BRIT HOTEL Le Lion d'Or 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

This restaurant may be named after the 1930s but that's where the connection to that period ends. The decor is chic and trendy, with walls in hues of terracotta and verdigris and retro dining chairs. Diners will love the appetising cuisine based on fresh ingredients. Tables on the terrace in fine weather.

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.

The name of the restaurant means "blackthorn" – a thorny shrub or tree commonly found in the hedgerows of France. Its fruit (sloes) can be turned into sloe gin. Formerly a school dating back to 1866, the premises are tastefully decorated throughout: exposed ceiling beams, large windows giving onto a tree-lined terrace, designer lighting and works of art. The chef offers a seasonal menu served in several courses that celebrates local produce and artisans.

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.