Rouen, the capital of Normandy, is about 1.5 hours from my hotel. It was rainy so I was glad our first stop was the art museum, Musee des Beaux Art. What a cool museum! When we walked in one of those live statues kind of creeped me out but it was really cool. Lunch was served in the main entrance foyer. A beautiful room – all marble with skylights to let the natural light in and huge scenic paintings on every wall. My three-course lunch was yet again another fabulous meal! Starting with an appetizer featuring three local favorites (of which I could not identify but were delicious), scallops au gratin and ending with a chocolate fruit surprise. A very unique surprise – a hollow chocolate ball filled with chopped fruit with hot chocolate sauce poured over top. Great flavors all together! During lunch the museum director unveiled an original Monet painting. I had a front row seat; I have never been so close to an unprotected Monet in my life, a truly unique experience. This particular Monet was of the Rouen Cathedral which I was going to see later that day.
After lunch, we continued our tour of Rouen. By now the rain had stopped so the walk was very nice. Along the way, my guide pointed out the cross where Joan of Arc was burned. As we continued along the narrow streets we came to the Gros Horloge – a Renaissance clock tower which is still in working condition. Once inside, each room of the tower was different and you could only get there through a narrow, spiral staircase. (So glad I am not claustrophobic.) The first stop was a cheese room; one of the guides explained the four different types of cheese on display, as well as where they originated and how they were produced. Very good but very strong! Heading up to another level, we saw beautiful stained glass windows overlooking the city; a great spot for pictures. After touring the clock tower, we finished with a chocolate tasting. There were three types to try: tears of Joan of Arc (an almond surrounded by nugget and covered in chocolate), chocolate macaroons (a city specialty) and a large dial clock (chocolate filled apple fruit and calvados, with a picture of the clock on top). The last one was my favorite! After the tasting, we went to Auzou, the candy shop where all the chocolates were produced. A chocolate chef was in the front window, preparing fresh creations. Also in the windows were chocolate fountain displays, holiday treats and a huge display of flavored macaroons. This is a great place to pick up treats for friends and family to take back home.
