Staying in Vernon for several days. Yesterday my husband felt tired at lunch so I walked into this restaurant which was not as filled as the restaurant next to it. No one was sitting inside, patrons all sitting outside. Asked female waiter if I could sit inside so as to not take up a desired table as a single diner. As she was about to offer me a small table inside, an older male waiter rushed up to her and scolded her (I speak french) gor offering me a table as a single patron. Keep in mind that NO ONE was sitting there at that point, and said all tables inside and out were taken. I thanked him and went next door to other more crowded restaurant and was offered an outside table under the awning. I am a retired american business owner and executive used to dining alone on business in major cities at both lunch and dinner (my choice of at a table or at the bar) and had never encountered this. At this point we had been in Paris, Champagne, and now Normandie for a month. But it was a quirk that I was dining by myself. i posted a question about this on a FB page asking if anyone else had encountered refusal as a single diner anywhere in France and this far, answer is no. My analysis is that we are outside Paris, Vernon is a small town, the female worker was willing to seat me. This this older male is an exception and for whatever reason felt that, despite the peak lunch period being more than halfway through AND that the restaurant was not as well filled as the one next door, that somehow the presence of a single female diner did not project the image he wanted. It was a single (pun intended) negative experience but I am addi g this review for other single females as a caution. i mentioned the i code t to the hotel desk clerk and she rolled her eyes in sympathy and said she never recommends that restaurant to her guests because the restaurant tried to project a (she made "snooty" gesture) a certain image. As a well educated business owner and executive who is well travelled, I believe that attitude is unacceptable anywhere. It is also a statistical aberration in a country filled with helpful, considerate, and friendly restaurant owners and staff who are happy to share their cuisine with residents and visitors alike. read more