Julia Child's - First Meal in France

If you enjoyed (as I did) the recent movie ‘Julie and Julia’ - in the opening moments of the movie, you see first time France visitors; Julia and Paul Child (soon after disembarking from their transatlantic ship), having lunch at a restaurant and having a dish of Sole Meuniere and at that very moment, both discovering and falling in Love with France and its cooking!
That restaurant they ate in, is still around, in fact it’s been around since 1345!
It’s Located in Rouen (just 1 hour west of Paris).
Leaving or arriving from America (in and out of Le Havre – home to the big transatlantic liners during those glorious days) passengers have always stopped-over in Rouen (nearby) for lunch at "La Couronne", enjoying, among other classics, their most classic dish - "Canard à la Rouennaise" From time immemorial, France's oldest inn, registered 1345 on the most ancient bill of sale found to this day, has been a legendary place... where Kings and Queens, heads of states, politicians, artists, stars, writers, sportsmen, came for lunch or dinner.
From Sophia Loren to John Wayne, from the last Emperor of Ethiopia to the Prncess Grace of Monaco, from Foujita, Juan-Manuel Fangio, Jacques Anquetil, to Maurice Chevalier, Charles Trenet, from Jean-Paul Sartre to Jean d'Ormesson, as well as Serge Gainsbourg to Patrick Bruel, Francis Huster or Patricia Kaas : all went through "La Couronne.

Rouen can be reached easily for a day trip from Paris by train. This historic city is the capitol city of Normandy and it mixes magnificent Gothic architecture, charming half-timbered houses and contemporary bustle like no other city in France.

                                                                    La Couronne - today