My LGV driving is long gone but I still drive my car from the UK (usually Newhaven) to Spain around 3 or 4 times a year,a large oart of the journey through the night.I recall that 24hr.routiers were always scarce but now i don’t recall any at all.I recall one on the N10 north of Vendome but covid seems to have caused it to open days only.On autoroutes their services usually have only a small alcove with toilets and a coffee machine available.I have found these to be less than safe frequently being infested with migrants hanging around.Consequently we travel with snacks and bottles of water.Comfort breaks we take al fresco in a quiet spot.No no.2s! We travel from Dieppe via Dreux,Le Mans,Poitiers and bordeaux to either hendaye or Jaca.The Routiers at Vivonne used to open 24hrs.many years ago.no more BP truck stop either.Any info useful.
I always found the one south of Vivonne at Couhe (the Etoile du Sud) very good. It’s visible on the left of the RN10. Further on there was a brand new truck centre on that opened about 2000. After that there was one at Anais, run by Algerians. Then there was the Bilette, one at Noneville, Centre Routier Barbezieux (big one), two at Bedenac, Relais Picadilly on the right, BP Centre Routier we knew as ‘the cabbage patch’ and the Centre Routier on the old road through Bordeaux. South of Bordeaux there was Cestas (more of a filling station), then the Les Routier at Liposthey on the left (small but good), Aire le Muret which was more of a MSA, then Cap de Pins was another modest but good oneand of course Centre Routier Castets at the bottom (big truck stop). God knows if any of those are still open but they were all good.
In general 24 hour facilities are far worse on the continent than here.
We’ve often got better A road garages than many continental Motorway services let alone non motorway routes.Although sometimes afflicted by the night time serving hatch limitation.
Switzerland and Germany is relatively better than France or Belgium in that regard.
Except that all but two of those I listed are (were) proper old fashioned Routier stops. Only four of them are on the motorway A26 IIRC.
It looks like I will have to carry on as I am.Autoroute type service stations are either a night hatch or a shop for sandwiches open.Perhaps many traditional routiers stops have been wiped out by covid or weight limit impositions.There also seems to be little night working in France on the roads.
Spain is a lot better if you feel hungry during the night.I drive Irun,Zaragoza,Alicante and Madrid frequently and there are several 24hr.eateries on the way.
Having said that, the UK is poor for LGV driver eateries too.Many times I have said to the wife on a journey that we will stop at whatever cafe only to find that it no longer exists.I’m certainly glad that I have retired.