The food tasted as good as anything from one of the fanciest restaurants (Picture: Alice Alech)
My pace quickened, and I found myself almost skipping.
It was lunchtime, and I was about to have my first experience at a traditional restaurant in France – one I’d been meaning to try for ages.
Even more excitingly, one of my favourite dishes, couscous, was on the menu as the dish of the day.
I knew I was in for a treat as I raised my first forkful of fluffy grains and tender meat to my lips and savoured the exotic mix of spices.
My second generous helping of vegetables simmered in the rich, spiced broth was perfect.
There was a time when I would have turned my nose up at a place like this – but not any more.
The food tasted as good as anything from one of the fanciest restaurants – but this particular establishment wasn’t high-end at all. Quite the opposite.
This was 4 Vents, a Relais Routier restaurant – Relais Routiers being a chain of truck stops catering to both truck drivers and the general public.
When I moved to Paris in my late twenties, I discovered ‘fancy’ restaurants (Picture: Alice Alech)
There was a warm, noisy atmosphere. The waitresses, though busy, exchanged quick, friendly chats with the regulars. The clientele wasn’t only truck drivers, but also a mix of locals like me, who weren’t looking for flashy décor but for authentic French cuisine.
I just wish I’d discovered these eateries sooner.
I’ve always appreciated food. Growing up in the West Indies, I wondered why we were only allowed to have apples and grapes at Christmas.
‘It’s a treat,’ my grandmother did her best to explain – these apples and grapes were imported from the UK – while steering me to our local vegetables and fruit.
We never ate out, and I was happy enjoying family meals at home – but when I moved to Paris in my late twenties, I discovered ‘fancy’ restaurants and suddenly found myself drawn to sophistication.
I chased a Michelin-starred restaurant whenever I could (Picture: Alice Alech)
I did not come to France just for fine, top-tier dining – I came to follow my French husband – but at that time, I harboured a thirst for memorable experiences.
Everything seemed so exotic and new. I chased a Michelin-starred restaurant whenever I could, curious to discover what I had missed as a child. Exploring classic French dishes – like boeuf bourguignon in a classy bistro on a trendy street – was my dream.
I was a new resident of Paris: Eager and wanting to try everything.
But, even if it was just afternoon tea, it had to be at a reputable establishment. I wanted nothing but the best; and, to me, the ‘best’ meant places that were ‘in’. If they had at least one Michelin star, that was a bonus.
How wrong I was not to be more adventurous.
Good food, I’d now realised, starts with the basics (Picture: Alice Alech)
Thanks to a combination of age and moving to the French countryside ten years ago, aged 40, I now view food in a different light.
In my new home, I was surrounded by farmers; and I started to value the immense work that farmers put into growing their crops, as well as their respect for the land.
I’d meet and enjoy talking to food producers and farmers who do their utmost to get the best crops – and it made me realise that, previously, I’d been valuing all the wrong things about restaurants and eating out.
I’d been putting interior decoration and fancy menus above the integrity of food.
Good food, I’d now realised, starts with the basics.
But it was a Relais Routier restaurant that really ended my food snobbery once and for all.
At 4 Vents, the staff (pictured) are incredibly friendly (Picture: Alice Alech)
My first experience at 4 Vents was a positive one in every way. And that was that; I was a Relais Routier convert.
Don’t think these restaurants are merely, ‘truck driver stops’; that is too harsh a term, evoking meals served at fast food joints.
Instead, diners get served regional dishes that are equally comparable to those found in many high-end restaurants.
There was a time when I looked for impeccably dressed, perfectly poised waiters who would pull out your chair for you. I loved how they’d hover at the table, present for my every need.
Not any more.
I now see this behaviour as misleading; it doesn’t necessarily mean the food or service is any better.
At 4 Vents, the staff are incredibly friendly; making you feel entirely at home as they serve. There’s no pretentiousness here, just customers enjoying their food.
Now, though, I see a great menu, good service and reasonable prices (Picture: Alice Alech)
For lunch, the menu features selections from three starters, three main dishes, and approximately six desserts. Wine is included in the three-course 4 Vents menu.
Looking back, I blush to think how I would have looked down at this sort of establishment in the past.
Now, though, I see a great menu, good service and reasonable prices.
These days, I just look for good value and substantial meals, as well as simplicity and genuine kindness.
So if you find yourself in France and want to try authentic, quintessential French cuisine without the hefty prices – you need to leave the autoroute and get an up-to-date guide of the Relais Routiers, of which there are approximately 700 across the country.
And if you consider yourself a food snob, as I once did, you may want to examine the taste and value of the food you consume more closely.
Food appreciation begins with the farmer, not the Michelin star.
I only wish I’d learned that sooner.
Do you have a story you’d like to share? Get in touch by emailing jess.austin@metro.co.uk.
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