in Notre-Dame-de-Courson, the restaurant which welcomes schoolchildren for lunch will close

At Notre-Dame-de-Courson (Calvados), when lunchtime strikes, a strange canteen awaits schoolchildren. Every lunchtime, the 22 pupils of the only class in the village eat at Le Tournebroche restaurant. For more than 30 years, a large room has been specially reserved for them in this renowned inn. “It’s prepared by the chef, so it’s better”, says a student. In the kitchen, Christian Bellanger, the chef, concocts the meals for the students.

In 1990, the restaurateur proposed to the municipality to host the canteen in his establishment. “The children who came at the time were very young, they became parents, we had the second generation, and so on”, rejoices Christian Bellanger. For Martine Bellanger, the boss, the idea is also to help the village keep its school. “It’s a pleasure to have them. Even if we don’t make money, we don’t lose it”, she explains. But, in a few days, the restaurant will close. For Christian and Martine Bellanger, retirement has come. For lack of buyers, from next month, the children will eat, in the village hall, meals delivered by a central kitchen.