Looks like I’ll be weekending (Saturday night to Monday morning) somewhere between Beaune and Lyon, would prefer to get off the autoroute and be somewhere I can explore on foot, but all the routiers I can find are closed Sunday.
Any ideas or should I just settle for the services?
I have some ideas, this route I used all the time to save tolls heading to Italy.
From Nancy head to Besancon and Vesoul.
I had a weekend at Lons de Saunier, it was snowing, and the Genadarmes shut the roads.
Its a pretty spa town.
Or this route is a weight limit , but I never got stopped, is head to Orgelet on the road to Oyanax and Nantua.
Near Orgelet, there are numerous large glacier lakes for water skiing, and boat rides.
Lots of camp sites, in the gorge area.
It is very scenic, and some lakes have sand to sunbathe on.
I would avoid being anywhere near Lyon, cab break risk
Beaune will have numerous eateries, no problem to park near the town.
Bald Bloke took his wobbly box in the Jura area of the lakes.
If Muckles does end up in a French Msa, look for the staff car park.
There is always a pedestrian gate tp walk out the services area.
I have stumbled on places there are walking distance but a bike is ideal.
Medieval villages and castles.
The downside of a weekend at a Msa is it will be full of Eastern European drivers.
With no word of a lie, they all run their engines 24 hours a day, for half an hour, to power up the battery.
They have satellite tv, to watch X Factor in Bogoffinstan, so no sleep .
Some Msa places can have 200 trucks.
Depending which route, Nancy is not a bad place, a big river runs through it.
If staying on the motorway, check how long the ticket lasts for, the time on is stamped on it, when you get to the Peage to pay, there may be a penalty.
its not a worse case scenario being weekended or a 24 at a french msa.a few times ive been bored enough to just go over and chin the flipflop with a sprackenze english pal? camion stew might not be so popular nowadays,but a few tins of grub and vast amounts of alcohol make for some interesting sessions.same as the brit drivers,theres more to keep yourself amused nowadays in the cab,but if the mood takes you,then theres no harm in being civil,trying to have a bit of craic,and a few beers now and again.being used to fridges then the engines running never bother me,but better being in the pack than parked somewhere secluded on the perimiter,that way your the one thats definately getting tanned.dont mention gassing,cos thatl start another argument… 
Beaune!
No arguments.
No discussion.
Beaune.
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In the best tradition of TNUK having stated ‘no discussion’, here comes a discussion.
There are alternatives but Beaune would be my choice every time. Park at Centre Routier. The Resto there, Le Mariten, is very good, but closes about 15hr00 Saturday. There’s a toilet block there (cleaned daily) if needed. Not luxury but its there. Several card payment hotels near by.
Access parking from Beaune South peage wthout hitting weight limits, thro peage. R.about left onto rng road. R.about right. 2nd r.about left. Parkng on right.
Sunday looks to be dry.
If you walk back to the ring road the open air swimming lake is the other side of it.
Walk into the town to visit the Hospices. Walk the city walls. Buy a ticket for wine tasting. (Take bottle of water and spit the wine out !). Walk out to the WW2 tank on the Bligny road.
Eateries-
Crescendo cafeteria at supermarket on route to town. Supermarket maybe open Sun morn?
Good Chinese buffet nearby. Buffalo Grill franchise. Many many restos cafes etc but mostly tourist prices.
I’ve weekended there before and also try to get there for mid week bank holidays. Only a couple of mins off the motorway for mid week overnights but parking can fill early.
I hope that I haven’t bigged it up too much, but my payment from the Beaune Tourism office needs justifying.
Edit. The vendanges have already started n the south, but not that far up yet I think. If they have started that’s worth a look.
Toby, Beaune to Lyon isn’t really the same area as you gave me and is I was heading for Italy I know a couple of places off route I can stop for a weekend.
Dieseldog, No problem with talking to EE drivers, or anybody really, but not really a drinker and I do also like my own company and I like to get somewhere I can have a look around.
Thanks Franglais, I have done a night at Beaune, but was put off weekending there because it was closed from Saturday afternoon, not for the eating as you say plenty around, but because of the toilet, but if there is one even basic that’s ok. I might even book myself into a hotel, I actually think I have enough points for a free night in an Ibis.
I don’t often get weekended out on the road, but if I do, I like to stop somewhere I can do something and not spend the day sat in the cab, doesn’t always work out, sometimes I’ve ended up in a one street town that seemed to be deserted on a weekend, other times I’ve found amazing places and thought to myself I’m getting paid for being a tourist.
Parkng and basic toilets are Council/Chamber of Commerce run. Always open and free.
I think it’s an interesting place to wander around. Lots of wine culture but not obligatory to get hammered of course!
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It may seem daft, but get a bus or train to another town or city, stay the night there, hotels are cheap enough.
Be careful of being stuck some place with limited bus and train times on Sundays.
Or hire a car to tour around, better than stuck in the cab.
If you are near a TGV station, train de grande vitesse, high speed train,you can choose any place in France, to spend time off in.
Let us know , where you end up.
Hire an expensive car from the msa to take you to a Michelin 3 star restaurant with the local mayors 2 daughters and then take them on to the local 5 star chateau for some action 
As previously said, there are toilets available over the weekend at the Centre Routiers.
It’s a short walk into town, and there’s plenty of places to eat and drink. Being in one of the wine areas, there’s also lots of specialist shops too.
Not sure if it’s still open, but there used to be a night-club just over the road from the routiers.
Beaune !!! Give me a break! Was there last week. Haven’t been there for a few years and it used to be a good place to park up and eat in the “Centre Routier” round the back!! It’s an absolute mess now.
The old building is now all closed up, except for the toilet/shower area and a lobby with coffee/snack machines; the old restaurant area is all boarded up. All 3 toilet cubicles were in an absolutely dire state toilet paper dispensers broken, with of course no paper, one was absolutely covered in s!!t, certainly won’t be visiting there again.
pierrot 14:
Beaune !!! Give me a break! Was there last week. Haven’t been there for a few years and it used to be a good place to park up and eat in the “Centre Routier” round the back!! It’s an absolute mess now.
The old building is now all closed up, except for the toilet/shower area and a lobby with coffee/snack machines; the old restaurant area is all boarded up. All 3 toilet cubicles were in an absolutely dire state toilet paper dispensers broken, with of course no paper, one was absolutely covered in s!!t, certainly won’t be visiting there again.
!!! ■■?
We are talking about the one in town, with the IDS station.
Are you thinking of the Routiers actually on the m-way?
I don’t recognise your description at all.
And yes, I’m sure there was a Night Club opposite, once upon a time, but never went there myself.
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Franglais:
pierrot 14:
Beaune !!! Give me a break! Was there last week. Haven’t been there for a few years and it used to be a good place to park up and eat in the “Centre Routier” round the back!! It’s an absolute mess now.
The old building is now all closed up, except for the toilet/shower area and a lobby with coffee/snack machines; the old restaurant area is all boarded up. All 3 toilet cubicles were in an absolutely dire state toilet paper dispensers broken, with of course no paper, one was absolutely covered in s!!t, certainly won’t be visiting there again.!!! ■■?
We are talking about the one in town, with the IDS station.
Are you thinking of the Routiers actually on the m-way?I don’t recognise your description at all.
And yes, I’m sure there was a Night Club opposite, once upon a time, but never went there myself.
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I was yes, didn’t realise you were talking about the one in town 
Sorry
pierrot 14:
Franglais:
pierrot 14:
Beaune !!! Give me a break! Was there last week. Haven’t been there for a few years and it used to be a good place to park up and eat in the “Centre Routier” round the back!! It’s an absolute mess now.
The old building is now all closed up, except for the toilet/shower area and a lobby with coffee/snack machines; the old restaurant area is all boarded up. All 3 toilet cubicles were in an absolutely dire state toilet paper dispensers broken, with of course no paper, one was absolutely covered in s!!t, certainly won’t be visiting there again.!!! ■■?
We are talking about the one in town, with the IDS station.
Are you thinking of the Routiers actually on the m-way?I don’t recognise your description at all.
And yes, I’m sure there was a Night Club opposite, once upon a time, but never went there myself.
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I was yes, didn’t realise you were talking about the one in town
No worries mate. I used that one on the m-way at weekends many years ago. Laundry, free sauna, good showers, good food and bar etc…But that was a long time back…Not been there for a while now.
Franglais:
pierrot 14:
Franglais:
pierrot 14:
Beaune !!! Give me a break! Was there last week. Haven’t been there for a few years and it used to be a good place to park up and eat in the “Centre Routier” round the back!! It’s an absolute mess now.
The old building is now all closed up, except for the toilet/shower area and a lobby with coffee/snack machines; the old restaurant area is all boarded up. All 3 toilet cubicles were in an absolutely dire state toilet paper dispensers broken, with of course no paper, one was absolutely covered in s!!t, certainly won’t be visiting there again.!!! ■■?
We are talking about the one in town, with the IDS station.
Are you thinking of the Routiers actually on the m-way?I don’t recognise your description at all.
And yes, I’m sure there was a Night Club opposite, once upon a time, but never went there myself.
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I was yes, didn’t realise you were talking about the one in town
No worries mate. I used that one on the m-way at weekends many years ago. Laundry, free sauna, good showers, good food and bar etc…But that was a long time back…Not been there for a while now.
I stopped there many years ago and it was a decent place, but stopped there a couple of months back and as Pierrot says the restaurant all boarded up and the rest of the facilities run down and a fair walk to the main part of the services.
Looks like weekending in Beaune is a non starter, couldn’t get away last night loading took far longer than it should have, (all day in fact, started at 9 am finished at 7pm) now most likely end up on the services near Dijon, got 2 trucks about an hour in front going to the same place, so they’ll tell me where they get to and I’ll join them. Shame was looking forward to making the most of my Sunday off, but should know better than to make plans. 
thank for the info though, might work out another time, but at least I’ve got a week in the south of France.
muckles:
Looks like weekending in Beaune is a non starter, couldn’t get away last night loading took far longer than it should have, (all day in fact, started at 9 am finished at 7pm) now most likely end up on the services near Dijon, got 2 trucks about an hour in front going to the same place, so they’ll tell me where they get to and I’ll join them. Shame was looking forward to making the most of my Sunday off, but should know better than to make plans.
Oh well, put it in your diary for another time then. How far you going? Paul Ricard?
I spent my first weekend in the centre routier beaune in the services…was a nice place to be then and with the towels /soap etc supplied for a minimal amount the showers were a joy, well they we’re to somebody more used to a layby on the a34.
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Franglais:
muckles:
Looks like weekending in Beaune is a non starter, couldn’t get away last night loading took far longer than it should have, (all day in fact, started at 9 am finished at 7pm) now most likely end up on the services near Dijon, got 2 trucks about an hour in front going to the same place, so they’ll tell me where they get to and I’ll join them. Shame was looking forward to making the most of my Sunday off, but should know better than to make plans.Oh well, put it in your diary for another time then. How far you going? Paul Ricard?
Yep another time maybe, but not something I have worry about to much, yes it’s Ricard few days testing with a team, so in a hotel when I get there.
muckles:
Franglais:
muckles:
Looks like weekending in Beaune is a non starter, couldn’t get away last night loading took far longer than it should have, (all day in fact, started at 9 am finished at 7pm) now most likely end up on the services near Dijon, got 2 trucks about an hour in front going to the same place, so they’ll tell me where they get to and I’ll join them. Shame was looking forward to making the most of my Sunday off, but should know better than to make plans.Oh well, put it in your diary for another time then. How far you going? Paul Ricard?
Yep another time maybe, but not something I have worry about to much, yes it’s Ricard few days testing with a team, so in a hotel when I get there.
I`m that way next week too. Weather looks good, warm without being hot, dry, and not windy. DAFotel for me though.