizzards on the Munich autobahn which literally was closing behind me. Just got through without chaining up. On the wait list for the train. Just finished several beers and a schnitzel when the DB man rushed in with my ticket. Bliss!

[bestbooties]

Mama's at Spielfeld in Austria was the favourite last,and first, stop in what was then West Europe before entering Eastern Europe or heading for the Middle East.
At that time,it was the last place you could dial straight through that call home,or get a really good meal and a few beers plus the latest news on the situation further down the road.

[Loose-wire]

Well Mama's was ok the food was good, but great meeting point ,especialy when Mama cought the Iranie who squatted on the toilet and [zb] down the back of the pan and tryed to walk out, bad move on his part ,she chased him down the road smacking him on the head with a witches broom two Austrian drivers cought him and marched him back to the resturant and Mama stood over him while he cleaned up the [zb],there were about 8 british drivers there at that time and it was the talking point for years

[geoffthecrowtaylor]

My favourite always was the Bakehouse at St Cyr sur Menthon everyone who did Italy in the early 70s will remember it another one was the Monkeyhouse top of the hill coming north from Bellegard there were so many it s hard to choose a favourite but mine will always be the Bakehouse. Crow.

[JohnyRose63]

way to many to mention but here goes. algerians RN6 auxerre. mamas rosa. bassano d grappa.
le mistrals (footballers) chalons . sisters arluno milan. relais de donzere RN7. le relais haute bresse jayat.motel aurora colico via nazionale nord 4. englishmans brienne. orte nr rome.

[jacko22]

Another vote for the Algerians or Relais de Six boules, unfortunatly now been demolished! A lot of people didn't like Jayat but for me the best ham "n" eggs to be found anywhere! The Pub at Bourg was a regular Sunday stop off or when the patron Dennis moved down the road torwards Belley at Rousillion & opened the Pinkhouse. The Sisters at Arluno or the Glasshouse a little bit further up the road, Santhia was ok too & how about the Brandyhouse near Milanspeds in Cormano! Also the one at Montebello near Vicenza that the brit boys called the "eyes in the sky"

[mushroomman]

Hello Jacko, the wooden chalet at Santhia was not bad if you were week-ending in the summer as you could walk around to that open air swimming pool in the village. One Sunday lunch time we were all sitting down inside having lunch when there was a cloud burst outside. Rain started streaming through the roof in dozens of places, the staff were dashing around picking up some of the tables while we were still eating and moved them to where ever there was a dry spot. Buckets, pots and pans were then used to catch some of the water as the customers carried on eating some of them not even batting an eyelid. As the waiters were really busy they asked some of the drivers to keep an eye on the containers so as one bucket or a large saucepan was reaching the top somebody would get up, open the window and empty it out. Come to think of it wasn't there two places where you could park up in Santhia .

Regards Steve.

P.S. That's it, The Six Boules at Joigny better known as The Algerians no wonder I couldn't find it on Google Earth.

[Peter 1961]

Freds Coslada, Victors Burgos, many a weekend spent in these places as well as.............................. Far to many to remember, the Ugly Sisters at Macon, come on guys lats have some more.....

[jacko22]

There was 2 restuarants at santhia & if i am sure a nightclub too as well as the swimming pool

[Rikki-UK]

St Marie de Cunes- just before Frejus- great little routier and a short (uphill) walk to some great bars

[woodyinfrance]

got a few realy , the footballers RN6 challons - tournos the bakehouse st cyr as some one has mentioned,one i used regular on swiss was the top of the bon homme st die to colmar, not realy a routiers but a good stop for good food , and not forgeting pappas at aiosta and paladini,s just after santhia on the a4 torino-milano

[newmercman]

way to many to mention but here goes. algerians RN6 auxerre. mamas rosa. bassano d grappa.
le mistrals (footballers) chalons . sisters arluno milan. relais de donzere RN7. le relais haute bresse jayat.motel aurora colico via nazionale nord 4. englishmans brienne. orte nr rome.

I used to load out of Bassano del Grappa every week for years, I used to eat in the Ritorante Magnolia, which was opposite the old offices of the company I loaded for, their warehouse was around the corner. The guvnor of the restuaraunt taught me how to eat Italian food like an Italian (lots of small courses and a bottle of wine with each one ) I also used the Pizzeria by the Ponte Vecchio, wonderful little town, brings back lots of good memories

Le Mistral and the one a bit further down that was something to do with the lot that owned the Algerians was another good one, especially on Couscous night. There were quite a few good places along the RN6 as it happens, there was one on the top of Bessy that the Southampton boys used to use, then further up the Rally Route and then the Algerians, from there the junction of the Ho Chi Min and the RN6 had three or four decent places, from there on it was a bit barren until another really good one at Hautvilliers, after that it was the Greasy Spoon/Wheelhouse in Dover.

Going south from the Chalons area, there was the one at Pont D'Ain and if you were going Mont Blanc, the Monkey House or Nantua, going Frejus there was a big one near the railway sidings near to the solit for the RN504 and RN75/85, from there the Pink House and the one at the bottom of the Tunnel du Chat, then the log cabin on the way up to Modane.

Going down the West Side there were numerous good ones, everyone used different routes, but I used Samur - La fleche quite a bit and found a couple of good spots (can't remember them now though) South of Poitiers there is Vivonne (another really good one) then Le Pacific just north of Bordeaux, then Castets.

In Spain it was the usual suspects, Victors, Freds, the Grand buffet at Cambrills etc etc.

In Italy, again the usual suspects, Carisio, the Glasshouse, The refinery at Pero, Concorezzo, the one at the Gorgonzola exit, Montebello, Campogalliano, Orte etc etc.

In Greece, Peters in Kerasini or the Sussex Arms in Gyflada.

Portugal was a bit hit and miss, only went a few times, so just followed the crowds.

I also remember walking over the border at St Louis/Basle into Swiss and going to a ex M/E driver's restuaraunt, not bad grub and reasonably priced for Swiss too.

Never had anything to get too excited about in Belgium with the exception of the Wally Stop, a couple of decent ones in the fatherland were Gieselwind and the Aral on the 61 one exit up from Stromberg, again I can't remember the name of it.

[dessert driver]

got a few realy , the footballers RN6 challons - tournos the bakehouse st cyr as some one has mentioned,one i used regular on swiss was the top of the bon homme st die to colmar, not realy a routiers but a good stop for good food , and not forgeting pappas at aiosta and paladini,s just after santhia on the a4 torino-milano

Hi boys
woody now you have hit the brain sells that one on top of the bon homme. Had many a good meal there with the bottle of wine. it took you till you got to the bottom of the hill before the affects started to wear off I was weekended there on the way to Swiss one week and was woke up midday on the Sunday by a coach pulling in. It was full of teenage girls and as it stopped they all got out and went into the wood to relieve themselves. the shyer ones going further in. After a couple of mins the bus driver sounded his horn and started to move. You should have seen them come running with nickers around their ankles he was laughing his head off

As for other places to stop in France I would always try to stop where other French trucks were and very rarely got a bad meal and was always welcomed.

Regards Keith

[chazzer]

Stopped At Mamas at Spielfeld on the way back from m/e in the company of messrs Baker, Thorne, Ray Usher and a couple of others on a saturday and as we were all loading around Munich on the monday some decided to go on to Paulines at Golling and myself Baker and Usher were going to stay at Mamas. That was ok until Georgie Hall turned up and I could see a serious session coming on so I decided to leave and go to Paulines, only problem was I got several miles down the road and discovered that for a laugh someone had nicked my rad cap so I lost some time refilling it and stuffing some rag in the rad. Unfortunately this put me into saturday afternoon's driving ban when about 50k from Golling I got pulled into a layby near a Gasthaus where I spent the rest of the weekend with the polizei trying to relieve me of some cash, so I pleaded poverty but they did'nt bring my passport back until sunday night.

[Papa Numpty]

The Algerians on the n 6 was in Epineau les voves Le hotel de six boules with Sylvie behind the bar open from sunday am untill midnight sat, a favourite of mine & many of my workmates.
I have eaten in most of the places mentioned and it brings back a load of good memories,but the most favourite of all was Le vielle auberge in Faillens just after you turned off at Macon towards Bourg en bresse it was next to the church in the village ,it was not a Routier as such but same prices. Over the years i became good friends with the owners Daniel & Charlotte its quite crazy but before now i have loaded in Holland and driven virtualy non stop just to eat there & somtimes too knackered to really enjoy the meal. Unfortunatly Daniel passed away around six years ago but i am still in contact with Charlotte but have not seen her since 2008 when i went on a trip to see old friends, sorry to waffle on but this thread provoked so many memories and as you get older they become more pronounced if thats the right word Take Care all Melv.

[magnum mark]

Bakehouse,Algerians,Tonys at Wurzburg, Wally Stop, Reienbollen, Chrasio, Campo, all great places...
I use the tank cleaning stations now, safe to park and good food and clean showers. Most of all not many wombles use them!!!!

[Papa Numpty]

Some of the best nights i remember were the unpland i remember running with Newmercman one trip we stopped at a place before Le mans parking on right restaurant on left only the two of us but one of the best nights that i remember i think i fell in love with the waitress but on reflection it could have been infatuation or then again it could have just been the wine happy days, you all take care Melv.

[newmercman]

Bakehouse,Algerians,Tonys at Wurzburg, Wally Stop, Reienbollen, Chrasio, Campo, all great places...
I use the tank cleaning stations now, safe to park and good food and clean showers. Most of all not many wombles use them!!!!

Rheinbollen, that's the one I was thinking of on the 61

[newmercman]

Some of the best nights i remember were the unpland i remember running with Newmercman one trip we stopped at a place before Le mans parking on right restaurant on left only the two of us but one of the best nights that i remember i think i fell in love with the waitress but on reflection it could have been infatuation or then again it could have just been the wine happy days, you all take care Melv.

It was the wine Melv, it always was certainly happy days though, like you I remember that night as if it was the day before yesterday. It was in a little town called Le/La Chene Vert (Green Bush) apart from the good food and better company I remember how clean the place was, especially the toilets (unusual for France) the brass was all polished to a mirror finish. Le Patron was a jovial old boy, an ex driver. I've had untold thousands of night's out and that one is lodged in my memory, it was a bloody good night out for sure

[Papa Numpty]

Somebody mentioned Peters in Kerasini i remember Harrys in Kerasini he later moved to Aspropagos by the flyover nice guy very helpfull but i allways thought he was wearing the teeth in for the dog, but i used to like the meals cooked by his polish staff again happy days, for you younger guys dont worry one day hopefullly you will find yourself in the same sad state Take Care Melv.

[OTS]

Freds Coslada, Victors Burgos, many a weekend spent in these places as well as.............................. Far to many to remember, the Ugly Sisters at Macon, come on guys lats have some more.....

BP Zaragoza, Roses on the n423 to Valencia , Upstairs down stairs Nules , Igors just North of Le mans. Castets

[Papa Numpty]

You are probably right Mark, the older i get i wonder how i used to cope with all the paperwork if i had a pound for every hour i spent standig on those stairs in Dover i would be a weathy man but the memories are great and i am ticking over ok i am going to uk soon to look up Leigh & some old friends but i know after a few weeks i will be glad to be back here although the garden keps threatening to beat me , get into Walter trout brilliant on a long run Take Care Melv.P S THE WONDERS OF TECHNOLOGY.

[Papa Numpty]

IGOR was the dogs name good place just beforeLe mans southbound

[chazzer]

Autohof Tennenlohe, on the A3 by Nuremburg a good place to be weekended, I think it was 35 DM and you got a book of vouchers for lunch and dinner on the saturday and breakfast ,L an D on Sunday plus admission to the spa in the nearby hotel.

[mushroomman]

Yea Chazzer Tennenlohe , that was very handy if you didn't have enough hours to run through to that restaurant at the Waidhaus border before crossing into Czecho. A Jagersnitzel, pommes frites and the last decent beer for the next couple of weeks .