The story
At Auberge de la Croix Blanche in Châteauneuf-sur-Loire, Christa and Arno Abächerli have guided their seasonal French cooking for more than two decades. They transformed a traditional inn into a dual concept featuring a relaxed bistro and a refined gastronomic dining room. Their steady approach earned them a 15-point rating from Gault&Millau in 2026, a recognition built on consistent technique rather than fleeting trends. The couple manages both the kitchen floor and the front house with equal attention to detail.
The seasonal French cooking here prioritizes ingredient purity over heavy sauces. Guests often begin with a chilled pea soup served alongside delicate fish rillette drizzled with hazelnut oil. Main courses highlight ingredients like fresh chanterelles tucked inside an open raviolo with Freiburger goat cheese, or summer buck back medallions resting on a fragrant elderberry jus. Each plate balances richness with bright acidity and careful plating.
Natural light floods the main dining room during afternoon service, while evening gatherings move toward the sheltered terrace. Mature chestnut trees provide a quiet canopy over the outdoor tables throughout the warmer months. The refined French cuisine translates smoothly across both the casual bistro counter and the formal dining room. Families and weekend visitors share the same floor plan as guests seeking a multi-course tasting menu.
Recognition
Ambience
Details
History
The stately "Auberge," situated right in the heart of Gingins, a small village near Nyon in the Lavaux region, with its elegant dining room and a terrace shaded by plane trees, provides the perfect setting for the refined Italian cuisine of Cinzia and Enzo Buffarini. La Signora handles the service with Italian charm, while Enzo and his kitchen brigade prepare classics from various regions of Italy. The chef, who spent 30 years cooking at the three-star restaurant of Rome’s Waldorf Astoria Hotel, began with a paprika madeleine atop creamy mascarpone, followed by an excellent trio of canederli (bread dumplings) with spinach and parmesan cream. The delicate, house-made tagliolini were served with a sauce enhanced with lemon zest. The perfectly cooked beef tagliata, served on a bed of arugula and topped with parmesan shavings, was deliberately seasoned sparingly with just excellent black pepper and a few grains of salt. Perfect! A classic, light tiramisu brought the meal to a splendid close.
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