Wheel Nut:
billybigrig:
Thetaff:
billybigrig:
I’m guessing Taffs will be Perpignan , I’ll let him explain
For me ■■ I always liked the Little House at Le Muret
Your right it is,the food went down a treat!! Best 20 euro I’ve ever spent
20 Euro
That probably includes a couple of Kir and a couple of Pastis or Ricard to help you sleep
Well it was something to help him sleep, for sure 
billybigrig:
Thetaff:
billybigrig:
I’m guessing Taffs will be Perpignan , I’ll let him explainFor me ■■ I always liked the Little House at Le Muret
Your right it is,the food went down a treat!! Best 20 euro I’ve ever spent
20 Euro
a bit cheap really considering what was on the menu
I picked this very handy guide up last week 
I like their salad bars,and desserts,like the creme brule,or cream caramel,the chef will blow torch the brown sugar on top of the custard.
Snails and pig trotters are good too,along with the tripe stew,cow`s inners or guts,and to finish with a Calvados,with a sugar lump in it,a strong apple liqueur from Normandie,just like a UK msa,or burger van in a lay by,with a porta loo,with no loo roll in it.
Vascoingles:
billybigrig:
Thetaff:
billybigrig:
I’m guessing Taffs will be Perpignan , I’ll let him explainFor me ■■ I always liked the Little House at Le Muret
Your right it is,the food went down a treat!! Best 20 euro I’ve ever spent
20 Euro
a bit cheap really considering what was on the menu
well worth the money as the view where I was sat was second to none. 
To answer to the original question as to the best, or favourite Routier.
I cannot comment other than my normal route from Cherbourg or Caen down the western side of France through to Spain.
My Favourites, in direction order.
Southbound after crossing on the night boat. Always Castets due to its location, which is correct for driving hours and time of day and whilst other routiers along the forest road are full, there is usually room for one more at Castets.
Also if youre there before 2300h you will get fed and you can leave your fridge running where others do not allow it after 2200h.
Northbound Liposthey, Cap de Pins, Claudes at St Genis. Central Routier at Niort, L’Oasis at St. Jean de Beugné, Avaranche next door to the AS24.
billybigrig:
gram67:
muckles:
One question for those who use them more than me.
I’ve been told that you supposed to sit at the next available place, is this correct?I think you are correct, that the etiquette is to take the next available seat and join however is at that table. Like yourself, I don’t have a great deal of experience in Routiers, but I think this is an excellent system that encourages you to communicate with those at the table.
In my opinion, this is far better that better than numerous truckers sat at their own table saying nothing.
That’s the etiquette. I’ve enjoyed many a grand night with a table of mixed nationalities. Lot’s of arm waving, grunting and vin rouge solves the language barrier just fine
Better nights by far than at a table full of Brits
Unlike being one of the last to get into the drivers resturant ,on the cross channel ferry/le ■■■■■■■■■■■■ is it with the “ime having an aisle seat and nobodys sitting next to me” attitude ?
Going back a few years ,Vitorelle 2 on the old road nr. Sete.
In France -sit with lads
In Spain -sit on yer own.
…Avoid Brits everywhere.
definitely Vivonne for me, fantastic selection of food, good friendly staff, clean showers, open weekends and 2 tachos from malaga
kerbut:
After posting about Vivonne a thought hit me, didn’t the fat man who was the owner set his daughter and son in law up in business at Castets ?
he now runs the belle cantiniere while his daughter owns vivonne and western trucks. another member of the family owns castets, maybe a brother?
Another good one is North of Bordeaux on the ring road,there is an AS24 station there,exit 24,i think???You exit where there is a McDonalds opposite and a supermarket,it is not the Begles exit,where the large shopping mall is,and AS24,truck wash and free parking. The best ones are the hardest to locate,off the main roads,one i found,the steak was the size of a truck`s steering wheel.
The French Routiers from Irun to Paris changed suddenly when Spain & Portugal joined the EEC. The Spanish drivers would only order steak & chips & the standard of cooking on the main road went South rapido.
harry:
The French Routiers from Irun to Paris changed suddenly when Spain & Portugal joined the EEC. The Spanish drivers would only order steak & chips & the standard of cooking on the main road went South rapido.
If thought steak and chips was what they expected Les Anglais to order, bien qui
Ah oui,bien cuit,well cooked,if on the toll road,you get a 25% discount if you tell the ■■■■■■■ the till that you are a chaffeur poids lourds,they may ask to see your licence as proof,if not too busy.Poids Lourds is heavy weight.
The problem with ordering Bien Cuit in France is that the chef will probably wipe his ■■■■■■■■ along the plate in disgust
Bleu - very rare
Saignant - rare
A point - medium
Bien cuit - well done
Carbonisé - very well done
Even ordering Blue in England will probably have it over cooked for a French diner.
If you like raw steak, then the only way to eat it is as Steak Tartare. I am counting the days to my trip to France
Originally Steak Tartare was called Cheval tartare 
No, sorry Malc, it’s got to be dead.
Any possible sign that it might get up off the plate and walk away - it goes back!
Stan
Stanley Knife:
No, sorry Malc, it’s got to be dead.Any possible sign that it might get up off the plate and walk away - it goes back!
Stan
I don’t like it to flinch when I stick a fork into it either
I ain’t keen on pink frites either.
Simon:
Stanley Knife:
No, sorry Malc, it’s got to be dead.Any possible sign that it might get up off the plate and walk away - it goes back!
Stan
I don’t like it to flinch when I stick a fork into it either
I ain’t keen on pink frites either.
Fantastic French Food
One of my favourites routiers in france is guilberville near saint-lo close to j40 of the A84 between caen and avranches,i also like vivonne and the one below it les minieres near payre.
Vivonne was always good & Relais De La Poste in Liposthey was a favourite. Le Disc Bleu on the N7 nr Loriol sur Drome, the huge routiers at Deols nr Chatearoux (I forget the name) was a fave weekendng place certainly one of the best meals I ever ate abroad & also the one at Salbris south of Orleans, again absolutely excellent food & open 7 days too. Mustn’t forget Cap de Pin on the N10 too & the half pint sized Kirs .
My all time favourite though had to be Luc’s on the old N137 at St Hilaire du Loulay, grills to die for & an excellent cheeseboard & as much vin rouge as you needed to make your back teeth float iirc it was called Le Relax, sadly Luc the proprietor was involved in a motorcycle accident which left him badly disabled & his wife Michelle decided to sell the restaurant & hotel on. I did use it a few times after but found the food & hospitality sadly lacking by comparison.
There are/were so many excellent eateries in France, perfect saingnant steaks & gorgeous pigs trotters,kidneys etc. Can honestly say I rarely had a bad meal there, as always just look how many French wagons are on the park,not English always shake hands when joining them at the table, always offer to fill their wine glasses before yours & by the end of your meal you’ll have learned a little more of the lingo each time & probably gained a little more respect for our French cousins & their way of life. As far as eating, drinking & good motoring are concerened “Vive La France” is what I say!
CALUM:
One of my favourites routiers in france is guilberville near saint-lo close to j40 of the A84 between caen and avranches,i also like vivonne and the one below it les minieres near payre.
That is the one with the big car park on several levels, like a farm yard at the top?
If that is the one, it is a good eating place and gets very busy.
