The story
Ezia, a restaurant and hotel in Montlivault, sits just outside Blois, at the edge of the Château de Chambord estate. The house aims for a simple, warm welcome in a sober, modern setting. Its cuisine draws from the Loire Valley and the Nantes region, combining treasures of the Guérande coast with the rich lands of Sologne.
Chef Nicolas Aubry trained at Ferrandi-Paris, then worked with Patrice Hardy at La Truffe Noire and Eric Fréchon at Le Bristol. He met Christophe Hay and became his second for the opening of La Maison d’à Côté in 2014. Under Hay, Aubry helped earn a first Michelin star in 2015 and a second in 2018. After eight years of collaboration, he took over the restaurant, rebranding it as Ezia with his wife Laura. The restaurant now holds a Michelin star of its own for high quality cooking.
The menu evolves with the seasons, always close to the product and its producers. A la carte dishes include oysters with mertensia, spider crab with kohlrabi, mackerel from Le Croisic with chard and rhubarb, whole blue Breton lobster with saffron and artichoke, and a cotriade of fish with spring onion. Desserts range from raspberry with verbena to vanilla from Madagascar with confit strawberries. Two tasting menus—Terre Saline in five steps and Terre de Nacre in eight steps—offer a deeper exploration of the chef’s modern cuisine. A weekday lunch menu is also available. The kitchen accommodates vegetarian diets and other dietary needs when mentioned at booking.
The restaurant offers indoor and outdoor seating, with air conditioning, a bar, and private dining options. The team works with local producers who share their values. Ezia is open for lunch and dinner, with seasonal closures.
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