Decompressing in the Alps

There is good reason why people come to Annecy, the City and the alpine lake. Here one can feel any hint of stress disappear. The air is so clean that I find myself taking many deep breaths in disbelief, savoring the freshness and clarity, especially after experiencing so much second-hand smoke in Monaco and Cannes. A former Chateau transformed into Hotel Tresoms provides the perfect setting for complete relaxation. We are set apart from the traffic of the City on a mountainside above the lake. Here one eats only when hungry, rests when drowsy, and enjoys the birdsong of Spring without any interruption. This is perfect place to affirm the health benefits of vacation: the absense of schedule, deep rest and extraordinary cuisine.

The Old Town (la vielle ville) is a mere 15-minute hike down the hill. Pictured above is the 12th - 16th Century Island house which has served as a fortress, castle and prison. The river flowing around both sides of this tiny isle is fed from the clear waters of Lake Annecy. On a sunny 40F afternoon around, the locals were lined up for ice cream, walking their dogs and pushing strollers. People here are more apt to jog or ride a bike than smoke, a refreshing change for visitors from elsewhere in France. For dinner in the Old Town We enjoyed a wood-fired calzone, essentially a pizza folded over at the last minute of baking. Here they insert a fresh egg just before pressing the lip of the dough closed. Upon cutting the calzone open, one finds the delicious yolk blending with rest of the contents: ham, fresh mushrooms and mozarella.

At Les Tresoms, lunch was a 5-course gourmand experience. None of the courses were familiar to me, but all of there were uniquely delicious and satisfying. A gespacho of tomatoes and pesto provided a savory introduction to the meal, with just a hint of aged parmasean. A frail cylinder of thin and crispy frites held chunks of local freshwater white fish and asparagus in a light sauce. Spring lamb chops prepared a point were tucked next to seasonal vegetables with the juices of the meat providing a natural compliment. Local fresh cheese was served with orange marmolade (a first for me to combine sweet and savory in this manner) which yielded an unexpectedly delightful contrast on the pallet. The dessert came in a 3-tiered glass presentation. We were instructed to eat from the largest to the smallest: vanilla custard with a fragile, flakey pastry; diced pineapple with vanilla bean; and a lavendar infused shaved ice with a dollop of rich white gelato to cleanse the mouth.

The French have an expression for food which tickles the mouth: amuse-bouche, literally "to amuse the mouth". Truly our experience here has amused our entire beings!