Club Arnage

Im taking the family to France this year.I am on the 7am arrival boat into Caen .Having been on this loads of time but always with the motorhome,I havent needed to stop for brekkie.
This year though i'll be in car with missus and two teenagers(Kevin and Perry)
Can you recommend somewhere to eat near Caen area
Pm

Hi PM,
         While interested to see other posts. Brekkie is the least of my worries ... still trying to figure out how to get to France  ;D
 How about the cathederal parking lot in Sees. Take some of AJ's famous Jambon and pick up a couple of Baggette down the street ;D 8) :o.
 I recommend the Pain Chocolat  ;D
Serious for a minute ( about as long as I can hold it) there are a few places in Ouistreham(?) that seem to be open when we drive through.
Kandaha

hi Phil

Glad to see you are still about.Sorry about LM this year but it would prove impossible to do our usual trip.AJ is looking at a new business venture,so diesnt want to commit to the holiday or the cost,and Griff is racing in Spa the same weekend...andd me in a tent,no way,weve been too spoilt with the Winnie.
We are trying to arrange a trip though,maybe to prequal.
This will be the first year ive taken two weeks off,in ten years or so but iwill be forcing the family on a guided tour of LM on the way down south in august.
Hope you get there..I know you will

PM

Used to do that trip for quite a few years, before Dover/Calais made more sense in terms of locations/costs.  with everything normally shut in Ouistreham and not wishing to head into Caen itelf, I always used to head down the road and stop at Falaise - about 30 minutes run off the boat, lovely market square and 2 or 3 good cafes always open. 

MG Mark

PM, as Mgmark, states we also stop on the square in Falaise, for the breakie, couple of good cafes and a pleasent early morning stroll around the lake.
Brian.

PM have a nice holiday but don't bank on getting a proper breakfast anywhere. Coffee and pastry is about the limit I'm afraid. The French don't "do" brekky as the Brits understand the word. And don't start me on eating cheese that early in the morning, it's not civilised in my opinion. Cheese is for in a lunchtime sandwich or eating after an evening meal. Take your own bacon and sausages to be on the safe side.

It all depends if you are in a hurry, because I've tried all routes to Le Mans from Caen and the most civilsed place for breakfast after such an early start would be to turn right at Falaise for Putanges Pont Ecrepin and eat at the hotel Le Lion Verd in the square. Right next to the river and from there on you can take the scenic route through the backroads to Le Mans.

Falaise sounds good, maybe pop in myself for some oef jambon et haricots au tomates around 9am ish on the thurs anybody else be about then?

We sometimes stop in Falaise for Brekkie but the barrel o monkeys that i usually go down with insist on McDodgys to cure ferry hang over. I think a strong coffee and stroll around the lake would be much nicer. We're on the vomit comet to c'burg this year so will be looking further west, prob St. lo. Anyone on that early Poole crossing on thurs?

I might try Falaise.

Ouistreham, has a couple of cafes open by 8am (either side of the Broche d'Argent at the corner of the dock carpark) We've used them going out), but they are a bit grim, but good enough for coffee, et croissant

Yup there will be me and the RS, what are you in this year? ;D

Well plan A (same annually failed plan A as the last 4 years) was to finish the resto (10th anniv of 'just tidying her up a bit' last month) on my old Fintail Merc and travel down in  teutonic luxury. Plan B was to take my Alfa Bertie down but chest freezers, Gazebos, BBQs etc won't fit so will take the race support van down again instead. Loads of room for 6 of us and 240v makes it the dull but practical option. Always regret it when going past St. saturnin. Maybe next year will take the old girl down.

Ahh............looks like you will be having a gentle saunter down then :-\ at least you or your partners in crime will be able to admire the veiw then lol, anyway will say hi @ poole on thurs morning and see what fun the day brings but I am hoping to see the action on thursday eve at mulsanne corner with termie and his posse so me and the fix or repair daily will have to keep pressing on  :angel:

Ah but Chris- the van is a good piece of kit, EBC brakes, billies, a chip and larger intercooler, it will shift! We plan to be there around mid aft via Carrefour and get set up in time for practice. What route are you taking?  I believe a certain chap on a bike will be somewhere along the road from Cherb'g to LM on thursday. Must try not to run him over eh?

ah ha .seems like you have a wolf in sheeps clothing shame I got rid of my old mk6 van could have had some fun lol! anyway Im open to any sugestions but I normally go cherbourg, caen,onto the N158 falaise,agentan,right turn onto the N138 at sees, then blatt down to L/M , obligatory stop for breakie/brunch (not a burger donald) on way.  ;D

We usually take the scenic route (no traffic or cops!!) via. St.Lo, Torgini, Vire, Tinchebray, Domfront, Ambreys-les-valees, Mayenne and across to St. Saturnin. Nice route and fast roads. Oh and the odd flat out D-type or 356!

sounds good will get my map down and have a look later, how about pit-stops?

As and when needed really. We don't eat on the Comet for obvious reasons so stop for food in St. lo. We are usually out of fags by Mayenne and then gun it straight down to Carrefour for copious quantities of alcohol and meat. Mmmm. But we're flexible, hoping to cheer H on at some point of the route too.

cool sounds good to me, what time would you aticipate getting to L/M cos I want to have enough time to get set up and then down to join termie at Mulssane corner for the eve practice?

Ferry landing time plus 3 hours for the run down inc stops and a hour at Carrefour. Plus an hour getting lost. And another trying to get the monkeys back in the van- they tend to wonder off a lot. Trying tagging this year for an easier life!

That's good work, I've suggested keeping chickens on Maison Blanche before, but I've never dreamed of taking down a van load of monkeys. I'm not surprised they wander off though, it's long time to be cooped up, we're not talking tortoises in a boot here.
I'd suggest cutting a small hole in the centre of the roof, just large enough for one of them to poke his head through and watch the countryside go past. They could take turns, it'd be a break from writing sonnets.
H

mmmm......think that I had better stick to plan A , I take it you will be on safari ? going for the big 5 or is it 6 I cant remember ;D

Seriously, i'm hoping to be there around mid aft. Not sure about this zoning and pitch size business so need to crack on and get set up. They have been told that the traditional ceremony of wandering up and down Carrefour muttering about 'f***ing lager making them bloated' for two hours will not make yorkshire bitter magicaly appear amongst the beverages, it is not Hogwarts and will not be tolerated this year. This is why we miss most of the early qual session every year!

Nice one ,I will need to pick up some local produce (bier d'alsace) and some steak hash etc my advance party should have sorted pitch etc but I do want to see the eve session down at mulssane corner how bout yourselves? btw will go down on pushbike I expect ;D I should be at Poole terminal around 0630hrs (i only live 10mins away lol) will buy you a coffee and sort plan of attack ok?

We'll be going down Tet R in time for the historic stuff if they are out and back to Mulsanne for last session. Not sure what time we will be at poole, we're setting of at lunch on wed and having a real steady run down. Pint and some food outside Red Lion in Avebury about 8, then camp out somewhere on Salisbury plain and grab a few hours kip. It'll be the last sleep we get til sunday night if previous years are anything to by!   
 We couldn't find coffee at Poole last time.

there is a truck stop on left as you enter the terminal look left as you go over railway lines am not sure of the open hours , or coffee shop on right once you are in and waiting to get on boat, well it was there last year !!!  :o