"Bon appétit gentlemen," Hervé whispers to his neighbors at the table, a generous plate of raw vegetables and cold meats in hand.
Around this Nancy man, a few dozen truck drivers taste hearty menus for less than € 20, starter, cheese, dessert and wine included.
An improbable scene during confinement, the Rooster Singing room in Survilliers (95) is well stocked and the waitress must be active between the customers.
250 truck stops have reopened in France
The establishment is one of the 250 roadside restaurants to have obtained authorization to welcome the public again from November 7, despite the health emergency.
An exception granted to the largest relays in the territory after negotiations between the unions and the Ministry of Transport.
“When I learned that we could reopen, I only felt joy,” says Corina Caldaras, manager of the restaurant.
Her clients also felt an intense wave of relief after a grueling week of dining and washing in their cabin.
Because if the service stations remained open on the highways, the regulars of the national roads and the departmental ones did not have any more anywhere to relax and to eat warm.
"They took us for less than nothing," regrets Slimane, a Lorrain seated in front of a steaming broth.
"All week on the road, eating cold, having problems showering, that's not a life", adds his neighbor Habib, also from Moselle.
"If we don't have the truck drivers, we have nothing left"
“We waited outside, it was terrible,” recalls Patrice, another driver.
A difficult situation for these workers, essential to the economy, already heavily penalized during the first confinement.
"We are considered as something I don't know what," slips disillusioned Jean-Pierre in front of his mayonnaise eggs.
“And if we don't drive, the economy stops,” says Dominique, seated at his side.
“If we don't have the truck drivers, we don't have anything in the stores or in the hospitals.
It's important to respect them, ”summarizes Corina, the manager.
After these moments of loneliness and discomfort, finding this parenthesis of relaxation delighted all the guests. “When we come here it's more for conviviality, seeing people, all that”, rejoices Patrice.
“It's the break and it's the relaxing moment of the day,” Jerome abounds in front of a cold beer.
“After a whole day in the truck, chatting with other people feels good,” Julian agrees.
“We don't have our own home, so obviously it's a bit like home,” Hervé says, before biting his leeks with vinaigrette.
Despite ministerial authorization, these friendly enclaves remain rather rare.
Only 250 truck stops out of the 4000 in the territory have been able to reopen their rooms to truck drivers.
That is to say a little more than 6% of the restaurants scattered throughout France.