FrenchDuck’s databank
41 Loir et Cher

Our discovery of Les Trois Marchands (The Three Merchants) at Cour-Cheverny (41 Loir-et-Cher, Centre) was a recommendation from Michel Gendrier at nearby Domaine des Huards- and we have been back at least half-a-dozen times since.
Situated about 12km south of Blois, it is ideally situated for the Touraine chateaux and vineyards, including Domaine Octavie at Oisly.
As a hotel it falls into the OK category - neither luxurious nor spartan - comfortable, affordable en-suite rooms in the French style (although heavy flock wallpaper is absent!). It is the restaurant that (as usual) is the main attraction - especially if you feel up to tacking the Menu Gastronomique! Always good food - with a wide range of choice - excellent local wines and friendly service. We have never had a bad meal there - even when turning up late and unannounced with a party of 8!!

Hotel Les Trois Marchands
60 pl. de l’Eglise
41700 Cour Cheverny
Tél.: 02 54 79 96 44
Fax: 02 54 79 25 60
www.hoteldes3marchands.com

Interesting and individual selection of French wines including

DOMAINE DES HUARDS, Cour-Cheverny AC    Cuvée Francois 1er 2002, Romorantin £ 8.25 The little known Romorantin grape is now exclusive to Cour-Cheverny. A favourite of Leonardo de Vinci, it produces a very individual wine. Dry with subtle fruits and a slightly “sherried” flavour.

Martlet Wines is internet-based (no shop) and provides a slightly quirky approach to their wine list – so you find wines by style (e.g. red wines are classified Light Fresh, Classical Medium-bodied, Fuller-bodied and Deep and Complex) which may be useful for many – although personally I prefer to search by region or grape variety,

I like the site overall, it feels knowledgeable and friendly! So good to find another adventurous wine merchant –  Martlet Wines also stocks a range of other top notch French wines – such as the wines of Mas de la Serranne in the Languedoc.

For more on Domaine des Huards see http://www.frenchduck.co.uk/huards.html