Hotel de la Gare, Montrichard – lunch there 'an institution'A proper lunch remains an institution for the French, particularly in rural France. None of the grabbed sandwich on the run that is characteristic of London and, often, Paris – no proper sit down meal probably of four courses. I'm not talking here of the three-hour lunch in a Michelin starred restaurant. No, these are places that serve a four-course lunch (Monday-Friday) including wine and coffee for around 12€. The good ones are crowded out with French workers, who spend an hour – hour and a quarter over their meal.
Visiting with Henri this week we stopped at two of these places this week between visits to producers – La Gourmandine, 1 Route Amboise 37400 Lussault-sur-Loire (tel: 02.47.23.23.99) and Hotel de la Gare, 20 Avenue de la Gare, 41400 Montrichard (tel: 02.54.32.04.36).
The formula is often the same with a first course buffet – crudités, paté, rillettes etc. Then the main course – a choice of two or three plats du jours – cheese, dessert and coffee. In both places there were unlabeled bottles of red on the table. The buffet at the Gare had a remarkable choice including soused herrings, shrimps and prawns. The main course was slightly better at La Gourmandine while the service at the Hotel du Gare was the more friendly.
The hours are very precise: noon to 1.30 – perhaps 2pm but that's pushing it. All in all remarkable value, especially as sterling now looks a little less sickly against the euro.
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Following a request some time ago, I'm now linking places with their location on Google maps – just click on the name.
