Chenonceaux: discover its best recipes

Indre-et-Loire's culinary heritage is full of recipes, each more appetising than the last! Géline, a tender fowl, is often found on restaurant menus. It is sometimes combined with morel mushrooms and asparagus, cooked in a salt crust or as a fricassee. Fans of charcuterie will get their money's worth during their stay: rillettes de Tours and quiche tourangelle are sure to please! Chenonceaux and the surrounding region are not to be outdone when it comes to alcohol. L'épine noire is the emblematic drink, a delicious aperitif that doubles perfectly as a dessert wine. This is certainly not a holiday where you'll find it easy to shed unwanted pounds, as there are so many delicacies to choose from! You'll have the chance to try some exquisite sweets at snack time or at the end of the meal, such as the famous Tours nougat and barley sugars. To vary the pleasures at 4pm, we also recommend poire rapée, a fruit speciality that is very popular in the region.

Visiting Chenonceaux castle

The Château de Chenonceaux is the must-see attraction for all visitors in search of an escape. A simple virtual tour of its gardens on Google Street View should be enough to make your mouth water. The rooms are remarkably well preserved and sumptuously furnished. You won't forget the decor of the Louis XIV salon or the unusual kitchens located in the piles of the bridge. The night-time shows organised here add a very interesting entertainment dimension, especially for younger visitors. They allow visitors to relive situations from the Middle Ages to the Renaissance. Other monuments of interest to visitors around Chenonceaux can be found in the commune of Bourré. You can visit the Moulin des Aigremonts, a 19th-century building that rises to a height of over 18 metres. Then there's the Carrière de Tuffeau and the Ville souterraine, where you can admire some grandiose frescoes. The atmosphere here is as astonishing as it is relaxing!

Attractive destinations around Chenonceaux

Staying in a holiday rental in Chenonceaux doesn't mean you can't go and explore the attractive destinations in the surrounding area - quite the contrary! Two towns have plenty of surprises in store for you: Blois and Tours. Blois boasts a number of architectural masterpieces, including Saint-Louis Cathedral and the Château Royal. Between two visits, don't hesitate to recharge your batteries in the paths of the gardens of the Ancien Eveché!

In Tours, you'll be spoilt for choice. Discovering the Musée du Compagnonnage is always an enriching experience, as is access to the superb Saint-Gatien cathedral. If you feel like it, visit the Basilique Saint-Martin and the Musée des Beaux-Arts during your holiday. And biology buffs won't want to miss out on a few hours at the heart of the Natural History Museum.