Lunch stops?

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GG33

Original Poster:

1,221 posts

208 months

Tuesday 14th May
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Driving through France next month, heading for Spain via Bordeaux. Looking for suggestions for 'off Autoroute' villages that make for good coffee/lunch stops. Ideally somewhere with a square for parking and a few restaurants or cafe's. First day is Caen to Saintes, second day Saintes to Biarritz.

Thanks in advance :-)

GG

Doofus

28,456 posts

180 months

Tuesday 14th May
quotequote all
Toward the end of the first day's journey, just past Niort, there's a town east of the A10 called Celles-Sur-Belle.

There's a place in the centre, next to the church called Hostellerie de l'Abbaye with a very nice restaurant.

When we used to drive from St Mâlo, we'd get kicked off the ferry at 7ish am, and we'd get to Celles for lunchtime, so it depends upon your ferry times as to whether it's suitable.

Edited by Doofus on Tuesday 14th May 19:53

omniflow

2,866 posts

158 months

Tuesday 14th May
quotequote all
On day 2 I would definitely head into St. Emilion. It will be busy as it's very popular, but it's a lovely old French town with lots and lots of restaurants / cafes as well as shops selling macarons (and wine). You could easily spend 2 - 4 hours here over lunchtime.

Given that Sainte -> Biarritz is only 320Km, there's no need to go anywhere near the autoroute.

Mr Magooagain

10,790 posts

177 months

Tuesday 14th May
quotequote all
Wherever you stop for lunch make sure it’s not long after midday as restaurants are not ‘open all day’.