We are a family of 4 and will be staying at Chateau Chissay for 2 nights. They offer a restaurant which I have heard is very nice. However, our kids usually don't enjoy anything that gets too fancy. Are there any alternatives in this area, which would be more family friendly to what North Americain kids may eat (and recognize).
Thanks

Well, outside of cities you will find few fast food places. Your best options for kids who are picky eaters are simple cafes (which will usually have plain roast chicken or steak hache - hamburger) or a creperie - so the kids can pick any kind of filling that they like.

You may also want to bring a menu translator to help recognize what they would be comfortable with.

I don't know how near one is to you but there's a chain of attractive seafood restaurants called La Criee and located usually at a roundabout and they are usually filled with families. We've been to several throughout France from the Meux area to Brittany.

Most restaurants in France serve at least one version of chicken. Most American kids seem to relate to that pretty well.

If you have the time or inclination, you might try fixing a few "different" recipes at home and let them experiment in private. Most kids like quiche. There are lots of places in France with sandwiches. Make sandwiches at home with baguettes a few times so the kids won't think it's weird.

There's always soup and salad and you certainly won't have trouble finding French fries!

Most French restaurants (in the budget category that we use) have a childrens menu. If your kids are young enough, i.e. under 12, that might be suitable too.

Don't worry. The kids will have a grand time and you will be able to find something they like nearly everywhere.

Have fun!

Oh yes, forgot to add: The French, on the whole, love children and will be charmed by yours. It's much easier to meet people in France when you have your children along.

If you have a menu problem, ask the waiter or waitress for help, explaining it's for the children and I bet you'll get anything the kids want.

Thanks for the advice, but I was still hoping for a nice restuarant for mom and dad, but one which whould offer kid-friendly choices. We will probably end up dining at the restaurant at Chateau Chissay with a half board offer, but I just wondered if any families had good experiences at any other in this area. Thatnks.

At any French restaurant except the most elegant, the waiter will usually honor a request for a simple omelette and frites. Will your kids eat that?
We ate in lots of good restaurants in the Loire and always found things our kids enjoyed, they are omnivores, so I can't be too helpful.

We stayed at La Roseraie in Chenonceau last summer with our two boys who were then 9 and 12. We became friendly with a number of other people who dined at "our" restaurant. There was an adult family staying at the Chateau de Chissay. They said they were disappointed in the food there and preferred the food at La Roseraie. They ate with us twice. There were other families with children as well. The restaurant was willing to adapt whatever was on the menu to suit the needs of our children. There were many choices and even our 9 year old (who is very picky) always found something he enjoyed. I highly recommend this place- it was charming and child-friendly.