The garden of France, the Loire Valley produces fresh fruit and tender vegetables used in profusion in the local cuisine.

Meats & Meat Dishes

Rivers supply salmon, pike perch and trout, with wild boar, venison, pheasant and mushrooms from the marshes and forests of the Solonge. Enjoy Loire Valley’s rich charcuterie, terrines, and berrichon pies and pastries.

The delicate flavour of ‘quenelles de brochet’ (poached pike mousse) may surprise some. Perhaps better known is ‘noisettes de porc aux pruneaux de Tours’ - pork medallions cooked with prunes. Cheeses are plentiful - try the distinctive pyramidal Valencay nutty goats cheese.

Desserts

Fruit pies are popular for dessert, especially the legendary ‘tarte tatin’ - an upside down apple pie first produced by culinary accident, or ‘gateau pithiviers’ - almond cream in buttered puff pastry.

Wines

The Loire Valley produces many superb wines, including the red wines of Chinon and sparkling whites of Vouvray. Not forgetting the regional version of kir - kir berrichone - crème du cassis with red wine.