Just wondering if everythng closes down at lunch, I guess eating becomes something "to do".( Oh dear, my weight will skyrocket.)

I assume the better restaurants have lunch too? Is that common?....will the red Michelin indicate lunch too?

I am curious as to what people do. We will be gone 7 weeks to different areas so maybe it's different in each area.

I keep reading about creperies...are they all over France? And are they open all day?

These are the areas we are visiting: Normandy, Brittany, Loire, Dordogne, Provence and Paris.

Most major sights remain open during the lunch hour, although in Provence you might find some closed, especially in the hot summer months. Places like grocery stores are also likely to close over lunch in the south; so plan accordingly if you want to buy food for a picnic.

Most restaurants, however, are open for lunch, and prices are lower than in the evening. The red Michelin Guide will show when a restaurant is closed for lunch and/or dinner.

There are subtle seasonal changes in openings/closings all over France. In the Dordogne, for example, a lot of places, including restaurants and hotels, close down from the end of October to the Tuesday after Easter. Grocery stores and other commercial establishments are on limited hours during that time, too. From Easter to July 1, most commercial establishments are open from about 7:30 a.m. to noon and then again from 2:30 p.m or 3:00 p.m. until 6:00 or 7:00 pm. Of course, restaurants stay open for lunch (except maybe on Sundays and Mondays, or sometimes Tuesdays). From July 1 through the end of August or into early September, grocery stores stay open all day, except on Sundays and Mondays when they may be closed or open only half a day, and other establishments stay open as much as they like if the tourist traffic is good.

loisco: you won't be able to pin this down. Not only is it different from region to region, it's different from season to season and day to day. And you can always count on the caprice of the French to close something up when you least expect it.

You will NOT go without food in France.

Better restaurants may or may not have lunch - it's up to them to decide which meals they want to serve - but generally speaking they will serve both lunch and dinner.

Crèpes are more of a northern France thing - particularly in Brittany. I've never seen one in the Dordogne or Provence except at those circuses and kiddie fairs that come into towns in mid-summer. No, creperies are not any more likely than anything else to stay open all day.

One generalization about eating in France may help you - don't expect to be able to get something to eat, especially a meal, whenever you want it. Lunch is eaten at lunchtime and dinner is eaten at dinnertime. In between you won't be able to walk into a restaurant and order a meal. Nor will you necessarily have an easy time scouting out a sandwich or something light. It depends on the day of the week, the season, and who's decided to keep a store open.

Thanks for all the wisdom. Actually it sounds more exciting this way.

Have a look at tomorrow's NY Times travel section. There's an article on bistros in Paris.

Thanks.. I get the Times here in San Diego on Sundays.(.am a crossword puzzle fan). Anyway, I just copied the article and when I do my final restaurant list, I will have my husband load on the PDA.
Thanks