Not Bernard-Gautier but...

Before I packed Pauline off for her visit to Scotland we decide to take a trip into Chatellerault - we would have lunch at restaurant 'Bernard-Gautier' as a treat - my idea - and do a little Christmas shopping - her idea. The restaurant had been recommended to us by friends, so off we went in expectation,only to find that it was closed for redecoration!. We advise our house guests to phone ahead when thinking of dining here in France - sound advice!

Photograph courtesy of www.idealgourmet.fr

So having planned to arrive just in time for lunch as we had, we had to come up with an alternative, now as it happens Bernard Goutier is located in a less than salubrious part of town - next door to a builders merchant's yard - but this somehow makes it more appealing to us. The yard actually separates it and another restaurant La petite Villette which  is a bar/restaurant and seemed comfortable in its surroundings -we decided against it - well I did actually. I have since been told by my friend and neighbour David that it's  an excellent eating establishment -in fact a 'Restaurant Traiteur' which Wilipedia describes thus:

"Today in France, a traiteur is a catering business devoted to take-out food and service of banquets. Many traiteurs also undertake home delivery. Generally there is no seating on the business premises; a few traiteurs may have very limited seating. Especially in market towns where there is competition, traiteurs take great pride in the beauty of their window displays" and here was me thinking  these establishments were owned by people who had not distinguished themselves during the war!

Anyway, we headed back into the centre of town to a place on the main square (rectangle?) to the Cafe de l' Industrie where we had lunched a couple of times before. Not gourmet food but always good and great value -plat plus dessert plus coffee  11.00. We had lamb on couscous... plus a lovely creme broulee.

As you can tell from the photograph the town has been infested with giant moths and the evidence of preventative measures are there for all to see.