Our good adresses
Restaurants :
Our favorites (but there are plenty more)
- Les Années 30, in Chinon: in a 15th century house. Refined cuisine of a very good standard, made by the chef Stéphane Charles. Very reasonable price/quality ratio (35-40€). Very warm welcome, large fireplace in winter and a small terrace on the street in summer. Open on Sunday evening (which is rare in Chinon!) 02 47 93 37 18 https://www.lesannees30.co
- La Maison Rouge, a few meters from Les Années 30, in one of the oldest houses in Chinon. An address recommended by some of our visitors. 02 47 98 43 65 fr.maisonrouge-chinon.com
- Le Chapeau Rouge on the town hall square in Chinon. The chef Christophe Duguin proposes a refined cuisine, based on local products, at a reasonable price (30-40€). Shaded terrace on the square. 07 80 02 78 97. https://www.auchapeaurouge.fr
- L’ardoise in Chinon: meat restaurant (possibility to buy meat from the restaurant!), reasonable price (30-40€), no terrace. 02 47 58 48 78 https://lardoisechinon.com
- Charbon in Chinon: a tiny restaurant near the town hall, specializing in cooking over a wood fire in an old oven. A very limited menu (4 starters, 4 main courses, 4 desserts) but with very good value for money. To be avoided by vegetarians (marrow bones, rib of beef, andouillette…). Tel: 02 47 58 25 19
- Le Ver Vert in Montsoreau (12 Km): refined and innovative cuisine, excellent cellar, a little more expensive than the previous ones (40-50€) 02 41 52 34 89 https://www.ververt.com
- L’Epine in Azay-Le-Rideau (23 km): high-level gastronomic restaurant, (waiting for a next Michelin star, it seems !). Excellent cellar. Terrace. Quite high price (>50€) but justified. 02 47 45 39 84 https://www.restaurant-lepine.fr
- L’Auberge de la Route d’Or in Candes-Saint-Martin (10 km). Good level cuisine, with a terrace at the foot of the collegiate church, very pleasant in summer. 02 47 95 19 01
- Diane de Meridor in Montsoreau (named after the heroine of Alexandre Dumas’ novel, “La Dame de Montsoreau”: located on the street along the banks of the river Loire, this restaurant serves elegant and interesting cuisine through its combinations of quality products . Fast and friendly service. Average price (menu at 29€) . One of the only good restaurants open on Sunday evenings! https://dianedemeridor.com/,
- Les Pécheries Ligériennes at Bréhémont (27 km). A high-level restaurant dedicated to Loire river fish, born from the association of a professional Loire river fisherman and a talented chef (passed by the TV show “Top Chef” in 2020). Terrace on the Loire river. Mandatory reservation. Tel: 09 51 30 22 68 Website: http://www.les-pecheries-ligeriennes.fr/
- Auberge du Val de Vienne in Sazilly (14 km): restaurant serving traditional French cuisine, sometimes with an exotic touch, of very good quality, at an average price (menu at €34). Recommended by the Guide du Routard and the Gault & Millau guide. www.aubergeduvaldevienne.com . Tel: 02 47 95 26 49
…or much simpler and more affordable, and very close: Le Petit Bouchon in Avoine (3 Km). Very limited menu (dish of the day) but at a tight price (€13), fast and friendly service. Terrace in summer. Tel: 02 47 58 81 85
The “Guinguettes” (only in summer)
- in Chinon, on the “beach” at the foot of the bridge, left bank of the Vienne: sandwiches, sausages and fries, and beers, facing the fortress.
- La Bamboche in Le Néman (7 km), on the banks of the river Indre: Foodtrucks with hamburgers, “fouées” (traditional bread), tapas, local beers and Chinon wines. Festive and very warm atmosphere, concerts of musical bands on weekends.
And finally, for vegetarians, the Masama restaurant in Saumur (23 km): vegetarian and flexitarian cuisine prepared by a “master restaurateur”. Tel: +33(0)2 53 93 95 82 https://www.masama.fr/
The (good) food shops around:
Butchers: Boucherie Martin and Boucherie Ondet, both in rue Jean-Jacques Rousseau: Open on Sunday mornings.
Bakeries: Le Fournil du Chateau, Rue Jean-Jacques-Rousseau (closed on Sundays), La Tour de l’Horloge Place Mirabeau (long queue on Sundays), La tour des pains near the entrance to the fortress.
Pastries: Ayrolle, Rue de l’hôtel de ville: the inventor of the “Tarte du vigneron”, a specialty from Chinon (fine apple tart covered with a jam of Chinon wine). And also La Tour de l’Horloge (see in bakeries) .
Rent a bike :
See the page “Biking at La Pénesais”
Good adresses around the wine :
See the page “Discovering the wines of Chinon“
Bathing places (in natural environment)
– L’ile Bouchard , 25 Km, bathing in the river Vienne, supervised
– Bourgueil, 13 Km : le Lac Capitaine
– Lac de Hommes, 30 Km
– Lac Millodeau , 27 Km, near Saumur.
More information on https://ville-data.com/baignade/lac/Chinon-37-37072