Even if you’re not a trucker, not to worry – this Relais camped out along the side of the road is open to the general public. To your left, there’s a big dining room with a communal table, where workers come for their daily grub, paying their bill at the end of the week… To the right, you’ll find everyone else, from regulars to travelers, who have come for a taste of the lunch menu that really flatters the local terroir. The day we went: three slices of powerful homemade saucisson before some really nice freshly fried herb farçous; blissful coq au vin shrouded in an intense sauce, served as a main (one of the most charming aspects of the place) with sautéed caramelized potatoes and – even better – (ahh!) a tomme-rich aligot which was splendidly stringy; before a strawberry and lemon tart with homemade pastry and a scoop of ice cream. Other treats, depending on the season: falette (stuffed veal belly), stuffed cabbage, veal’s head and wild boar stew! // G.D.
FEELING THIRSTY? Marcillac from the Domaine Laurents (€3.20 a glass), an Entraygues white from Jean-Marc Viguier (€3.20), a Pic-Saint-Loup from the Château de Lancyre (€20.50 a bottle), Aubrac lager (€3.70) and a nice local gentiane (€2.90).
PRICE: Menus €14.50 to €27 (except Sunday), €27 and €33 (Sunday), kids’ menu €10.
