ARNUA/S THROUGHIT

Is there aYes, says

commodity more precious

Rous ena MareIIa--D a us :than crude oil, diamonds or gold?

pure mineral water at Evian Spa

vian mineral water comes from the rainand glacial snorv settling on the French

Alps and is filtered through glacialsand. The journel'tlkes e minimum of15 years, during ri'hich time rhe s-eier

is purified, acquiring a delicate bll,:nce oi rrin.raisbefore it reaches the Cachat Spring in :h. io,.,.:.1 oiEvian-Les-Bains and the bonling pl:l:.

The healing properrier of ri.ii.: ::,':: :l:-Sainte Catherine spring s.ere discor .r.: :: i -::.when the Marquis of Lessert. t hr. '....,. -,. ,.. ,

the spring during his regular n:lhealth improved, rvhich he cl;i::"miraculous" rvater. Locll do;:.it to their patients, and in 1S-:.of Health gar e Crchat \\.ltcr- i:-

narker bearing the name "1789 Source Cachat" can

be seen above the source at Evian-Les-Bains, where

local residents come to fill their jugs, free of charge.

The resort comprises two luxury hotels, HotelErmitage, and Hotel Royal, the Evian Golf MastersGolf ClLrb, and recreation facilities for children.Both hotels are graced with sweeping views of thelake, manicured gardens and lawns, although theyeach exude a distinct charm and character. Since

its inauguration in 1909, the Hotel Royal has been

irequented by members of Europe's high society and

distinguished guests, including the Aga Khan. The

hotel has seen some dramas and transformations inits time, and today still retains an air of elegance andsense of tradition with its grand salons and periodfeatures. The restaurant is equally luxurious, anddining here feels like a special occasion. In contrast to

TRAV E I,

its older sister, Hotel Ermitage has a more intimate,contempofary setting. Vibrant colours, textures ofvelvet, leather and contemporary art bring the style

up to date, although I rvas pleased they retained themore traditior"ral revolving entrance door made ofdarkwood, glass and polished brass handles. On a

cold winter's night, dining at the La Table restaurantprovides a cosy corne.r, '"vith just the right amount oftables and a creative menu using seasonal, locally-grorvn ingredients. Seize an1'opporrurrity ro enjol'ameal or cocktail on the terrace in the sunshine.

The resort has three havens for: pampering

- Le Spa Quatre Terres at Hotel Ermitage, Spa

Evian Source at Hotel Royal, and Evian Les

Therrnes, in Evian-les-Bains. Le Spa Qu:rtre FTerre's signature ritual, Soin Complet du Corp"Quatre Terres", starts lvith an exfoliating saltscrub, followed by warm clay and volcanicmud smothered all over the body. Mudtreatments can feel sticky and uncomfortable,but worth enduring - after rinsing it off,without exaggeration, my skin turned to silk.A lovely ending is a gentle sleep-inducingmassage using basalt stone and aromatic oil.

The concept of purity permeatesthroughout - from the minimalist white lobbyto the treatment rooms. Compared to mostspas rvhere the lights are dimmed and aromasof oil pervade, this one is bright and airl',sparse and bordering on clinical. lVith verylittle idea lvhat my treatment involved, I rvas

ushered into a room to find a sporless whitetub filled rvith rvarm Evian rvater. For 25 minutes, Ilay blissfully as massage jets worked their way frommy feet to my shoulders, each area synchronisedwith underrvater lights of magenta, cobalt blue,green, orange and yellorv. The floating sensation wasamazing and I didn't want it ro end.

In between spa sessions, a trek along thefoothills of the French Alps and through the rvoods,hamlets and farms rvas an energising exer:cise, rvitha few stops to take in views of the valleys and hillsaround the region and learn about healing her:bs

and flowers from our expert guide. This culminatedin a delightful alfresco lunch in a typical Alpinerestaurant, La F6tiudre in Bernex, Rh6ne-Alpes,where rve tucked into typical French counrry delights,such as fondue, scrumptious Beignets de Pomme deTerre (potato fritters to you and me), crusty bread,cured han-rs and salad.

It's tee time at the Evian Masters Golf Cluband its 6,064-metre track of technically challengingcontours and slopes, rvith only vielvs of Lake Genevaand Alpine peaks to distract. The rvorld's topprofessional female golfers come here to compete,but no pressure, though - many come to learn at thetraining centre, play a round or practise their srving.

At the end of my journey, I came to appreciatethat Evian Resort is not just about consumingcopious amounts of spring water. It provides guests

an opportunity to de-srress and kick-start a healthylifestyle. It also made me more discerning about'"vhattype of bottled rvater I drink. Pure and healthy is justhorv I like it. And I rnight even take up golf.

\F]EI) TO ti\O\\i

A four-night stay at the Hotel Ermitage on a B&B basis costs

from €586 per person based on double occupancy, and

includes one signature spa treatment per person.

The Hotel Royal is closed until 28 February 20 I 3 and

re-opens on Friday, I st March 20 I 3. A four-night stay at theHotel Royal on a B&B basis costs from €638 per person

based on double occupancy, and includes one signature spa

treatment Per Person.

Evian Resort, BP 8, 7450 I Evian-Les-Bains, France

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+33 (0)4 50 26 85 00,www.evianresort.com

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