When people think of Bayonne, it’s normally ham, surfing and Basque pelota that come to mind. But don’t forget chocolate too. For four centuries, this city has been France’s capitale du chocolat. Maison Cazenave – chocolate factory and a Bayonne institution – has been at 19 Rue Port-Neuf since 1670. Speaking of scrumptious treats, here’s a delicious little story... For the famous shower scene in Psycho, Alfred Hitchcock used molten chocolate as a stand-in for blood. But how did he come up with that unusual idea? Perhaps in Bayonne! In 1958, the master of suspense made a stopover in the city for the opening of his movie Vertigo. Two years later, Psycho was released. So, is Hitchcock’s use of chocolate as blood a mere coincidence, or was he inspired by a visit to the chocolate capital of France? Sadly, he carried the answer with him to his grave.
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