does anyone know if this restaraunte is still open. it was a popular stop for many drivers
on route to italy and spain. the last time i was there it was ran by a bloke called eric who took it over from vincent the food was always good.
Havenât been down that way for a long time but I think you will find that Eric has closed. As far as I know, it is still shut.
hope europe isnt turning like the uk 
all the best cafes closeing down they were quite a few restarauntes on that
national down to bourg en bresse.
Drove down earlier this year & the Mistral was closed as was the next one on the right known by many as the âtableclothsâ due to the tables outside with the err tablecloths on em!!. The Footballers just before was also closed. No one running the nationals anymore
Weight limits have forced LGV traffic on the toll roads,you can try the national roads,but they have made it harder and slower,so you end up using more fuel,the driving time being reduced,and the wear and tear on the truck.
Years ago,we could run the coast road from Cherbourg,and go past La Rochelle,they put an end to that,to make money on the tolls.
I used to run to Italy on the nationals,never got stopped or fined,some villages were narrow,where they have put flower pots in the road,which slows you down.
Nantua to Chambery,going under the viaducts and past a big lake,they have many roundabouts on the national roads,tractors,combines and the tourists will slow you down.
The truck stop at Saint Genis de Saintonage is a weight limit,for Claudes old nose bag joint.
Very true Toby. It is possible to run the Nationals, but a lot of the alternative routes to the toll roads have had weight limits put on them.
HOWEVER.
These weight limits are intended to keep heavy traffic which is transiting an area, to keep on the toll roads.
If you are going to a restaurant, for a meal and to park up for your rest, you can use these roads.
On the autoroute signs, it will say N500 - 7.5t max, for example.
You know there is a good routiers a few km down the N500.
If you take that exit, youâll find that the limit sign on the N500 actually says, 7â.5t max for transiting traffic, or something similar. Sauf livraison means safe for deliveries (thatâs my translation), which I take it also means safe for loading as well. Going down these roads to a routier has always been perfectly acceptable.
Now you are expected to use some common sense here.
You are no longer in Blighty, were common sense is frowned on.
You are expected to use the nearest exit from the autoroute, to run along the shortest length of national in order to reach that routiers. Driving 200 km to get there along the national, when you can use an exit within 5 km will get you pulled and fined, if youâre spotted. But Iâm going to The Mistral will not wash when its 2 hours drive away.
Looking back,i was coming off the toll roads late at night,to join the nationals,then have the Douanes stop me for a routine check,just wondering where i was going and why,then on my way,at that time of night,they want to go home and not take apart the contents of my trailer,that was the day shifts job,then have the motorbike units â â â â â â off me the road to a check point with an Xray mobile scanner in the next lay by. For some reason the senior Douane officers were mostly women,built like rugby players,i would practice my fluent French with them,i would get brownie points for that and a Brucie bonus,Cmr check,ah cest bon,au revoir.
Eric retired and went back to Perpignan where his wife came from
Itâs still more than possible to transit most of France by national just not by the obvious âmainâ nationals. Just follow your nose and ignore your satnav 
Better still ask a French driver
Quite why you would choose to though is another matter 
Simon:
Very true Toby. It is possible to run the Nationals, but a lot of the alternative routes to the toll roads have had weight limits put on them.HOWEVER.
These weight limits are intended to keep heavy traffic which is transiting an area, to keep on the toll roads.
If you are going to a restaurant, for a meal and to park up for your rest, you can use these roads.
On the autoroute signs, it will say N500 - 7.5t max, for example.
You know there is a good routiers a few km down the N500.
If you take that exit, youâll find that the limit sign on the N500 actually says, 7â.5t max for transiting traffic, or something similar. Sauf livraison means safe for deliveries (thatâs my translation), which I take it also means safe for loading as well. Going down these roads to a routier has always been perfectly acceptable.Just to clarify SAUF is " except for "
Carrying on from the original question , is Norbert and Jaquelineâs still open ?
Had many a good night out there.
and from next year need ecotax box
going to be charging to use alot of nationals and free motorways
havnt looked into properly but led to believe mainly dual carriageways and motorways
more costs to hauliers
pierrot 14:
Simon:
Very true Toby. It is possible to run the Nationals, but a lot of the alternative routes to the toll roads have had weight limits put on them.HOWEVER.
These weight limits are intended to keep heavy traffic which is transiting an area, to keep on the toll roads.
If you are going to a restaurant, for a meal and to park up for your rest, you can use these roads.
On the autoroute signs, it will say N500 - 7.5t max, for example.
You know there is a good routiers a few km down the N500.
If you take that exit, youâll find that the limit sign on the N500 actually says, 7â.5t max for transiting traffic, or something similar. Sauf livraison means safe for deliveries (thatâs my translation), which I take it also means safe for loading as well. Going down these roads to a routier has always been perfectly acceptable.Just to clarify SAUF is " except for "
Transit is a different word in France, it means going to another country in the main. Stick to the E roads and ignore the weight limits, most of the controls will leave you alone if you have a delivery in France
It is a shame,but i think many more food houses will be shutting down.
toby1234abc:
It is a shame,but i think many more food houses will be shutting down.
Thats the most sensible post youâve posted since joining here.
Ben9:
toby1234abc:
It is a shame,but i think many more food houses will be shutting down.Thats the most sensible post youâve posted since joining here.
Maybe the medication is finally working â â
billybigrig:
Ben9:
toby1234abc:
It is a shame,but i think many more food houses will be shutting down.Thats the most sensible post youâve posted since joining here.
Maybe the medication is finally working â â
Are you also on medication billybigrig ? 
Simon:
Are you also on medication billybigrig ?
Just my glaucoma meds 
billybigrig:
Simon:
Are you also on medication billybigrig ?Just my glaucoma meds