Auberge Saint Fiacre

Auberge Saint Fiacre is a 17th-century inn and restaurant in a green oasis in Veuil between Touraine and Berry, close to the Château de Valençay and the Zoo de Beauval. The building, formed from a historic house, an old grocery and the village bar, was converted into a restaurant in the early 1970s and has been run by Katia and Arnaud Gauthier since 2001. The house is a member of the Tables Gourmandes du Berry, holds the maître restaurateur title and bears a Michelin Guide Bib Gourmand together with recommendations from major gastronomic guides. The dining room retains warm, rustic character with a hearth and darkened beams. In fine weather a shaded terrace beneath centenary chestnut trees beside an antique fountain overlooks the ruined Renaissance château. The kitchen serves modern, market-driven gastronomy "au goût du jour" with menus that change according to the market and the chef's inspiration. Offerings include multi-course, tasting and blind-tasting menus rooted in regional products and traditional comfort with contemporary touches, exemplified by Mosnay farm goat cheese and Sologne caviar. Specialties include gravlax of beef with Jerusalem artichoke and chestnut cream; fresh goat cheese from the Mosnay farm with pickled red cabbage; mousseline of pike with roasted parsnip and shellfish coulis; fondant of veal with confit vegetables and potato velour; duck foie gras prepared like a pot-au-feu; and an assortment of aged cheeses.