Les Bartavelles

The story

Les Bartavelles – Modern Cuisine in Tours | Michelin Recommended

At Les Bartavelles in Tours, the kitchen and the dining room are guided by two siblings who share a passion for honest, precise cooking. Chef Ghislain Damaye and his sister Véronique Damaye, the maître d’hôtel, have created a place where hospitality feels natural and the food speaks clearly.

The Duo Behind the Stove

Ghislain Damaye’s path to the stove was not a straight line. After years in fields far from gastronomy, his hunger for fine food led him to train in some of France’s most demanding kitchens – Le Meurice under Alain Ducasse, La Chancelière with Olivier Arlot, and La Maison Tourangelle with Fréderic Arnault, among others. In 2019, Gault&Millau named him a Jeune Talent, and Michelin awarded an Assiette. His style is modern, rooted in classical technique but unafraid of clarity and freshness.

Véronique Damaye, who worked at L’Auberge du Cheval Rouge and the Wentworth Club in the UK, orchestrates the front of house with a warm, intuitive touch. She is also the restaurant’s wine director, selecting bottles that complement the chef’s compositions. Together, they form what the restaurant’s own story calls “le duo de becs fins” – a pair of fine palates working in perfect harmony.

A Welcoming Table

The dining room at 33 rue Colbert is intimate and unpretentious. The atmosphere is one of genuine welcome – “casseroles et saveurs franches,” as the team puts it: pots and pans singing alongside forthright flavours. The kitchen’s modern cuisine evolves with the seasons, letting ingredients take centre stage. Guests are invited to arrive “en un battement d’ailes” – in a flutter of wings – and to settle in for a meal that feels both refined and relaxed.

Michelin Recognition

Les Bartavelles has been consistently noted by Michelin, most recently earning the Michelin Recommended distinction in 2026. This recognition underscores the precision of the cooking and the sincerity of the entire experience. The restaurant also welcomes private parties and offers table service that is attentive without being intrusive – a reflection of Véronique’s experience and Ghislain’s conviction that food is, above all, a shared pleasure.

For those seeking modern cuisine in Tours that balances technical skill with a personal, familial warmth, Les Bartavelles is a destination worth knowing.