what future for this roadside restaurant if it loses its free parking?

Will the La Crèche road center, at the intersection of the A10 and A83 motorways, between Niort and Saint-Maixent, lose its emblematic restaurant Les Pyramides? Its managers, Yannick and Elsa Beaubois, are sounding the alarm against the closed and secure heavy goods vehicle parking project which should see the light of day in 2025, on all of the still free parking spaces in front of their establishment.

The petition “against the privatization of the parking lot of the Les Pyramides restaurant”, put online on November 23, 2024, exceeded 4,000 signatories in less than a week.

“We will find ourselves in a cage, with grills in front of the restaurant”

“We have seen the plans, we will find ourselves in a cage, with grills in front of the restaurant, worries Yannick Beaubois. There will no longer be a single free parking space. »

This development will be fatal to the Pyramids, he believes: “We serve around 200 seats per day. Around 150 at noon, mainly employees, workers, craftsmen, also retirees who love our lively atmosphere. » The low price of the menu is decisive: “They won’t pay for parking and there is no other parking nearby. In the evening, we generally have around fifty truckers spending the night in the parking lot. We also host business seminars, general meetings and coach operators. We will lose all this customer base. »

“Without the parking lot, there is no future for the restaurant, that’s very clear,” summarizes Patrick Fontan, owner of the walls. Especially since the establishment, ten employees and two apprentices, is recovering from legal recovery following the confinements.

He discussed with the buyer of the parking lot the arrangement of prices according to users and time slots. Will this be enough? “We are already struggling to increase our restaurant prices, if customers have to pay in addition to the menu, it will be complicated. »

The buyer reassures

Thierry Vanlembrouck, the buyer of the parking lot from the CCI (the transaction is not yet final), confirms having proposed a price list adapted to the restaurant’s local clientele, “I’m waiting for their return”.

Surprised “the way things are going”it is however intended to be reassuring: “It is in our interest that the restaurant remains in operation, we have nothing against this establishment, we are not here to destroy it, quite the contrary. »

Parking of heavy goods vehicles “will continue if not increase”, estimates the director of the Trucks’nB company, who cites the success of the 570-space site in Dunkirk: “Secure parking lots are becoming the standard for driver safety and dignity. Our facilities include rest rooms, sanitary blocks with showers, washing machines. Employers today are willing to pay for these kinds of services. »

The CCI questioned

Yannick Beaubois doubts it: “Not all companies want to pay for secure parking. » He also criticizes the CCI for the sale of this parking lot, “while we have always contributed to the maintenance costs. The CCI is supposed to help businesses like ours; there, she signs our death warrant. »

Christelle Abatut, president of the CCI, did not wish to speak before a meeting with stakeholders on December 4, 2024: “I took the initiative to bring everyone together. We will give all the information and guarantees that everything is taken into account. »

Motion to the municipal council

In the meantime, a motion in support of the restaurant will be presented to the La Crèche municipal council on Tuesday evening: “We were stunned when the restaurant alerted usindicates the mayor, Laetitia Hamot. He is one of the only ones in our town; in addition to truckers, it welcomes many Créchois and associations. We would be very unhappy if this story cannot be resolved. »