Lunch en route to LM

[jock mcsporran]

Last year we stopped in the centre of Rouen and it was a PITA, both for getting around and parking and then we got split up finding our way out of town.

The years before that have just been a blat from the tunnel to the campsite.

Anybody got any recommendations of a place for lunch (late lunch maybe), probably south of Rouen?

Cheers

[Skywalker]

I know some folk recommend Gacé, but I would turn off the N138 / 438 or A28 north of Alençon and head for Bagnôles de l'Orne.
The Restaurant de la Terrasse in the centre is excellent.

[gt6]

we always stop at a big supermarket at berney, grab some food in the cafe and then stock up with beer and other stuff, the food is good,cheap and fast, much much better than what you get at tesco or sainsbury in the uk, recomend the pizza's

Edited by gt6 on Wednesday 2nd May 22:08

[The Leaper]

I may regret passing on this information!

If south of Rouen you are not going to use the auto route and instead use the old N338 (it is now a D road) there's a great place for lunch not long after joining the N338. If you've used the route before, you may remember after joining that it starts by going down a long winding hill, for maybe a kilometre or so. At the bottom of the hill, there's a lane off to the right that leads to this:

Traiteur au Rendez-Vous d'Chasse Restaurant,
Gare de La Londe
76500 South of Rouen
France

[phone]

Don't be put off by the address's reference to the railway station: it's long gone and only the occasional train passes by.

I've used it several times on the trip to Le Mans, always on the Friday. Usually arrive just for lunch and its full of similar like minded Brits. Essential to book well ahead.

There's a website too, I'm sure, but I don't have the details to hand at the minute.

Google Maps will help you locate its precise location.

Bear in mind that a lunch on ther Friday near Rouen will mean you to are likely arrive at downtown Le Mans after the town centre has been closed to traffic due to the early evening parade, so AVOID: we learnt this lesson once, and that was enough.

R.

[Rs2oo]

Last year they closed part of Rouen off just as we got to it and sent us on a diversion which in true French style ran out of diversion signs after about 2. That could be why it was a pain. Otherwise, it not normally too bad.

[gsd2000]

The Leaper said:

I may regret passing on this information!

If south of Rouen you are not going to use the auto route and instead use the old N338 (it is now a D road) there's a great place for lunch not long after joining the N338. If you've used the route before, you may remember after joining that it starts by going down a long winding hill, for maybe a kilometre or so. At the bottom of the hill, there's a lane off to the right that leads to this:

Traiteur au Rendez-Vous d'Chasse Restaurant,
Gare de La Londe
76500 South of Rouen
France

[phone]

Don't be put off by the address's reference to the railway station: it's long gone and only the occasional train passes by.

I've used it several times on the trip to Le Mans, always on the Friday. Usually arrive just for lunch and its full of similar like minded Brits. Essential to book well ahead.

There's a website too, I'm sure, but I don't have the details to hand at the minute.

Google Maps will help you locate its precise location.

Bear in mind that a lunch on ther Friday near Rouen will mean you to are likely arrive at downtown Le Mans after the town centre has been closed to traffic due to the early evening parade, so AVOID: we learnt this lesson once, and that was enough.

R.

Are they open early for breakfast?

[Great Dane]

gt6 said:

we always stop at a big supermarek at berney, grab spme food in the cafe and then stock up with beer and other stuff, the food is good,cheap and fast, much much better than what you get at tesco or sainsbury in the uk, recomend the pizza's

what supermarket?/ we ha ve had motorway food bad and expensive

[jock mcsporran]

Cheers for the suggestions. We're not travelling on the Friday so hopefully should have no problem with closed roads.

[YRRunner]

jock mcsporran said:

Cheers for the suggestions. We're not travelling on the Friday so hopefully should have no problem with closed roads.

Then I would (and will) definately stop at Gace. Nice little village square with several cafe's/bisto's/bars and always a bunch of interesting stickered up cars. Warm welcome from the local traders, the fact that they barely speak a single word of English makes it all the more interesting! It's great to just sit outside a cafe with a beer and see/hear the different cars rolling in. Kicks the trip into a nice gear.

[ellroy]

YRRunner said:

Then I would (and will) definately stop at Gace. Nice little village square with several cafe's/bisto's/bars and always a bunch of interesting stickered up cars. Warm welcome from the local traders, the fact that they barely speak a single word of English makes it all the more interesting! It's great to just sit outside a cafe with a beer and see/hear the different cars rolling in. Kicks the trip into a nice gear.

They'll get on well with Andy then, his English isn't great either!

[jock mcsporran]

ellroy said:

They'll get on well with Andy then, his English isn't great either!

It was only a matter of time before you popped up eh? Anyway, I've had some practice arguing, in french, with contractors in Gabon. Not sure how it's going to help me order lunch in LM but if we need a truck or a cargo ship for any reason.....

[Great Dane]

YRRunner said:

Then I would (and will) definately stop at Gace. Nice little village square with several cafe's/bisto's/bars and always a bunch of interesting stickered up cars. Warm welcome from the local traders, the fact that they barely speak a single word of English makes it all the more interesting! It's great to just sit outside a cafe with a beer and see/hear the different cars rolling in. Kicks the trip into a nice gear.

any preferences...

[andymcmanus]

YRRunner said:

Then I would (and will) definately stop at Gace. Nice little village square with several cafe's/bisto's/bars and always a bunch of interesting stickered up cars. Warm welcome from the local traders, the fact that they barely speak a single word of English makes it all the more interesting! It's great to just sit outside a cafe with a beer and see/hear the different cars rolling in. Kicks the trip into a nice gear.

Stopped here in 2010 - and agree with all of the above. A great pitstop.

[YRRunner]

Great Dane said:

YRRunner said:

Then I would (and will) definately stop at Gace. Nice little village square with several cafe's/bisto's/bars and always a bunch of interesting stickered up cars. Warm welcome from the local traders, the fact that they barely speak a single word of English makes it all the more interesting! It's great to just sit outside a cafe with a beer and see/hear the different cars rolling in. Kicks the trip into a nice gear.

any preferences...

Not really, you'll get a feel for where most are congregating once you park up. It's a tiny square so you can't go wrong. Lots of interesting people regaling stories of Le Mans adventures gone by.

[ellroy]

jock mcsporran said:

It was only a matter of time before you popped up eh? Anyway, I've had some practice arguing, in french, with contractors in Gabon. Not sure how it's going to help me order lunch in LM but if we need a truck or a cargo ship for any reason.....

My french has improved for this year:

Apres moi les pampelmousse.

[GadgeS3C]

ellroy said:

My french has improved for this year:

Apres moi les pampelmousse.

After me the grailfrit?

[Beerwagon]

McDonalds at Argentan........

[gt6]

Great Dane said:

what supermarket?/ we ha ve had motorway food bad and expensive

if you are on the d338 (old n138)head into bernay rather than use the ring road, it is on the right just after a honda agricultural dealership I think it is intermarche also has cheapest petrol on the way down for those that just want fuel

[MartinM]

Made an impromptu stop in Beaumont sur Sarthe on the D338 before. Well not strictly impromptu, we were asked stop there by two motorbike Gendarmes there as that was where the nearest ATMs were
Hotel de la Barque made us feel very welcome, nice coffee and although we didn't eat there, the menu looked pretty decent.

[eps]

MartinM said:

Made an impromptu stop in Beaumont sur Sarthe on the D338 before. Well not strictly impromptu, we were asked stop there by two motorbike Gendarmes there as that was where the nearest ATMs were
Hotel de la Barque made us feel very welcome, nice coffee and although we didn't eat there, the menu looked pretty decent.

You would have thought they would have known where the nearest ATMs where! oh..