february 2016 | our 37th year andrewharper · february 2016 hideaway report 3 followed by sea bass...

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T R AV E L I NG T H E WOR L D I N SE A RCH OF T RU LY E NCH A N T I NG P L ACE S

FEBRUARY 2016 | Our 37th Year andrewharper.com

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T H I S M O N T H

Quimper to Saint-MaloOn a leisurely 10-day driving tour, we found picturesque fishing ports, experienced a vibrant Celtic culture and indulged in some of the world’s best seafood. ................................. 1-6

Breton Oysters ...............................................3Thalassotherapy .............................................4Dinard: The American Connection ...................5Favorite Restaurants ....................................... 7

Online: Detailed Brittany Itinerary

Alberta Mountain LodgesDuring a fall trip through the Canadian Rockies, we hiked, canoed and marveled at sensational scenery. We also enjoyed comfortable accommo-dations and dined exceptionally well. ...........8-11

Banff Attractions ............................................9Classic British Columbia Retreats ..................11

Online: Calgary and Edmonton City Guides

Find video and more photography of our trips at andrewharper.com/hideaway-report

I first fell in love with Brittany many

years ago, back in the days when it

took nearly seven hours to travel by

train from Paris to Quimper, a charming

town in Finistère, the remotest corner of

this shaggy green Atlantic province. What

first exhilarated me about Brittany was

the breathtaking beauty of its indented

coastline. I also liked its peaceful coun-

tryside, the simple solid architecture

of its tidy villages, the doorways and

windows of the white houses bordered

with granite, the churches with steeples

sharp enough to prick a conscience, the

superb seafood and the friendly and well-

mannered Bretons themselves.

I’ve been back many times since, but

my most recent visit was perhaps the most

enjoyable trip of all. Of late, Brittany has

become discreetly sophisticated in ways

that don’t mar its down-to-earth charm.

There is now a range of excellent small

hotels, plus outstanding and affordable

restaurants. Indeed, with all due respect

to Alsace, Burgundy and Provence, I think

you eat better in Brittany today than you

do anywhere else in France. The province

has a constellation of talented young chefs

creating light, healthy, contemporary

cuisine. Most of France’s fish is landed

in Breton ports; many of its best oysters

come from Brittany; and the quality of the

butter, fowl, beef and vegetables produced

in its interior is second to none.

In the Breton language, the phrase

l’armor et l’argoat, “the coast and the

hinterland,” explains the yin and yang of

this Celtic region. The Bretons are both

attached to, and wary of, the sea. Like

many Celtic peoples, they did not tradi-

tionally eat fish, much less shellfish, which

S E N S AT I O N A L C U I S I N E , S U R F-S W E P T B E AC H E S , U N S P O I L E D C O U N T RYS I D E

Brittany: A Gastronomic Journey

“ … with all due respect to Alsace, Burgundy and Provence, I think you eat better in Brittany today than you do anywhere else in France.

Ile de Batz near Roscoff

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2 HIDEAWAY REPORT FEBRUARY 2016

Corse

Provence-Alpes-Cote d'Azur

Languedoc-Roussillon

Auvergne

Rhone-Alpes

Limousin

Midi Pyrenees

Aquitaine

Poitou-Charentes

Franche-Comte

Alsace

Lorraine

Nord-Pas-de-Calais

Bourgogne

Centre

Haute-Normandie

Picardie

Ile de France

F r a n c e

S p a i n

United Kingdom

Switzerland

G e r m a n y

Italy

I t a l y

Luxembourg

Belgium

Netherlands

Andorra

ROUEN

GIVERNY

VILLE-D’AVRAYPARIS

LYONS-LA-FORET

AUVERS-SUR-OISE

YERRES

FRANCE

LE HAVRE

SEINE R.

ENGLISH CHANNEL

NORMANDY

ILE-DE -F RA N CE

BRITTANY

NORMANDY

PAYS-DE-LA-LOIRE

0 20

0 20 40 KM

40 MI

AURAY

BELLE-ILE

CARNAC

Bay of Biscay

QUIBERON

AT L A N T I CO C E A N

QUIMPER

SAINTE-MARINE BENODET

PLOMODIERN

LOCRONAN

ROSCOFF

RENNES

SAINT-MALO

CANCALEDINARD

PRESQU’ILEDE CROZON

LE FRET

E N G L I S H C H A N N E L

Odet River

SAINTE-ANNE-LA-PALUD

ILE DE BATZ

MORLAIX

TREBEURDEN

TREGUIR

SAINT-BRIEUC

MONT-SAINT-MICHEL

CHANNEL ISLANDS

1

2

34

5 68

9

10

11

7

LORIENT

50-minute flight from Paris’s Orly Airport

to Quimper and concluded in the fine old

port town of Saint-Malo.

Beside the Odet River

It was late afternoon when we arrived

at the 20-room Villa Tri Men hotel, a

handsome structure dating from 1913,

located about 12 miles south of Quimper

and surrounded by gardens filled with

blue hydrangeas, junipers and century-

old cedars of Lebanon. The villa is set at

the edge of the sailboat-dotted estuary

of the Odet River, which separates the

towns of Sainte-Marine and Bénodet. As

soon as we stepped through the door, a

friendly young woman at the front desk

suggested we enjoy tea and cake in the

garden. Over the water, we could see

Bénodet, one of the prettiest port towns

in Brittany, and the beginning of its long

crescent-shaped sandy beach. Listening to

the seagulls and the sound of the rigging

on nearby sailboats was a perfect way to

begin our journey.

As we settled in, it was easy to under-

stand why this comfortable and easygoing

hotel receives so many repeat visitors

from Paris and elsewhere in France, as

well as England, Belgium and Switzerland,

since it has the calm atmosphere of a

well-run and well-loved property that is

continuously kept up to date in the ways

that really matter. Like many of the best

hotels in Brittany, it eschews pointless

fanciness and fussiness.

Our moderately sized room came with

an appropriate blue-and-white nautical

décor, teak parquet floors and a comfort-

able sofa covered with white cotton and

heaped with pillows. The walls were hung

with modern oil paintings on Breton

themes. The bath had a yacht-like inte-

rior, with a single sink in a teak counter,

a combination tub and shower, French-

made NUXE toiletries, voile curtains on

a dormer window and pleasing views of

the local lighthouse.

Villa Tri Men has two restaurants, Le

Bistrot du Bac, a casual shoreside seafood

bistro, and the more gastronomically

ambitious Les Trois Rochers in the main

villa. There, we enjoyed a fine meal of

langoustines dressed with spice pow-

der and chopped pousse-pied seaweed,

they shunned from a fear that it might

have fed on drowned sailors. It was the

advent of tourism that created a boom in

seafood cookery and caused many Bretons

to sample the riches of their own waters.

Today, Brittany’s fishing ports send out

a fleet of small boats, and their catch is,

arguably, the best in the world.

Safe, clean and unspoiled, Brittany is

an ideal destination for a relaxing vaca-

tion that combines the pleasures of the

table with the experience of an ancient

culture. Last May, I made a delightful

10-day driving trip — the best seasons

here are May-June and September-

October, since Brittany gets very busy

during the summer — that began after a

Odet River

“ The Villa Tri Men is surrounded by gardens filled with blue hydrangeas, junipers and century-old cedars of Lebanon.

Garden chairs and façade of Villa Tri Men / EXTERIOR PHOTO BY ANDREW HARPER

1 Villa Tri Men 2 La Maison des Glazicks 3 Le Brittany 4 Manoir de Lan Kerellec 5 Castelbrac 6 Le Nouveau Monde 7 Les Maisons de Bricourt - Château Richeux* 8 Hôtel de la Plage* 9 Château de Locguénolé* 10 Sofitel Quiberon Thalassa Sea & Spa* 11 Castel Clara** Previously recommended

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FEBRUARY 2016 HIDEAWAY REPORT 3

followed by sea bass with oyster tartare

in an artichoke cream sauce with a side

of crispy potato millefeuille, and finally

a strawberry dessert with caramelized

wafers and pistachio sponge cake. The

wine list was excellent and featured

several white Beaujolais that make for

pleasant summer drinking, as well as

lesser-known, good-value Loire wines like

the Coteaux du Giennois and Menetou-

Salon. After dinner, we enjoyed a nightcap

of Brittany’s Armorik single-malt whiskey,

which is distilled in the town of Lannion.

Presqu’île de Crozon

We left the Villa Tri Men the following

day after an excellent breakfast.

A beautiful sunny morning proved ideal

for a visit to Locronan, a historic village

of Renaissance stone houses, which

thrived during the 15th and 16th centu-

ries by weaving the sailcloth for Breton

schooners. Afterwards, we drove around

the Presqu’île de Crozon, a peninsula of

neatly-tended farms and snug villages

with spectacular views of the sea. At

lunchtime, we stopped for a plateau de

fruits de mer of oysters, mussels, langous-

tines, shrimp, winkles and a crab at the

charming Hostellerie de la Mer, overlook-

ing the harbor in the village of Le Fret.

From Le Fret, it is a 40-minute drive to

Plomodiern, the native village of Michelin

two-star chef Olivier Bellin, today widely

considered to be the best young cook in

Brittany. La Maison des Glazicks is a

modern eight-room hotel attached to his

restaurant. The latter is housed within his

family’s simple granite auberge, where

his mother once worked as the cook. The

rooms occupy three weathered cedar-

sided houses that would fit in just as

well in Big Sur as they do in Finistère.

They are large and sunny, and come with

color schemes of cream, sand, coffee and

chocolate, plus large baths designed by

the young brothers Ronan and Erwan

Bouroullec, who are starting to make a

name for themselves in design circles in

North America. Sachets of locally made

Breton salted-butter caramels made a

nice detail.

Although we didn’t care for the odd

design of Bellin’s dining room, and the

service was irritatingly slow at times,

his cooking proved to be passionate and

inventive. It spins on the ancient Breton

axis of “l’armor” and “l’argoat,” a repre-

sentative dish being one of langoustines

with white peaches, fresh almonds, cured

pork tongue and girolle mushrooms.

North to Roscoff

After a walk on the magnificent Atlan-

tic beach at nearby Sainte-Anne-la-

Palud, a place we know well from previ-

ous stays at my recommended Hôtel de

la Plage, we set off for Roscoff, about an

hour’s drive away. Located at the tip of a

fertile peninsula planted with artichokes,

cauliflowers and broccoli, as well as the

famous local red onions, the town is one

of the busiest fishing ports in France, as

well as a well-known center for thalas-

sotherapy (seawater spa treatments). The

best hotel in this enchanting little port is

S E A FO O D

Oyster HeavenBRITTANY IS ONE of the world’s greatest oyster-producing regions. You’ll find two varieties on Breton menus. Huîtres creuses are small, cupped rock oysters that fit into the palm of your hand. Huîtres plates are flat Belon oysters, which are much rarer. Two-thirds of France’s flat oysters come from Cancale. The dramatic tides in the Bay of Cancale make it an ideal place for “ostréiculture,” which explains the curious oyster racks and stands exposed when the tide goes out. Sample the best of Cancale’s oysters at the open-air stands at the head of its port. Oysters are calibrated from 000 to 6, with the smaller number confusingly indicating the larger ones. To learn more about oyster history and cultiva-tion, head to the nearby Ferme Marine de Cancale, an oyster processor with an interesting museum. Although oysters can be enjoyed year-round, they are generally considered to be at their best from September to April. During the summer reproduction time, they become fat and milky, which is not to everyone’s taste.

Oysters at Les Alizés / PHOTO BY ANDREW HARPER

Coastline of Presqu’ île de Crozon Our room at La Maison des Glazicks / PHOTO BY ANDREW HARPER

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H E A LT H

Seawater TreatmentsTHE BENEFITS of thalassotherapy have been known for centuries. In 414 B.C., Euripides wrote that “the sea cures all human ailments.” Modern thalassotherapy, a series of seawater spa treat-ments with proven medical benefits, was born in 1964 when Louison Bobet, a famous French cyclist, was amazed by the speed and ease with which he recovered from a serious accident while being treated at a seawater medical institute in Roscoff. Bobet translated his cure into a series of treatments at the spa he opened in Quiberon. The popularity of thalassotherapy as a get-in-shape and weight loss cure exploded. I spent a week at the Sofitel Quiberon Thalassa Sea & Spa hotel two years ago. It was a deeply relaxing and reinvigorating experience, during which I effortlessly shed pounds. I look forward to returning to this wonderful place in the very near future. I also recommend Castel Clara, a stylish and peaceful thalassotherapy resort on the unspoiled island of Belle-Ile-en-Mer, reached by a 45-minute car ferry from Port Maria in Quiberon.

23-room Le Brittany, which occupies a

solid granite mansion with a slate roof,

set in a park overlooking the sea at the

edge of town.

Le Brittany offers a strong sense of

place and a relaxed and intimate atmo-

sphere. There is a terrace out front where

drinks are served in good weather, a

delightful bar with a big stone fireplace,

and a small spa with a saltwater swim-

ming pool. Hardier types may be tempted

to cross the street to take a dip in the

Atlantic. The time of the following day’s

high tide is indicated on a card that is left

in your bedroom at turndown.

The accommodations are all deco-

rated in a beach-house style with color

schemes of sand, celadon and pale blue,

complemented by antiqued wooden furni-

ture. Our suite, #112, was spacious and

sunny, and came with a snug crow’s nest

of a sitting room with three granite-lined

windows that offered constantly chang-

ing postcard views of the harbor. The

bedroom also had a window overlooking

the sea, and a door that opened directly

into the hotel’s attractive small garden.

The large bath was provided with an

oversized soaking tub and separate jet

shower, excellent lighting and Breton

seaweed-based toiletries.

The hotel’s restaurant is superb. At

a table with fine views over the harbor,

we enjoyed small, sweet, scarlet-colored

shrimp with sea salt and homemade

mayonnaise, and dressed crab with

andouille sausage, buckwheat and baby

vegetables. These were followed by a

pan-roasted sea bass garnished with

kumquats and pea shoots, accompanied

by a beurre blanc sauce and a side of

fluffy buckwheat stuffing with chopped

green beans. Melted chocolate cake with

caramel sauce and black-cherry sorbet

concluded one of the best meals I’ve eaten

in recent years.

Happily, we’d booked at Le Brittany

for two nights. The following day, we took

the 15-minute ferry ride from Roscoff

to the Ile de Batz. This is a great place

for an easy seaside hike, a highlight of

which is the Jardin Georges Delaselle,

a lush garden of tropical plants that was

created by a Paris businessman between

1897 and 1937, which survives here due

to the climate-tempering effect of the

Gulf Stream.

Back Roads to Trébeurden

Whenever possible on this trip,

we chose the backcountry roads

known as “départementales,” which are

indicated on maps with a “D” before the

route number. So driving from Roscoff

to Morlaix, we took the D768, a quiet

and pretty road that hugs the coast to

the resort town of Trébeurden. There,

handsome turn-of-the-century clifftop

villas tell the tale of how Brittany became

“ Le Brittany’s restaurant is superb. At a table with fine views over the harbor, I enjoyed one of the best meals I’ve eaten in recent years.

Sofitel Quiberon Thalassa Sea & Spa

Quiet beach near Le Brittany, Roscoff / © RELAIS & CHATEAUX Delicious hors d’oeuvres, Le Brittany / PHOTOS BY ANDREW HARPER Wave-dashed headland on the Pink Granite Coast

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popular with the prosperous French bour-

geoisie as the railway system expanded

during the 19th century.

Trébeurden is in the middle of a

25-mile stretch of Brittany’s northern

coast known as La Côte de Granit Rose

(the Pink Granite Coast). Set on a bluff

with views over the sea and dozens of

little islands, the 19-room Manoir de Lan

Kerellec has been run by the same family,

the Daubés, since 1925. This explains its

rather clubby atmosphere. We liked our

old-fashioned butter-yellow room with a

porthole window and French doors leading

to a small balcony. The nautically themed

bath came with a whirlpool tub.

Gallic formality prevailed in the

wood-paneled dining room, but the food

was good, and included langoustine maki

made with buckwheat crêpes and served

with wasabi-seasoned buttermilk, and a

perfect sole meunière for two. Ultimately,

however, the Manoir de Lan Kerellec is

a pleasant overnight stop rather than a

destination hotel.

Heading East to Dinard

The next day, after a stop in Tréguier

to see the cathedral of Saint-Tugdual,

we stopped in Saint-Brieuc for lunch at

Youpala Bistrot. There, young chef Jean-

Marie Baudic has won a Michelin star

for his contemporary cooking, despite

the fact that his restaurant occupies a

simple stone auberge in a quiet residential

neighborhood. Though the place had been

highly recommended by friends, we didn’t

know quite what to expect. However, we

enjoyed an exceptionally good meal of

crabmeat dressed with piquillo peppers

and baby vegetables, brill with veal jus

and a thatch of salad, and pain perdu with

apricots, black currants and buttermilk

ice cream. What I especially enjoy about

eating in Brittany is that the food is usually

just as healthy as it is delicious.

The resort town of Dinard expanded

in the mid-19th century when a number of

British aristocrats began building fanciful

summer villas on the hills overlooking its

beaches and coves. One of the grandest

of them was constructed by the Faber

family in 1865 on a site across the bay

from the walled port of Saint-Malo. It was

expanded and remodeled by subsequent

owners, one of whom named it the Villa

Bric-à-Brac, because it had become such

a motley mix of architectural styles. Most

recently, it was a French National Scien-

tific Research Institute specializing in

marine biology, with an impressive art

deco aquarium. Last spring, it reopened

as Castelbrac, a 25-room hotel.

Parisian decorator, Sandra Benham-

ou, has created lively art deco-inspired

interiors for much of the hotel, while

respecting the sepia-toned charm of

several rooms. Our junior suite had a large

private terrace with views over the Bay

of Saint-Malo. The interior was done in

a restful scheme of sand and ivory, with

pastel accent colors. The bath came with

a spacious stall shower that doubled as

a steam room.

During our two-night stay, we kept

discovering new nooks and crannies. The

old aquarium has been turned into a bar,

H I S TO RY

Dinard: The American ConnectionOriginally a village of fishermen known as Saint-Enogat, Dinard was transformed in the middle of the 19th century by English aristocrats who built fanciful but luxurious villas on hillsides over-looking the sea. After visiting his English friend Lyona Faber in Dinard, the wealthy American banker James Coppinger was so smitten by the beauty of the emerging resort that he commis-sioned a grand brick residence for himself on the Pointe du Moulinet. Following the Civil War, the British colony was rapidly joined by more and more Americans, including Mrs. Hughes-Hallet, originally from Philadelphia, who became the acknowledged social doyenne of Dinard in its 1920s heyday. Follow in the footsteps of these grandees on the self-guided Circuit des Villas Malouine, a walking tour of their villas created by the Dinard Tourism Office.

Villas in Dinard / PHOTO BY ANDREW HARPER

Wave-dashed headland on the Pink Granite Coast Room with a view, Castelbrac, Dinard, and resort exterior incorporating villa dating from 1865 / © GILLES TRILLARD

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while other amenities include a library,

a seafood restaurant, a spa suite and an

outdoor lap pool with a small sun terrace.

The hotel’s stunning wooden motorboat

is available for private excursions to

Saint-Malo, the Channel Islands and

Mont-Saint-Michel. Castelbrac is a perfect

example of the stylish small hotels that are

transforming Brittany for sophisticated

American travelers.

Last Stop — Saint-Malo

Our last stop was the new 83-room Le

Nouveau Monde hotel, situated just

outside of the old citadel of Saint-Malo.

Despite being one of the most popular

destinations in Brittany, Saint-Malo has

never been distinguished by its hotels.

For many years, the best address was, by

default, the Grand Hôtel des Thermes, but

because most guests tend to be curists

at the thalassotherapy center, its atmo-

sphere is vaguely medicinal. Le Nouveau

Monde is housed within a contemporary

building that nods at Belle Epoque seaside

architecture with gables and a slate roof.

Located on a quiet narrow road that runs

along the seafront, the best rooms are

those that overlook the island-speckled

bay and the ramparts of Saint-Malo.

Because it’s one of the great natural

harbors of France, the Nazis made the

town a major Atlantic naval base, which

explains the continuing presence of nearly

indestructible block houses along the

nearby coastline.

We stayed in a Junior Suite — other

room categories can be small — which was

light, comfortable and well-equipped. The

best feature was the large private terrace

with two sun loungers that was reached

through French doors. A large bath came

with both a tub and shower. The hotel’s

indoor spa pool with air jets and massage

seats was located just down the hall. The

excellent restaurant specializes in local

seafood, including dishes like crab with

coriander and cumin, and pollock with

artichoke mousseline.

The best way to spend an evening in

Saint-Malo is to walk around the ramparts

of the city at sunset, followed by a glass of

wine on a café terrace, and then dinner at

Bistro Autour du Beurre (7 Rue de l’Orme),

a restaurant run by local dairy star

Jean-Yves Bordier, whose superb hand-

churned butter graces many of the best

tables in France.

Long favored by beachcombers and

history buffs, Brittany is now a perfect

destination for demanding gourmets,

as well as devotees of smaller hideaway

hotels. H

H OT E L S AT A G L A N C E

Villa Tri Men A93L I K E The lovely setting; the warm well-mannered hospitality; the excellent restaurants.D IS L I K E The nondescript bath products.G O O D TO K N OW Be sure to ask for a room with a view of the lighthouse in Bénodet.Superior Room, $220; Deluxe Room, $315. 16 Rue du Phare, Sainte-Marine. Tel. (33) 2-98-51-94-94. trimen.fr

La Maison des Glazicks 89L I K E The friendly staff; the spacious, well-designed rooms; the outstanding restaurant. D IS L I K E The absence of a swimming pool; occasional road noise.G O O D TO K N OW The best nearby beach is at Sainte-Anne-la-Palud.Chambre Plage, $240; Chambre Ile, $305. 7 Rue de la Plage, Plomodiern. Tel. (33) 2-98-81-52-32. aubergedesglazick.com

Le Brittany A94L I K E Attractive rooms with views over the harbor of Roscoff; the excellent Michelin one-star restaurant.D IS L I K E The lack of a pool.G O O D TO K N OW It is impossible to park in Roscoff in summer, so leave your car at the hotel and take the free municipal shuttle bus into town.Exclusive Room, $220; Seaview Room, $280. Boulevard Sainte-Barbe, BP 47, Roscoff. Tel. (33) 2-98-69-70-78. hotel-brittany.com

Manoir de Lan Kerellec 89L I K E Grand views over the sea; the fine restaurant.D IS L I K E Not having direct access to the beach.G O O D TO K N OW The Sentier des Douaniers (path of the customs officials), a nearby coastal footpath, provides a wonderful walk.Superior Room, $290; Prestige Room, $360. Allée Centrale de Lan Kerellec, Trébeurden. Tel. (33) 2-96-15-00-00. lankerellec.com

Castelbrac A93L I K E Attractive décor; idiosyncratic design; friendly service.D IS L I K E The lack of a tub in our suite; the exorbitant 24 euro daily charge for parking.G O O D TO K N OW The restaurant at the Hôtel de la Vallée, a five-minute walk away along a paved path, is a perfect choice for lunch or dinner when you don’t want to drive. Deluxe Ocean View Room, $350; Prestige Ocean View Room, $530. 17 Avenue George V, Dinard. Tel. (33) 2-99-80-30-00. castelbrac.com

Le Nouveau Monde 88L I K E The spectacular views from our private terrace; the excellent seafood restaurant.D IS L I K E The lack of a private parking area for guests.G O O D TO K N OW It takes approximately 15 minutes to walk from the hotel to the citadel of Saint-Malo.Superior Sea View Room, $270; Premium Sea View Room, $315. 64 Chaussée du Sillon, Saint-Malo. Tel. (33) 2-99-40-40-00. hotel-le-nouveau-monde.com

A preceding a rating, denotes an officially recommended hotel. Visit andrewharper.com for additional information on these and our five other recommendations in Brittany.

Fort National off the coast of Saint-Malo

Terrace at Le Nouveau Monde / PHOTO BY ANDREW HARPERFO

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Over the last 20 years, Brittany has emerged as a gastronomic region on par

with long-established culinary destinations such as Alsace and Burgundy.

Along with the three restaurants described in the main story — Hostellerie

de la Mer, L’Auberge des Glazicks and Bistro Autour du Beurre — we also enjoyed:

Les Alizés A 10-minute walk from Le Brittany hotel, this contemporary brasserie

has a seaside setting, cordial service and an appealing menu of straightforward

French dishes prepared with first-rate local produce, including dressed crab-and-

artichoke terrine, and yellow pollock (lieu jaune) with buckwheat stuffing, baby

vegetables and beurre blanc sauce. 37 Rue de l’Amiral Courbet, Roscoff. Tel. (33) 2-98-

69-75-90. les-alizes-roscoff.com

Restaurant Maxime Crouzil About 40 minutes from Dinard, Plancoët is the town

whose springs supply the mineral water served at most restaurant tables in Brittany.

It is also the location of one of the province’s best restaurants: a charming family-

owned place that makes a great lunch destination. We relished grilled rouget (red

mullet) on a bed of spelt risotto, scallops wrapped in bacon and garnished with baby

fennel and salicorne seaweed, and a perfect sole meunière. 20 Rue des Quais, Plancoët.

Tel. (33) 2-96-84-10-24. crouzil.com

Restaurant du Décollé Located a few miles from Dinard in the pretty resort town

of Saint-Lunaire, this friendly seafood-oriented restaurant offers well-sourced dishes

like grilled sole, and cod steak with ratatouille. We also enjoyed a delicious frangipane

tart topped with preserved oranges for dessert. 1 Pointe du Décollé, Saint-Lunaire.

Tel. (33) 2-99-46-01-70. restaurantdudecolle.com

Youpala Bistrot This simple Michelin-starred restaurant occupies an old granite

house in a residential corner of Saint-Brieuc. Chef Jean-Marie Baudic changes his

menu daily and your only choice is whether to have two or three courses. Baudic

loves seafood and vegetables, preferences evident in a starter of dressed crab with

quinoa, piquillo peppers, baby vegetables and shellfish jus, and a main course of

brill with vegetables and a deeply reduced meat sauce. 5 Rue Palasne de Champeaux,

Saint-Brieuc. Tel. (33) 2-96-94-50-74. youpala-bistrot.com

Côté Mer With gracious service, reasonable prices and fine views over the Bay of

Cancale, this charming restaurant is a perfect choice for a traditional French seafood

meal, maybe ravioli of langoustines, or roasted ormeaux, the very rare and succulent

conch caught off the Channel Islands, followed by cod with celery mousseline, or

grilled lobster. Don’t miss the delicious chocolate tart with raspberry marmalade.

4 Rue Ernest Lamort, Cancale. Tel. (33) 2-99-89-66-08. restaurant-cotemer.fr

Hôtel-Restaurant de la Vallée Overlooking the sea, the terrace of this hotel bras-

serie is a perfect choice for lunch during a walk along the seafront in Dinard. Expect

friendly service, delicious platters of fresh shellfish and a superb catch-of-the-day

menu. 6 Avenue George V, Dinard. Tel. (33) 2-99-46-94-00. hoteldelavallee.com

La Table de Breizh Café Breton and Japanese kitchens have a lot in common, notably

their love of the freshest seafood, prepared so as to enhance rather than overwhelm

its natural flavor. This is why Japanese chef Raphaël-Fumio Kudaka decided to open

his own restaurant in Cancale after working with the famous Olivier Roellinger, whose

Restaurant Le Coquillage is nearby. Kudaka’s tasting menu presents a delicious and

fascinating hybrid of Japanese and French cooking, including dishes like crab spring

rolls, tempura of langoustine and conch with seaweed, and roast pork with white beans

in a miso sauce. 7 Quai Thomas, Cancale. Tel. (33) 2-99-89-56-46. breizhcafe.com H

Favorite Brittany Restaurants

From top: Pollock with buckwheat stuffing at Les Alizés; sole meunière at Restaurant Maxime Crouzil; langoustines at Restaurant du Décollé; apricot with black currants, pain perdu and milk ice cream at Youpala Bistrot; and grilled chicken and shelled lobster at La Table de Breizh Café.

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Mountain Lodges Amid theSublime Scenery of Alberta

Starting from either Calgary (two hours from Banff) or Edmonton (about three

hours from Jasper), a Canadian Rockies tour is an unforgettable road trip,

drivable in a few days, but offering enough attractions and activities to lure

you back again and again. Along a 175-mile route from Banff to Jasper, a seemingly

endless succession of peaks towers over deep glacial valleys and turquoise lakes.

Streams fed by an ice field a quarter-mile thick cascade through rock-walled canyons.

Elk and deer frequent the roadsides, black bear are common in campgrounds and in

the backcountry are mountain caribou, bighorn sheep, grizzlies and wolves. From

the mountain summits, climbers see panoramas of peaks in every direction. There’s

boating and canoeing on pristine lakes, whitewater rafting, kayaking, fishing, moun-

tain biking and spectacular hiking. Together, the Banff and Jasper national parks

and neighboring Yoho and Kootenay cover nearly 8,000 square miles, more than

Yellowstone, Glacier, Grand Teton and Rocky Mountain national parks combined.

EDMONTON

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Banff

From Calgary, our first stop was Banff.

There, the most recognizable struc-

ture is the Fairmont Banff Springs, an

imposing Scottish baronial-style hotel

with dormers and turrets, more than 760

rooms, several restaurants, an elegant

spa, a plethora of glittery shops and a

worldwide reputation. Overlooking the

Bow Valley and a lovely golf course,

the hotel is on Canada’s list of National

Historic sites.

This trip, however, we didn’t stay

there. Instead, we drove up Sulphur Moun-

tain, about two miles from the town center,

where The Rimrock Resort Hotel looks

out over the Bow and Spray river valleys.

The street-level lobby is on the hotel’s

seventh floor. Just beyond the reception

desk, the wood-paneled Larkspur Lounge

features a massive stone-fronted fireplace

and, through a wall of glass, views of

9,360-foot Mount Rundle. There’s a small

terrace with a handful of tables where you

can appreciate the scenery with a drink

or a light lunch. Other amenities include

two restaurants and a martini bar; a small

but full-service spa; racquetball courts;

and a 24-hour fitness facility.

The 343 rooms and suites offer a

range of comforts. Even the basic rooms

are spacious enough, and most offer

views. We had reserved a GrandView

One-Bedroom Suite, which included a

gas fireplace and a balcony. But the suite

consisted of two rooms that seemed to

1 The Rimrock Resort Hotel

2 Post Hotel & Spa

3 Moraine Lake Lodge

4 Fairmont Jasper Park Lodge

5 Emerald Lake Lodge Cathedral Mountain Lodge

The Rimrock Resort Hotel overlooking the Bow Valley in Banff


have been joined as an afterthought.

There were two identical bathrooms,

both disappointingly plain, two closets,

and a hallway that led from the sitting

room to an unused entry. Floor-to-ceiling

windows in both rooms compensated for

the uninspiring décor by granting picture-

postcard views of Mount Rundle. We were

certainly comfortable enough, but with

the advantage of hindsight, another time

we would upgrade to at least a Signature

GrandView Suite.

Other than that, there was much to

be pleased with. Seldom have we found

more polished, yet relaxed, service than

we encountered at Eden, the hotel’s highly

regarded restaurant. The French-inspired

menu changes every six weeks to feature

seasonal local ingredients.

From Banff, you can comfortably

explore the park’s attractions on day trips.

Lake Louise is about 40 minutes away via

the Trans-Canada Highway, and it’s only a

little longer by way of the quieter, calmer

Bow Valley Parkway, where you’re more

apt to see wildlife.

Lake Louise

Lake Louise is undeniably lovely, but in

July and August and most holidays, it

is aswarm with sightseers. Most of them

also wander through the only hotel on

the lake, the vast 550-room Fairmont

Chateau Lake Louise, which faces Victo-

ria Glacier. If you can live without the

Chateau’s famous view, the Post Hotel

& Spa , just three miles away near the

hamlet of Lake Louise, provides every

comfort and is much less frenzied. The

Post Hotel & Spa setting

attractive red-roofed timber-and-stone

building and four log cabins lie along the

boulder-strewn Pipestone River. Rooms

on the hotel’s “Preferred” side overlook

the stream and hotel lawns. On the other

side of the hotel are railroad tracks, the

Bow River and views of 11,627-foot Temple

Mountain.

The hotel’s chalet style is true to its

ski-lodge roots with river-rock and field-

stone fireplaces, hewn timbers, peeled

logs and rustic beams. The unpretentious

lobby displays the requisite big game

trophy, which here seems appropriate.

A wood-carved owl perched atop the

stairway’s newel post gleams with a warm

patina, as do the polished pine floors and

the sturdy furnishings.

The lobby leads to the hotel’s white-

linen dining room, presided over by Swiss

chef Hans Sauter. Regarded as one of the

finest restaurants in Canada, it certainly

lived up to its reputation during our stay.

We ordered medallions of Québec veal

with porcini mushrooms and homemade

spinach pappardelle, along with a deli-

cious miso-marinated Pacific black cod

fillet from British Columbia, presented in a

ginger and white-wine sauce. The adjacent

wine cellar, in addition to a 25,000-bottle

inventory, holds large tables for tastings

and occasional winemaker dinners. The

post-and-beam dining room has tall

windows and its own grand fireplace.

There’s another fireplace in the Fondue

Stübli (for traditional Swiss fondues).

Tucked one floor above the dining

room is a delightful little library, with

wood-plank floors, rustic beams and

floor-to-ceiling shelves stocked with

E XC U RS I O N S

Sightseeing in BanffTWO POPULAR ATTRACTIONS are within a block or two of The Rimrock Resort Hotel:

Upper Hot SpringsNaturally flowing thermal water is what first drew tourists to Banff, and visitors have been taking the waters here since 1884, not long after three off-duty Canadian Pacific Railway workers discovered hot springs at what is now known as Cave and Basin National Historic Site. In 1886, a log bathhouse was built farther up Sulphur Mountain, about where The Rimrock now sits. That was replaced in 1932 with a picturesque stone-and-shingle bathhouse with grand views of Mount Rundle. The bathhouse and pool get crowded at times, but soaking in the springs is a Banff tradition, and if it’s privacy you want, you can have the place to yourself for an hour before or an hour after regular hours for about $260 Canadian ($190).

Banff GondolaNearby, the Banff Gondola offers spectacular views of the Bow and Spray valleys and six mountain ranges from glass-enclosed cars that climb 2,300 feet to the top of 7,486-foot Sulphur Mountain. Scenic hiking trails extend from the summit, including a steep three-mile one that leads back to the base.

Temple Cabin at Post Hotel & Spa / © ALLAN ROSENBERG

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books. A moose head overhangs chairs

and couches grouped around the fire-

place. A pine-paneled bar and a glass-

fronted liquor cabinet fill one corner,

and at either end of the room are cozy

windowed reading nooks, each with a pair

of wingback chairs. On the ground floor,

the 3,200-square-foot Temple Mountain

Spa includes steam rooms, plunge pools,

a Jacuzzi and a saltwater swimming pool.

Our suite made us feel welcome

rather than wowed, with a wood-paneled

ceiling, rustic prints, sturdy unadorned

furnishings and simple drapes on French

doors that led to a generous semi-private

deck. But we also got a real coffeemaker,

a woodburning fireplace (with a fire

already laid), a wet bar, a roomy closet,

a glass-and-tile shower and a jetted tub

in a spacious bath, as well as a separate

bedroom that can be closed off from the

living room.

Moraine Lake

Twenty minutes from the Post Hotel, at

the base of 10,000-foot wraparound

mountains, lies a little turquoise jewel of

a lake that is surely one of the loveliest

places on the planet. Moraine Lake gets

its name from a large rock pile depos-

ited at one end by retreating glaciers.

For a time, the scene graced the back of

Canada’s $20 bill.

We very much wanted to like Moraine

Lake Lodge. Set above the lakeshore,

the lodge affords a partial escape from

the crowds, especially in a Deluxe King

Cabin, which we had reserved. The cabins

are duplexes that sit on a steep slope.

Ours was cheery but small, bordering

on cramped. A built-in couch in a step-

down sitting area had lake and mountain

views through a floor-to-ceiling window;

a rustic chair stood in front of the wood-

burning fireplace. French doors led to a

small elevated balcony, which is where

we stored a cooler of delicacies, until it

was plundered by a resourceful raven

known to the staff as Sasha.

When we arrived at the lodge, we got a

warm welcome at the reception desk and

an unhurried tour of the property. The

lodge operates the canoe concession on

the lake, and as guests, we had access to

the canoes anytime at no charge. But the

deteriorating weather kept us ashore and

inside. The busy public hiking trail follows

the lakeshore, and several times we were

aware of hikers looking up enviously. We

had hiked to the end of the lake in a drizzle,

but we decided against another trail as it

is frequented by grizzlies. We contented

ourselves instead with sitting by the fire

in our cabin, reading and watching the

fog play over the mountains, lifting to

expose a rocky flank along the lakeshore,

parting to reveal a snowy peak thousands

of feet above.

Breakfast in the atrium-style dining

room proved tasty, substantial and cheer-

H OT E L S AT A G L A N C E

The Rimrock Resort Hotel A90L I K E Superb service; spectacular location over-looking Banff and the surrounding mountains.D IS L I K E Unimaginative room décor.G O O D TO K N OW Hotel’s Eden restaurant is one of the finest in the Canadian Rockies.GrandView Room, $400; GrandView Suite, $480. 300 Mountain Avenue, Banff, Alberta. Tel. (403) 762-3356. rimrockresort.com

Post Hotel & Spa A93L I K E Excellent dining room; appropriately casual chalet-style décor. D IS L I K E Proximity to railroad tracks.G O O D TO K N OW Location near famed Lake Louise provides easy access to park’s attractions, but is just a half-hour from Banff shops and galleries.Preferred Side Deluxe Room, $310; Preferred Side Suite, $450. 200 Pipestone Road, Lake Louise, Alberta. Tel. (430) 522-3989. posthotel.com

Moraine Lake Lodge 88L I K E Setting next to lovely lake at the feet of towering mountains.D IS L I K E Small lodgings and disappointing dining room.G O O D TO K N OW Just a 15-minute drive from the Post Hotel’s fine dining options.Lodge Suite, $500. 1 Moraine Lake Road, Lake Louise, Alberta. Tel. (403) 522-3733. morainelake.com

Fairmont Jasper Park Lodge A90L I K E Obliging, courteous staff and ample elbow room at what is a large and popular resort.D IS L I K E Multiple room categories with unhelpful names and descriptions.G O O D TO K N OW Avoid anything less than a premier Lakefront Suite.Junior Suite Lakeview, $600; Lakefront Suite, $715. Old Lodge Road, Jasper, Alberta. Tel. (780) 852-3301. fairmont.com

A preceding a rating, denotes an officially recommended hotel. Visit andrewharper.com for additional information on these and our two recommendations in Yoho National Park.

“ Twenty minutes from the Post Hotel, at the base of 10,000-foot wraparound mountains, lies a little turquoise jewel of a lake that is surely one of the loveliest places on the planet.

Canadian Rocky Mountain GoatMoraine Lake, Banff National Park Lakefront Suite at Fairmont Jasper Park Lodge

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fully served. Dinner, in the same dining

room, was a disappointment. The dining

room was overcrowded and understaffed;

our food was unremarkable; and the

server was stressed and impatient. But

for snowy roads, we would have driven to

the Post Hotel for dinner the next night.

Jasper

We drove the 150 miles from Moraine

Lake to Jasper on the famed

Icefields Parkway through fog, inter-

mittent rain and, while crossing the

6,849-foot-high Bow Summit, through

about five inches of snow. But as we

wound down the pass, the clouds lifted,

and we were treated to mile after mile

of spectacular mountain scenery. On the

outskirts of Jasper, a magnificent bull elk

posed for photographs.

While settling into our room at the

sprawling Fairmont Jasper Park Lodge,

we read this prominently displayed notice:

“Please report aggressive elk or bear

activity by dialing 55 from your guest

room telephone.” However, we saw little

wildlife, aggressive or otherwise, during

our stay, except for gaggles of Canada

geese practicing take-offs and landings

on picturesque Lac Beauvert.

The resort offers a dozen categories of

rooms, suites and cabins, but you should

avoid anything less than a Lakefront Suite;

ask for upper floors with private balco-

nies and better through-the-trees views.

Friends or families traveling together

might consider one of the larger cabins,

such as “Viewpoint,” “Gardener’s” or

“Outlook.” We had booked a Junior Suite

Lakeview — the names don’t reveal much

about the accommodation — and we spent

a portion of the second day arranging for

something more suitable. Throughout,

the resort staff remained patient and

courteous.

Lakefront Suites occupy a series of

fourplexes set between the lake and the

golf course, away from the main lodge,

and thus offer much more privacy. They

are comfortably furnished, if not imagi-

natively so. In the living room, a rugged

woodburning fireplace occupied one

corner; French doors and windows opened

onto a balcony overlooking the lake. The

bedroom could be closed off from the rest

of the suite. The bath included marble-

topped vanities, a whirlpool tub and a

separate glass-enclosed shower.

We enjoyed dinner in The Moose’s

Nook Chophouse, where the menu lists

variations of wild game, Alberta beef

and seafood dishes. The food was good,

and a service misstep was quickly and

graciously made right. We also liked The

Emerald Lounge, where in fair weather,

guests enjoy cocktails and light snacks

on a broad terrace.

The Fairmont Jasper Park offers

everything one would expect from a year-

round, full-service resort, including a

grand spa, multiple dining venues and a

long list of activities, from helicopter tours

to whitewater rafting, guided hikes and fly

fishing, boat tours on lovely Maligne Lake,

mountain biking and horseback riding,

plus a full range of winter activities.

And while the resort is popular with tour

groups, there’s ample room for individual

travelers looking for a quiet space. H

H A R P E R C L A S S I C S

Recommended Lodges in British ColumbiaON MY RECENT TRIP, I stayed exclusively at properties in Alberta. However, I have long endorsed two lodges in Yoho National Park in the adjoining province of British Columbia. At 507 square miles, Yoho is the smallest of four contiguous parks, the others being Banff, Jasper and Kootenay. Collectively, they form the Canadian Rocky Mountain Parks UNESCO World Heritage Site. The historic enclave of Emerald Lake Lodge is set on a forested peninsula overlooking a glacial lake, 30 minutes west of Lake Louise. Stone fireplaces and antique furnishings embellish a hand-hewn timbered lodge. The 85 comfortable accommodations are housed in two dozen weathered-wood cabins, most offering scenic decks. (Spacious “Point Cabin” has the best lake views.) In the formal Mount Burgess Dining Room, chef Valerie Morrison’s seasonal menu features free-range elk, bison and caribou along with specialties such as grilled Alberta beef ribeye, and seared Skuna Bay salmon with beet risotto and a single malt scotch buerre blanc. The atmospheric Kicking Horse Lounge features an original 1890’s oak bar from a Yukon saloon. Activities include superb hiking, as well as canoe and rowboat rentals. A sauna, gymnasium and outdoor hot tub comprise the principal amenities. A 20-minute drive to the east, Cathedral Mountain Lodge is an impressive retreat backdropped by dramatic Cathedral Mountain. Thirty-one traditional log cabins feature Canadian antiques and rustic, custom-made beds topped with down duvets; some include woodburning fireplaces, private walk-out decks with views of the surrounding peaks, and spacious baths with soaking tubs. The Great Room restaurant provides expansive views of the Kicking Horse River, and offers a menu that showcases local and organic ingredients. Activities include guided hiking and climbing, as well as biking, fishing, horseback riding and helicopter tours.

Outlook Cabin at Fairmont Jasper Park Lodge

Emerald Lake Lodge

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Oysters and langoustines at Restaurant du Décollé in Brittany / PHOTO BY ANDREW HARPER

The Hideaway Report (ISSN 0884-7622) is published monthly by Andrew Harper at 1601 Rio Grande St., Suite 410, Austin, TX 78701. Periodicals Postage is paid at Austin, TX, and additional mailing offices. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to: Andrew Harper, P.O. Box 684368, Austin, TX 78768. Tel. (866) 831-4314 or (512) 904-7342. Fax (512) 904-7350. Copyright 2016 Andrew Harper, LLC. CST #2110806-40; IST #1096; WST #603248672. All rights reserved. Quotation, reproduction or transmission by any means is prohibited without written permission from the publisher.

Editor-in-Chief Andrew Harper Art Director Kristina Mitchell Research Editor Adrienne Jany Photo Editor Kelly Zhu

Free of hotel advertising since its inception in June 1979, Andrew Harper’s Hideaway Report® is a private publication for sophisticated travelers. The selection of hotels and restaurants for inclusion is made on a completely independent basis, with Andrew Harper, LLC paying full rate for all meals, lodging and related travel expenses. Our commitment to editorial independence is unwavering.

L A S T LO O K

L A S T WO R D

Are You Missing Out?IF YOU ARE NOT a Premier subscriber, then you are not receiving my 12 annual Harper Collection books, presented as a handsome boxed set. In the course of a year, I update all my hotel and restaurant recommendations world-wide, as well as provide snippets of travel wisdom that include suggestions for touring, sightseeing and shopping. Each volume is completely redesigned and contains a new selection of lavish

color photographs.This month sees the publication of the 2016 updates for Italy and Spain, Portugal & Mediterranean. The former contains notable new hotels from my unforgettable journey through Sardinia. The Collection is a labor of love and

my entire staff works painstakingly to create the world’s most authoritative and reliable guide to luxury travel. Every hotel entry is meticulously checked. And each year brings numerous improvements as a result of valuable feedback from readers. Become a Premier subscriber and you will have the entire world at your fingertips. The books can now be purchased individually, if you do not wish to receive the entire 12-book set. To order, visit andrewharper.com/store/harper-collection. To upgrade your subscription, contact [email protected].

Available online for US$25

New and NoteworthyLanai ReopeningIn 2012, Oracle’s Larry Ellison purchased 98 percent of the Hawaiian island of Lanai

for a reported $300 million. The Four Seasons Resort Lanai on Manele Bay closed

in June 2015 for a comprehensive renovation. The work is now complete and reserva-

tions are being accepted from March 1. The 217 rooms have all been redesigned, a

new adults-only pool has been installed and the landscaping has been transformed

by a range of native Hawaiian plants.

Cousine Island ReinventedThe Seychelles archipelago contains some of the most blissful private islands in the

world. Cousine Island was originally a family retreat, an exquisite 62-acre micro-

dot, surrounded by pristine coral reefs and limpid sea. For more than 20 years, it

has also been an exceptionally successful environmental reconstruction project.

Primarily available for exclusive use, the island’s four accommodations have now

been augmented by a magnificent new two-bedroom villa with its own gym and spa.

I remember strolling down Cousine’s powdery beach one afternoon, the indigo sky

full of dazzling white fairy terns, and feeling certain that I was in the most beautiful

place on earth.

Touring BhutanIt is now 25 years since the government of Bhutan decided to allow private invest-

ment in its tourist industry. In the intervening years, the number of annual visitors

has increased to around 50,000, but their numbers are still limited by the country’s

remoteness and the $250 minimum daily tariff. Properties from leading boutique

hotel companies such as Aman and COMO have now been joined by Six Senses

Bhutan. Following the pattern set by Aman, Six Senses has opted to construct five

intimate lodges, in contrasting locations around the country, with a combined total

of 82 guest suites. They are scheduled to open in time for the 2016 summer season.

T R AV E L I NG T H E WOR L D I N SE A RCH OF T RU LY E NCH A N T I NG P L ACE S

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