Les Caves de Marson — Restaurant in Saumur

Highlight of our trip so far.

Firstly, we messed up our booking and turned up on the wrong day — they were totally full inside but let us sit outside. So we didn't get the full cave experience (although still got to go in!) but actually with a toddler the garden space was perfect.

The staff were lovely throughout, really friendly and helpful, with better English than our French. Very kind to our son too.

The food — very simple but hearty local food. We were two vegetarians and a vegan, which is not a great combo for French food usually, but we all ate well! The vegetarian option on the menu included stewed beans, goats cheese and honey, salad, ratatouille, etc all with the local fouées (like pita bread). They didn't have a specific vegan offer, but the breads, ratatouille, salad, beans, cornichons, etc were all plenty satisfying! My partner had no complaints. The whole vibe is simple share-y plates and plenty to drink alongside the meal too. For just €26 each (and cheaper for our son) including the drinks, we thought it was a great deal.

Would highly recommend and would definitely return so we could get the full candlelit...

Mickael must have been dropped by his parents during his enfance - that's about the only explanation I can think of for someone NOT loving this place. This restaurant is incredible. First, the ambiance - you are in a troglodyte which is a natural cave. This creates the perfect, most romantic setting for eating. Imagine candle-lit tables and cave furnaces where everything is cooked. Secondly, the food - fouée is a regional specialty that you can only get in france. The amount of food is extremely generous (all you can eat fouée). What you stuff the fouée with is not all you can eat but they always provide generous portions, to the extend that they probably end up throwing away some of the duck rillettes they gave us which is the real shame here. The value is incredible - you can't get this level of quality of food, in this setting, at that price anywhere else in France. An absolute must-do for anyone looking for the most french and most genuine experience that this region...

We had dinner at Les Caves de Marson, and it was truly a special and unforgettable experience. The cave setting, softly lit by candlelight, created a magical and intimate atmosphere that we absolutely loved. The service was fast, and the staff were incredibly kind and welcoming, which made the experience even better. The food was outstanding — we tried the ratatouille menu and the duck menu, both full of rich, authentic flavors. The mushroom pie was delicious, and the goat cheese with honey on the freshly baked fouées was simply unforgettable. The red wine was excellent, and the sparkling wine added a perfect touch to the evening. We ended our meal with coffee and tea outside, peacefully seated under a large tree surrounded by nature. A beautiful,...