We will be in the Loire Valley in October for 10 days and would really appreciate restaurant suggestions. Thank you for your help.

One of the best (and most interesting, ambience-wise) meals of my life I had in Blois. There is a houseboat/restaurant in Blois on the Loire River. It is owned by a couple and their small dog. It is simply enchanting. It is the favorite place of a French friend of mine who is exceedingly critical of restaurants. Alas, I cannot remember the name of it but how many restaurants ON the river can there be in Blois? I hope you can find it.

Le Banquette Rouge in Blois came highly recommended - we loved it and returned for a second dinner 3 nites later. A favorite with locals. Delicious food, small and cozy, on a little street behind one of the cathedrals.

best restaurant in Blois is L'orangrie-terrific--rated best in Michelin guide

We just got back from the Loire and had some of the best food of our lives. In Amoise, Le Choiseul had great food as did a little restaurant in Rosiers-sur-Loire outside of Angers. the name was Jeanne de something with a T. Hope that helps.

In Tours there's a restaurant/hotel called Jean Bardet( that's the name of the chef). Many french people know this name. It is THE best restaurant in the Loire. Never been there myself, I'm still a college student and I can't afford it yet, but I'll go someday. C'est la creme de la creme!! Reservations a must, you can find more info. about it in most French travel books.

Bellieve Jean Bardet probably is the best but we didn't afford the extra ex- <BR>pense, but did find a small hotel just <BR>on the Loiret River just south of Tours <BR>with a wonderful restuarant and the hotel is nice also right on the river, <BR>extra nice for a glass of wine or beer <BR>and a day of chateauing. <BR>Have a great time.

In Tours, the restaurant Les Tuffeaux (not sure about that spelling) is very good and good value. It is run by a couple (husband in the kitchen and wife out front). They serve excellent classic french cooking.

In Tours I ate at Le Gourmandin, it was like the restaurant above, very small and run by a couple. The prices were unbelievable. A four course meal and wine for about $50....you can't find that in the states. The hotel was on rue Colbert...there's a lot of great little restaurants on that street.

David, <BR> <BR>One of the nicest meals we had was in a restaurant named La Breche-I'm not sure of its spelling-across the river from Amboise. The husband was the chef and the wife ran the dining room. It was one the more pleasant dining experiences we've had in France. <BR>Have a great trip!!! <BR>Michael <BR>

After spending our first evening taking 3 hours for a dinner in Onzain/Chaumont, we looked for another restaurant. We found the Chez Colette - on the road below the castle. It served good food at a reasonable price and didn't take 3 hours. It has been a few years so I hope it is still there - we ate there 5 nights, including the night they stayed open just for us (they are a bar during the day and close Friday evening - but they stayed open for us!)

We were just in Loire a couple weeks ago. <BR> <BR>We loved a little restaurant near our chateau called Les Pecheurs. Small, nothing fancy, small menu but lovely food and even nicer staff. Husband is chef and wife is waitress. Menus from 70FF! If you go please say hello from Kavita and Pete, the english couple who celbrated our 5th wedding anniversary there on the 3/9/99. <BR> <BR>The other one I liked was L'Atmosphere in Saumur, which specialised in home made Foie Gras and terrines but had a good range of menus. <BR> <BR>Kavita

We have had good meals at our hotel Chateau d'Chissay in Chissay en Tourraine and down the road a bit at Bon Labourer, a restaurant which also has hotel accomodations nearby. But some of the fun is the unplanned meals wherever we happened to find a restaurant when we were touring. And many bars made outstanding spinich salads or salad Nicoise, two of my favorites for lunch.

We stayed at a lovely hotel just outside of Chinon this past July and ate one night at a rather small, absolutely wonderful spot in Chinon: Le Plaisir Gourmand. It was highly recommended by a friend (and is in the fodor's guide also) and the food was only surpassed by the lovely ambience! Loved it!