In the Loire, there is Troisgros, but it is also there that Pierre Gagnaire made his debut and, in Saint Etienne, the torch has been taken up by Stéphane Laurier and his restaurant Nouvelle.

Thierry, Stephane’s brother, is now famous in Cleppé, at the well named Brin de Laurier, in the Forez plain. This Chef, whose speciality is not to have any , according to his own terms, is constantly researching and presents a menu where his foréziennes roots (Le Forez, in the Loire), and the sensations brought back from his numerous journeys are mixed together for a very personal cuisine.

When you leave the table, you can discover the natural beauty of the Ecopole of Forez, at Chambéon, visit the Castle of the Bâtie d’Urfé, at Saint Etienne le Molard and continue to Montrond les Bains for a well-being stop to enjoy the beneficial thermal waters.

In the Ain, country of Georges Blanc, another great chef, one will contemplate the Saracen fireplaces, watch the frolics of the beautiful white poultry with red combs and blue legs, the famous Bresse poultry, the only AOC in their category that finish on the best tables of the region, coated with a cream and morel sauce.

Then you will stop at Gisèle and Gilles Chazot’s restaurant Le Raisin in Pont de Vaux, the town where one of the poultry fairs, baptized the Glorieuses, is held every year just before Christmas. This just shows that they know what quality means here. For frogs and fresh water fish, fished in the very close Saône River on which one can also enjoy sailing from the marina of the town …