France's Loire Valley is one of my favorite areas in the world and I truly think it has something to offer for every type of visitor. I spent a fair bit of time in the Loire Valley during two study abroad trips in college. During this time, I fell in love with the area's charming villages, magnificent chateaux, and delicious wine and food.
David and I recently paid a four-day visit to the Loire Valley and, even after six years away, in a lot of ways our trip felt like a homecoming. It was especially fun to show David around my old stomping grounds and to make new memories together as well.
In addition to having a travel partner these days, another major life change that has occurred is that I'm now gluten-free. This was a non-trivial factor in considering our trip because I knew I would miss out on a lot of my favorite pastries from the old days.
Eating Gluten-Free in the Loire Valley
Before arriving in the area, I hit up Google to see how gluten-free-friendly the Loire Valley was. There are certainly more gluten-free options in France than there were a few years ago. It is perfectly possible to eat out but, in most cases, you will have to avoid most carbs. Gluten-free bread, pizza, pasta, and pastries are not widely available. But you can still enjoy delicious French cuisine. Many meat dishes—like steak, salmon, and chicken—are popular main courses in Touraine restaurants.
Just make sure that sides or sauces don't contain farine de blé (wheat flour). Rice dishes like risotto, vegetables, salads, cheese, and charcuterie are other options that are typically gluten-free, just ask your server to make sure. The word for gluten is the same in French so, even if you have a language barrier, your server will most likely get the gist. If not, type out intolérant de gluten on your phone and show them politely to make sure they understand.
Since snacks on the go might be trickier to find, I'd recommend popping into a supermarket (Auchan, Carrefour, Casino, etc.) and buying some portable snacks. I stocked up on gluten-free madeleines since I couldn't eat any of the bread or pastries our hotel offered for breakfast, as well as some snacks to ward off hanger while sightseeing.
Free Four—Produits sans Gluten
(Translation: Free Oven—Products without Gluten)
While the average restaurant can cater to your needs, any gluten-free visitor to the Loire Valley absolutely has to pay a visit to Free Four. This brand new backyard food truck/café hybrid offers an extensive menu of entirely gluten-free entrées, sides, and desserts. These are all freshly made in the Celiac-friendly food truck's kitchen.
I stumbled upon Free Four on my online quest for gluten-free restaurants in the Loire Valley. A bit more research revealed that the backyard gluten-free café was located just a short drive from one of the destinations on our sightseeing list: the Château de Chambord. Tucked into the small village of Bracieux, Free Four is located in the owners' quaint backyard. This may sound a bit quirky, but it's a very charming setting with intimate terrace seating surrounded by the owners' garden.
A Beautiful Backyard Setting, Minutes from Chambord
We parked in the free public parking area in the center of the village and walked the short (~5 minutes) way to Free Four. Once arrived, we were greeted by a welcoming sign on a white picket fence instructing us to ring the bell and enter, which we promptly did. The proprietor came out right away and sat us at the table a few feet away from the four itself. Curious, I asked the owners (a very friendly Hungarian couple) what led them to open a gluten-free food truck in their backyard.
They explained that they both have Celiacs and have struggled to find gluten-free dining options in their small town. They originally built their food truck business with the intention of selling their gluten-free pizzas and other dishes at local markets but, unfortunately, the area's very traditional residents were reluctant to try gluten-free fare.
Many Menu Options
All I can say is they are missing out. Whether you're gluten-free or not, Free Four's food is delectable. The chef makes all the pizzas fresh on the spot. They explained that the dough does not keep and cannot be re-kneaded. This means that every customer gets a completely fresh pizza. I can attest that our pizzas were indeed prepared fresh while we sat feet away smelling their tantalizing aroma. In addition to pizzas, Free Four also offers lasagna, calzones, salad, desserts, and a traditional Hungarian dish called langos.
David and I each ordered a pizza (they're available in small, medium, and large) and we shared a nutella langos for dessert. The little restaurant offers twelve different pizzas, making it difficult to choose. An adventurous eater, David tried the "PizzBurger" while I went for the more traditional "Bolognaise." They were both delicious and the fresh homemade crust was especially impressive. You would never know that these pizzas were sans gluten at all.
Plus a Sweet Hungarian Surprise
Dessert was a lovely surprise as well. The langos turned out to be fried dough, not dissimilar to an elephant ear. Available sweet or savory, our dessert langos was topped with nutella and hazelnut crumbles. It was a delicious way to wrap up our lovely backyard dining experience.
If you're headed to Chambord or its surrounds, stop and try Free Four. You won't be disappointed! If you're coming in a larger group, I would recommend calling ahead as the small backyard setting may not be able to accommodate you. Even if you can't eat on-site, Free Four also offers takeout (à emporter) and delivery (livraison) as well! Although online it says that the business is cash only, they do accept credit cards! The owners are extremely friendly and clearly take pride in their (delicious) work—as they should—so if you have a question or concern, just ask!
Free Four is not a fast food experience, it's a two-person show. They are remarkably efficient but give yourself plenty of time for lunch or dinner. Sit back and enjoy the sunshine and birdsong in the lovely garden setting while your fresh gluten-free treats cook up a few feet away.
For me this was a good reminder that sometimes a "restriction" can be just the push I need to experience something wonderful and unexpected.
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