L’Etape Gourmande

It’s definitely worth planning ahead for a leisurely meal at L’Etape Gourmande, one of the region’s insider favorites. Owned by a mother and daughter team, the restaurant is located in the 17th-century outbuilding of their lovely family farm on the outskirts of Villandry. The proprietors enjoy discussing everything Loire-related, including the eatery’s home-cooked regional cuisine (such as baked goat cheese on frisée or glazed ribs on a bed of fennel potato purée). Mulberry trees and waterfalls of roses shade the courtyard tables while the two rustic dining rooms have stone walls and original terracotta floors ideal for convivial candlelit dinners.