Rouen specialities & local Normandy produce

It’s hard not to come to France, and even harder to come to Normandy, without indulging in one of the many local Norman products or specialities from Rouen. Apple juice, apple pie, cider, pommeau, calvados or even beer, Rouen and the Seine Valley offer a wide range of aperitifs and alcoholic beverages for you to discover and sample. In addition to Rouen’s specialities, in summer you can follow the fruit trail along the Seine, where small fruit producers and private individuals offer cherries and plums on the roadside (sold at the gate). Similarly, the cheese, apple and cider routes are sure to whet the appetites of even the most curious gourmets.

The Douillon d’Elbeuf is one of the Seine Valley’s most emblematic sweet treats. Made from puff pastry and a hollowed-out Norman apple filled with butter and sugar, this local speciality is eaten from September until the end of winter. Formerly served during the interval between films in Elbeuf cinemas, it was revived in 2012 thanks to a desire to promote the town’s gourmet heritage. Alongside the great flavours of Normandy, it is a modest, flaky treasure not to be missed on a gourmet getaway!

Don’t miss the Mirliton, Rouen’s sweet nugget: This delicious flaky pastry tartlet, filled with a smooth vanilla, orange blossom or almond cream, is reminiscent of the pastries of yesteryear and a typical Norman sweetness. A simple but refined recipe, it can be eaten warm or cold, perfect to round off a gourmet meal or to accompany a break. The Mirliton is available at Ma Boulangerie, the Rouen home of Christophe Cressent, Meilleur Ouvrier de France and member of the Club des Toques. The artisan is bringing this traditional Normandy tartlet back to life, modernising it while preserving its typical creamy texture. A stop at Ma Boulangerie, at 6 place du Vieux-Marché or 44 rue Armand Carrel in Rouen, is an excellent way to enjoy an exceptional mirliton!

The famous speciality of Canard à la Rouennaise, often called “duck in blood”, is a staple of Rouen gastronomy. Inspired by the recipe of Père Denise (an innkeeper in Duclair), this duckling is smothered then roasted, rare and served with a sauce of Bordeaux wine, shallots and squeezed blood, and is quite a culinary spectacle. To enjoy it in the finest style, head to one of the top establishments such as Le Café Victor, Les Capucines, La Couronne or Le Restaurant Le Parc.