French roadtrip - Bistro recommendations?

[dontfollowme]

Hi all,

Something I am wary of on holidays is eating at tourist traps and this thread is partly inspired by the French wine trip that is running.

I'm touring around France in August over the course of two weeks.

If anyone has found any gems in the following locations please post them up:

Reims
Chablis
Lyon
Toulouse
Limoges
Rouen

I'm far from being rich so hoping for recommendations in the modest to mid budget rather than Michelin/fine dining level.

Edited by dontfollowme on Monday 7th July 12:38

Edited by dontfollowme on Monday 7th July 16:51

[Venisonpie]

If you're going to the old circuit at Reims then I can recommend Restaurant La Garenne - its situated on a roundabout that was once Garenne corner. Its got lots of history associated with the track and wasn't dear. Some (crap) pics from inside.

[Puggit]

You don't need to be rich to enjoy fantastic food at very good prices in France. Small restaurants doing fixed menus - wonderful.

Sadly fast food is growing in popularity at an amazing pace.

[Harpoon]

Not sure if you want an option between the places you are visiting but it might help...

Between Chablis and Lyon is the Morvan national park. We stayed here for a Friday night in 2023 en-route to Crolles (near Grenoble).

Super food in the restaurant and I think we were the only tourists in there.

https://www.lavieilleaubergedulac.com/

[Puggit]

Harpoon said:

Super food in the restaurant and I think we were the only tourists in there.

https://www.lavieilleaubergedulac.com/

Enough said...

[dontfollowme]

Harpoon said:

Not sure if you want an option between the places you are visiting but it might help...

Between Chablis and Lyon is the Morvan national park. We stayed here for a Friday night in 2023 en-route to Crolles (near Grenoble).

Super food in the restaurant and I think we were the only tourists in there.

https://www.lavieilleaubergedulac.com/

Yes please all tips welcome.

We are doing relatively short days in the car 3-4 hours with the intention of breaking those stints up with breaks.

[dontfollowme]

Puggit said:

Enough said...

Yep this is exactly the sorts of tip I had in mind.

Thank you Venisonpie for your tip too.

[Hugo Stiglitz]

Watching..

[blueg33]

In Limoges - avoid the "Station Hotel" its worse than terrible.

I can't remember the bistro we ate in in Limoges as there are many, but pigs head was a speciality, - we were not brave enough.

[TCEvo]

We ate at Le Bocal in Reims last summer. Fish restaurant, centre of the city & very good. I booked in advance. https://www.restaurantlebocal.fr/

Other benefit is that it’s opposite Halles Boulingrin (Rue de Mars), which is worth a visit; especially if you are interested in architecture/history etc) and has a local champagne bar inside serving by the glass, and The Market Brew House pub. We stayed at a hotel on the outskirts, got a bus into the centre & a taxi back.

Where are you staying in Rouen? We stayed in the Mercure in the centre for a night a couple of years ago – the car park (underground) is very tight and interesting to access as you have to drive down what appears to be a pedestrianised street.

[WyrleyD]

Les Petits Ventres, 20 rue Boucherie in Limoges is very good but you'll have to book.

[rdjohn]

One thing to remember about France and August is that many provincial restaurant owners and their staff go on holiday themselves. Around the 15th, it’s usually worse

[Big E 118]

In Reims try Brasserie le Boulingrin, traditional French brasserie. I've eaten there 4 or 5 times and it's always excellent, traditional French fare whether it's meat or seafood.

Opposite the food market. It does get busy so always best to book.

https://maps.app.goo.gl/kCiGTiCFuLg8fk7u8

[shirt]

Download the Michelin app and use the map view. You can filter to show ‘inspector’s favourites for good value’ and ‘restaurants without distinctions’ (i.e non starred).

[SaulGoodman]

Lyon is amazing. Go to Halls de Lyon Paul Bocuse. It's an indoor food market with loads of fantastic places to eat. We got a little charcuterie plate and ended up ordering another full plate of iberico bellota as it was so good.

[NorthDave]

You could also try places to stay with fine dining restaurants on the Logis de France website. Quite a lot of it is quite good value and some do meal and hotel room packages.

[ferret50]

This is a decent chain place in France....

https://www.buffalo-grill.fr/

Always decent food at a sensible price.

But do check out other local places first as you may do better.

[TCEvo]

Big E 118 said:

In Reims try Brasserie le Boulingrin, traditional French brasserie. I've eaten there 4 or 5 times and it's always excellent, traditional French fare whether it's meat or seafood.

Opposite the food market. It does get busy so always best to book.

https://maps.app.goo.gl/kCiGTiCFuLg8fk7u8

That one's next door to the one that I ate at last summer, mentioned below.

[dontfollowme]

shirt said:

Download the Michelin app and use the map view. You can filter to show inspector s favourites for good value and restaurants without distinctions (i.e non starred).

Great idea. I will do.

[Harpoon]

To add a tip to my previous recommendation, don't allow your brother-in-law to ask the waiter to dust off their bottle of local digestif.

Screen wash mixed with paint stripper couldn't taste much worse than the shots of that stuff.