For the Christmas vacations, a return to the roots is necessary. For the occasion, one of my acquaintances in Paris came to join me in Valence so that I could show her the surroundings.
The best way to discover the city is above all to discover the specialties of the region. That's why I gave her an appointment at La Ravioline, a small restaurant located in the pedestrian streets of Valence near the town hall. The setting is very warm, and as its name indicates, this restaurant has made raviole its specialty! You can find some with curd, walnuts, Saint Marcellin... So many choices! Unfortunately my friend doesn't like cheese... which doesn't matter because the menu also proposes an excellent foie gras. For my part it will be ravioles with foie gras. For the dessert, it is obvious that the choice is for Valrhona chocolate ravioles (typical chocolate factory of the region), a dessert that is both visually surprising and tasty.
Well satisfied with this meal, we set off into the streets of Valencia to explore the city through its typical stores. We decided to stop at La Licorne, a store selling comics, mangas and the whole comic book culture. A great variety of collections is present as well as an immersive decor (like this treasure chest which is under your feet when you enter the store). After leafing through many books and sharing our preferences, we resume our stroll towards the head house. Although there is no scheduled visit that day, it remains a must-see place in Valencia for its architecture and history.
This cultural moment finished, it is time to go towards one of the most posh bars of Valencia, the Victor Hugo. As soon as we enter, we feel transported by the atmosphere at the same time retro and modern. We sit down on a sofa to enjoy the various gigantic paintings present in the bar. Above us is situated an imposing chandelier illuminating the place of its yellow light. It's time for our Parisian to taste the VH's specialty, the Valrhona chocolate, a delicious sparkling chocolate prepared with milk and Valrhona chocolate. After hearing about this famous chocolate, my guest becomes curious about it. That's why we decide to take the car to finish this beautiful day at the Valrhona chocolate store.
We arrived after about twenty minutes at the store located in the town of Tain l'Hermitage. As soon as we walked in the door, we could smell the chocolate. From truffles to bars and Christmas chocolates, everything is there. But the fame of this store is that you can't buy a chocolate until you've tasted it: that's why all the chocolates are available for tasting! It's only when we finish our shopping that we head to the Pascalis store. A bakery known for hosting specialities from the Drôme such as the Pogne, the St Genix or the Swiss. The person welcomes us like VIP and makes us taste samples of all its products. Not having any more St Genix, she offers to my guest a package of chocolates with all her purchases.
The sun has already set for a long time, and we leave in the direction of Valencia, discussing all the subjects that come to mind....
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