A gourmet restaurant with unobstructed views of the Loire River in the Loire Valley, in one of France's officially most beautiful villages - ref 49244
A gourmet restaurant with unobstructed views of the Loire River in the Loire Valley, in one of France's officially most beautiful villages.
Montsoreau is near the boundary between the Anjou and Touraine areas and is located in the Maine-et-Loire, in the Pays de la Loire region. It boasts the "Petite Cité de Caractère" heritage label and is a winner of the France's most beautiful villages competition. It possesses a fine restaurant, several bars, a baker, butcher's, a grocer's and several antique dealers. Facing the Loire River, the old streets are an ideal setting for culture and gastronomy. The region is also famous for its castles, mansions and winemaking estates, such as Saint-Maure-de-Touraine or Champigny. The A85 motorway is just 15 minutes away, as is the railway station on the Nantes to Blois line, via which Angers and Tours can be reached in 25 minutes and Paris in 2 hours.
Well-placed opposite the village's small port, there is an unbeatable view of the cabined, flat-bottomed barges and fustereau boats floating gently on the river. The building stands near the castle, in the historical part of the village. It is made of tuffeau stone with a slate roof, dates from the 19th century and was originally two semi-detached homes. It plays host to a gastronomic restaurant that is renowned throughout the region. The building has three storeys, one of which is under the sloping roof. The sober main façade overlooks the Loire River through a number of windows and is topped by a dormer with a denticulated triangular terminal.
The house
The ground floor
There are two entrances. One leads into a large dining room with a view, with room for 50 seats. The floor has original terracotta tiles. The walls are made of tuffeau stone and the ceiling has exposed beams and joists. The other entrance is via a lobby to the rear, from a quiet, small street. The professional kitchen is still in place as are its main pieces of equipment: dishwasher, oven, cooking range and cold store. There is also a dedicated office for waiting staff.
The first floor
It includes a room overlooking the Loire River with a large, sober tuffeau stone fireplace. Adjacent to the room is a pantry, wine store and storage space. On the other side of the landing, an office faces west, adjacent to a utility room.
The attic
The attic is awaiting refurbishment and boasts views over the river.
The basement
The cellars can be reached via the façade, through a small, discreet door. There are three sections, one of which is vaulted. The cellars are ideal for storing wine.
