Nature & Chateaux à Chinon

Tally-ho! At this restaurant dedicated to Nimrod, the biblical king and hunter, you can be sure of catching game in the sights of a chef who describes himself as a real hunter-gatherer-fisherman. After stints in some high-calibre establishments, chef Nicolas Gaulandeau has returned to roam his native land, crafting dishes from the finest vegetables and meats sourced from local market gardeners and producers. The result is sophisticated and tasty cuisine, as exemplified by line-caught meagre with herbs, fennel confit, hummus and black garlic hollandaise. Highly professional service and an attra

The ocean breeze blows as far inland as Chinon! As its name suggests, this restaurant gives seafood pride of place. The chef prepares very fresh fish, adding a dash of originality, with a pinch of spice here and a hint of sweet and sour there. Good value for money.

Saint Lazare Priory is located in the heart of Fontevraud Abbey, one of Europe’s largest monastic complexes. The former’s cloisters have been morphed into a restaurant by designer Patrick Jouin and architect Sanjit Manku, who have staged a marriage between monastic minimalism and untreated materials to set the scene for Thibaut Ruggeri’s cooking. The latter, who hails from Megève and who won the Bocuse d’Or 2013, learnt the trade with iconic culinary names from Michel Guérard to Georges Blanc. A champion of good food and biodynamic farming, local produce takes pride of place (Racan poultry, An

Along the old railway line, which is now a greenway, this charming bistro occupies a restored winegrower's house with exposed stonework and beams, an open kitchen and a pewter-topped counter at the entrance. A large kitchen garden and a truffle farm supply the establishment with fruit and vegetables. Formerly sous-chef to Thibaut Ruggeri at Fontevraud le Restaurant, Belgian chef Martin Bolaers makes the most of the vegetable garden to create wholesome and creative cuisine in which plants play the starring role: a starter dubbed "L'Instant T", for example, is improvised using vegetables picked

Johann (front of house) and Collis (chef) spoil their diners rotten in this culinary landmark established in a pretty 17C village built by Cardinal Richelieu. The period varnished wooden façade leads into a warm, friendly bistro interior that is perfectly suited to the establishment’s focus on good food and good vibes. The chef keeps things simple with a regularly-changing menu of wholesome dishes that are firmly rooted in the seasons, albeit spiced up with the odd exotic touch, such as an Asian-inspired guinea fowl raviole. Similar care is lavished on the knockout desserts.

Not far from the Bourgueil vineyards, this elegant château dating back to the Enlightenment is set in sumptuous grounds. In La Verrière with its contemporary decor and huge windows with views onto the greenery, or in the more classical dining area, enjoy fine dining-style cuisine, for instance, a fricassee of smoked eel in a Thai jus with lemongrass and coriander.

In a former residential house, now converted into this restaurant, the charm of the local architecture blends perfectly with more contemporary elements. Romain Butet crafts cuisine that embraces tradition and incorporates just the right dose of modernity: confit pork belly, butternut squash and satay; poultry pressé, concentrated jus and local vegetables; Montsoreau apple baba, rosebuds. A good choice of wines at reasonable prices and a pleasant courtyard terrace at the rear.