Balzac was a regular guest at the Château de Saché, located right next door to this Auberge housed in a half-timbered building that has retained all its authentic charm behind its ivy-covered façade. Exposed beams, tiled floors, a fireplace and more contemporary tableware: this pair – chef Kevin Gardien and Stéphanie Marques – know how to look after their guests. The spotlight is on local produce from the Loire: poultry from Ingrandes-de-Touraine, trout from a fish farm in Langeais, saffron from Cheillé, cheese from Sainte-Maure-de-Touraine. The chef's cuisine is modern, but not obsessed with fashion, and his dishes are clear and delicious, with lovely sauces such as the one accompanying the Racan pigeon with beetroot in a salt crust, blackcurrant and rose geranium.