Destinations of the World News November 2014 Issue

November 2014

TREASURE

CULTURE SHOCK An insider’s guide to Amsterdam

Truffle season in Piedmont

TIME FLIES Hublot CEO Jean-Claude Biver

DINING OUT IN

ATHENS

TASTE OF

A culinary journey

PARIS

CAPITAL SOUNDS London Jazz Festival

24 HOURS IN

BERLIN A city transformed

ITALIAN

Sur Mesure par Thierry Marx

Winter is coming

Luxury lodges and high-end adventure in the Rockies Time and heritage in Switzerland's Jura region On piste and on trend in Courchevel

ESCAPE IT ALL

Ultimate winter escapes

IGNITION

Range Rover Sport

SUITE DREAMS Raffles Istanbul

LIFE IS A COLLECTION OF EXPERIENCES LET US BE YOUR GUIDE

47 Quai Wilson CH-1211 Genève 21

B A YV I E W

A R A BE S Q U E

GLOW

UMAMI

WWW.HOTELPRESIDENTWILSON.COM

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Sectiony

November 2014

On the cover 62 Courchevel

96 Journey of the George V

74 Into the wild

100 West of East

86 Valley of lost time

104 Insider... Amsterdam

Shop, ski and be seen in France’s favourite luxe winter escape The Canadian Rockies are a vast playground for high-end adventure

A whirlwind 24-hour tour of Berlin, Germany’s history-drenched capital city Amsterdam Museum director Paul Spies shares a cultural guide to his hometown

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Photo: David Andre

An author retraces his roots in the Canton of Jura, the home of Swiss watchmaking

The rags-to-riches tale of one of the world’s most celebrated luxury hotels

Made in France

The town of Courchevel is the quintessential luxe winter escape

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December 20XX

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THE SUN SIYAM IRU FUSHI Located a 45-minute scenic seaplane ride from Male in the unspoilt Noonu Atoll, The Sun Siyam Iru Fushi rises like a pearl out of the Indian Ocean. Set within 52 acres of white sands and exotic flora, here guests are immersed in a timeless culture.

From the intuitive detail and personalised service that creates the most beautiful of memories, to the sublime ambience that permeates each unforgettable taste, touch and experience, at Iru Fushi the incredible awaits.

Dedicated Passion www.thesunsiyam.com T +960 6560591 F + 960 6560592 E info@thesunsiyam.com

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November 2014

46 142

In the news 36 Europe 50 Debut

150 years of winter in St. Moritz; a spa break in Monte-Carlo

Hot hotels, chic boutiques and exclusive new resorts

38 Middle East & Africa 52 Diary Art invasion in Abu Dhabi; pampering for gents; a new belle in Mauritius

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From horseracing to horsepower, there’s plenty to do this month

42 Asia & Oceania 54 VIP

China’s luxury hotel boom; Asia’s billionaires; family perks at Qantas

A taste of things to come at this month’s London Jazz Festival

46 Americas 56 Interview

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Boutique hopefuls try their luck in LA; an Auberge overhaul in Anguilla

Hublot chairman and LVMH watch master Jean-Claude Biver talks time

Spend it 130 Escape 142 Set sail

The best one-of-a-kind travel experiences money can buy

The Palmer Johnson 48 SuperSport sets a course for the future

134 On the road 146 Suite dreams

New launches from Rolls-Royce, Bentley and Porsche in Paris

A nod to the past and a wink to the future at Raffles Istanbul

140 Ignition

The 2015 Range Rover Sport might be the ultimate road trip accessory

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DIGITAL EDITION Now available for iPhone and iPad from App Store

Contents November 2014

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Gourmet travel 110 Taste of... 120 Chef’s table

Truffle season brings out the best of Italy’s Piedmont region

Oliver Glowig is a German chef with a thoroughly Italian soul

114 Restaurant news 122 Spirit of travel

Michelin flair on Eurostar; a triumph in Paris; 35 years of Bukhara

Sample Russia’s national beverage in these four stylish locations

118 Gourmet journey 126 Reservation

Exploring the dining hotspots of Athens with Georgianna Hiliadaki

An otherworldly dining experience at Sur Mesure par Thierry Marx

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Europe’s winter wonderland

It was 1863 when Thomas Cook first introduced adventurous English holidaymakers to Switzerland, but the history books are coloured more by what came next. It was in the following September that Johannes Badrutt promised his sceptical summer guests in the Engadin Alps that they would also enjoy the region in winter — if they were bold enough to return. A legendary wager was then agreed upon. The hotelier would reimburse travel costs from London if St. Moritz didn’t provide fun in the winter sun, and the guests could stay as long as they wished.

That was 150 years ago, and St. Moritz has long since forged its reputation as one of Europe’s top winter destinations, replete with luxe lodgings and fine dining, year-round. Now, the town is celebrating its fortunate heritage as the birthplace of European winter tourism with a bevy of thrilling events.

The festivities will begin to snowball from next month, when the Anniversary Kick-Off event takes place. December 5-7 will see teams compete in various traditional snow sports, with concerts and shows each evening. The following months will present visitors with highlights such as the Gourmet Festival (January 26-30) with 182 international

master chefs from 30 nations cooking within the town’s hotels. The Snow Polo World Cup St. Moritz arrives concurrently (January 29 to February 1), and promises to offer thrilling competition for the entertainment of some 15,000 expected spectators.

As if that’s not enough Alpine equine action, White Turf St. Moritz will take place on Sunday February 8 and then the subsequent two Sundays. Dating back to 1907, the tradition takes place on the frozen Lake St. Moritz, but is not merely a horse-race meet. Impressive steeds will thunder across the hard ice, tussling in various races in a series of three events, which will also see intrepid competitors pulled along on skis, testing the true horsepower of their hooved companions.

Other celebratory events include the World and European Cup Bob and Skeleton on the Olympia Bob Run from January 12-25. To mark 125 years of the sport, a dedicated bobsleigh Hall of Fame is due to open that month. Visitors from the Commonwealth may also enjoy Cricket on Ice from February 19-21. All good things must come to an end, and the Swiss Ski Association will wrap the season up with Ski Club Championships in March, combined with a huge closing ceremony bash.

Europe

The full Monte-Carlo With more than just a new resplendent, pure white aesthetic, Thermes Marins of Monte-Carlo Société des Bains de Mer has reopened with innovative new technologies within luxurious comfort. The 7,000-squaremetre facility presents patrons with cryotherapy, fasciatherapy, somatic massages, foot ‘refoundation’ and more, incorporating La Prairie products.

Ideal for all ailments, the spa beckons businessmen and sportsmen alike — as well as anyone on the look out for some five-star pampering. And, to balance wellness with indulgence, L’Hirondelle restaurant focuses on health, form and beauty, with well-balanced, gourmet dishes.

To celebrate the reopening, Monte-Carlo SBM has created a trio of tailor-made packages combined with accommodation at the luxury five-star Hôtel Hermitage. The hotel is now also joined by 20 pop-up boutiques, housed in five off-white aluminium ‘pebbles’ known as the Monte-Carlo Pavilions. The temporary boutiques, designed by architect Richard Martinet, are nestled in the gardens opposite the Place du Casino. www.montecarlosbm.com

Follow the Fox & Squirrel back in time Step into London’s luxe past with this educational Connaught collaboration. The Maybourne hotel is giving visitors a glimpse into the world of Mayfair’s Royal Warrant Holders — companies that provide goods or services to the British royal family — through a series of tours. Led by a historian from Fox & Squirrel, which leads various walking tours around the UK capital, the twohour tours will visit tailors, perfumers and other artisans, and offer rare glimpses of centuries-old artefacts. The season of exclusive tours kicked off late last month with ‘The Origins of British Luxury: The Social Season’ but the next one departs on November 27, with the ‘Adventure, Travel & Exploration’. Other upcoming jaunts will give fascinating insights into Savile Row and the work of Mayfair’s master craftsmen. www.the-connaught.co.uk

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Middle East & Africa

Abu Dhabi’s art invasion FROM pearl-diving colonial outpost to oil-rich metropolis, Abu Dhabi’s rapid rise is equalled only by its neighbouring twin, Dubai. The UAE capital has rich roots in Bedouin traditions, but its mushrooming population has created a diverse Jackson Pollock-esque melee of cultural nuances.

Now well into its fifth official decade as the nation’s ruling emirate, Abu Dhabi has a clear drive to invest in the arts and present world-class facilities to millions of annual tourists — with a little help from some remarkably iconic French institutions.

Seven years in the making, Louvre Abu Dhabi is due to debut a year from now on Saadiyat Island. If all goes to the revised plan, the Franco-franchise will welcome its first visitors on December 2, 2015 — the UAE’s 44th National Day. While the museum takes its name from Parisian stalwart Musée du Louvre, the Abu Dhabi incarnation will be accepting some help from many other friends. The first run of 300 art loans have been announced from Musée d’Orsay, Centre Pompidou, Château de Versailles, Musée d’archéologie nationale and more.

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Among the works are some very familiar daubings by names such as Henri Matisse, Claude Monet and Leonardo da Vinci, whose Portrait of an Unknown Woman (circa 1495) is being loaned from the Louvre.

Although it is not scheduled to open until 2017, Guggenheim Abu Dhabi has decided to share the Louvre’s spotlight as it unveils its pre-opening exhibition at Manarat Al Saadiyat, a museum and exhibition centre on the island, this month.

Comprised of 16 artworks set for the museum’s opening collection, as well as two key loans from the Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum in New York, Seeing through Light: Selections from the Guggenheim Abu Dhabi Collection will dazzle visitors with its captivating lightthemed installations from November 5, 2014 until January 19, 2015.

When it opens, the Frank Gehry-designed museum will span around 41,800 square metres, featuring global art, exhibitions, and education programmes with particular focus on Middle Eastern contemporary art.

Discover

bountiful nature

in the heart of the desert

Set within Sir Bani Yas Island Arabian Wildlife Park, Anantara Sir Bani Yas Island Al Sahel Villa Resort, presents a unique and luxurious retreat from the city. Designed to look like rustic African-style lodges with thatched roofs, each of the 30 villas offer views of the Arabian savannah, while the interiors embrace ultimate comfort. Catch sight of bountiful wildlife against the backdrop of salt-dome hilltops, savour delectable dishes created at the Savannah Grill and wind down from an adventure-filled day in the comfort of a personal plunge pool.

Embark on a journey rich with discovery at

anantara.com Call +971 (0)2 656 1399 or email crome@anantara.com for enquiries and reservations.

United Arab Emirates • Cambodia • China • Indonesia • Maldives • Mozambique • Thailand • Vietnam

Experience the wonders of a wildlife sanctuary with rates starting from AED 1,600* per night, per villa, including breakfast for two. *Subject to availability, 10% service charge and 6% tourism fee.

Asia & Oceania

China’s new luxury dynasty

WHILE Neolithic Europe was beginning to grapple with Bronze Age tools, China’s Shang and Zhou Dynasties had already made dizzying progress with detailed arts and crafts. Now, some 4,000 years on, the erstwhile ‘Sleeping Giant’ has shaken off the conservative shackles of communism and is reacquainting itself with the finer things in life.

This is no more poignantly evident than right now, as the world’s most populous nation embraces a swathe of new luxury hotels. You only have to peruse this month’s Debut section (page 50) to discover the capital’s new Rosewood Beijing, as well as the 279room The St. Regis Chengdu. But this duo of familiar five-star favourites barely scratches the surface.

In addition to its new St. Regis, Starwood has also unveiled The Azure Qiantang, A Luxury Collection Hotel, back in September. The 205-room hotel sits on the bank of the picturesque Qiantang River in China’s Shangcheng District — an area famous for its museums and the arts.

When it comes to cutting edge design, Kempinski has looked to the skies. The German hotel chain is

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Modern marvels Phoenix Towers (top); Sunrise Kempinski Hotel, Beijing (above); Rosewood Beijing (right)

opening the doors to the Sunrise Kempinski Hotel, Beijing this month, overlooking Yanqi Lake. Shanghai Huado Architect Design Company consulted 60 designers over 60 days before finalising the hotel’s distinctive ‘rising sun’ aesthetic.

Away from the capital, Jumeirah has upped the ante on its plans for new properties in China. After opening the Jumeirah Himalayas Hotel Shanghai in 2011, the Dubaibased hotel group now has eight properties in the works, including new developments in Guangzhou, Hangzhou, Sanya, Macau and Qiandaohu. Just last month, Jumeirah announced an additional trio of luxury openings being readied in Nanjing, Haikou and Wuhan, due to open in 2016, 2018 and 2020 respectively.

But even before the ribbon is cut on the Sir Norman Foster-designed Jumeirah Wuhan, the provincial capital of Hubei could potentially welcome the world’s tallest building. If the designs by London architect firm Chetwoods are approved, Wuhan’s US $2 billion Phoenix Towers development will pair two super-sized skyscraper towers that will include as-yet-unnamed hotels, alongside leisure facilities, retail spaces and cutting edge “bio-dynamic” innovations.

Interview

Time flies In his dual role as president of watches for LVMH and chairman of Hublot, Jean-Claude Biver’s life is a race against time, travelling from one event to the next in a whirr of meetings and flights. Fortunately, timekeeping is his forte Interview: Joe Mortimer

J

ean-Claude Biver, the convivial chairman of Swiss watchmaker Hublot, stands before a crowd of journalists and professional associates and declares, with his hand on his heart, that in business, “All you need is love.”

Appointed president of LVMH’s watches division in January of this year, the 65-year-old also oversees the Tag Heuer and Zenith brands for the luxury giant, and has previously served time at brands including Blancpain and Audemars Piguet. But it is his work at Hublot that has earned Jean-Claude Biver the highest acclaim, increasing the company’s turnover from CHF 25 million (US $26.1 million) to CHF 200 million ($209 million) in his first four years at the firm. The success attracted the attention of the LVMH Group, which bought the company in 2008.

Anyone familiar with Hublot will know that Biver is speaking the truth when he talks about love; the company has a reputation for strategic partnerships that have seen the company named Official Timekeeper of the UEFA European Championships 2008 and the FIFA World Cup in 2010, as well as the official timekeeper of Ferrari. Individual brand ambassadors include Usain Bolt, Kobe Bryant and Jay Z, and Hublot has partnered with the Instituto Ayrton Senna, the Oceanographic Museum of Monaco and football teams in Germany, Italy, the Netherlands and France.

For a man whose life has revolved around time and its keeping, Biver has precious little of it to enjoy the finer things in life — like his homes in Switzerland and France or his enviable watch collection. We caught him for 10 minutes at the launch of a pop-up Hublot boutique in The Dubai Mall, created in association with the company’s UAE partner, Ahmed Seddiqi and Sons.

How many watches do you own and how many travel with you?

Oh, maybe 200. I don’t count. If you have two, you can count. I always wear the same watch; it’s the one I wear for cycling, for the beach, for holidays and for business. The others are more like collector watches.

But now, in fact, it’s the first time in a long while that I did a trip with a different watch than usual. It’s a watch that I got on the 20th of September from my wife; a special Hublot. It’s the first time [I’ve worn it abroad].

How often do you travel for business?

I travel probably between 50 and 70 times per year.

It’s usually beyond Europe — I don’t count London or Milan or Paris as travel. We are a one-hour plane journey from those cities, so it’s not travelling. By travelling I mean sleeping overnight. I go to Asia twice every month, I go every month to America once and then I go to the Middle East, or Russia, or Turkey and so on.

You must have a lot of air miles?

I am one of the Swiss that travels the most on Swiss International Air Lines because I usually travel Swiss.

I’ve been told that I fly 80 percent of the time of the crew. That is, the time I spend in the plane is equivalent to 80 percent of the time the crew is in air.

How much of that travel time is your own versus work time?

I hate taking any time for anything else other than business. That’s why I fly into Shanghai, for example, and the next day I fly out. I will never stay one minute more than necessary for business; never. I cannot combine — I am too extreme.

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Interview

Timeline

1975 Spent a year working across all divisions of Audemars Piguet 1980 Joined Omega as gold products manager 1982 Bought Blancpain with his friend Jacques Piguet 1992 Sold Blancpain to the SMH Group (later to become Swatch Group) and joined the management team

2004 Joined Hublot as CEO 2014 Appointed president of the LVMH Group Watches

Photos: Haitham El Shazly

Division in January

“I have no ideas in my office — I have to travel. Travelling is my energy” When I work, I work. When I am on holiday... I still work. But I cannot combine work with holidays. I love people who can do that.

How does travel help you understand your customers better?

Travelling helps me for my business in the most important way; it’s the only source of inspiration.

I never get inspiration from my office, unfortunately.

Many artists can stay at home and have their ideas.

I would love to have that; it would be a miracle, but I have no ideas in my office — I have to travel.

Travelling is my energy.

How does travel inspire you?

Through meeting people and experiencing different cultures, tastes, opinions and nationalities. Richness comes from the difference. If I did not travel, I would not be efficient in my visions. The visions I get for product, or for marketing, or for promotion all come from my trips. I am 65 and I could retire, but I still travel 70 times per year. It’s a big effort because I suffer from jetlag. Nevertheless, I will never be able to stop.

How do you define luxury when it comes to travel?

For me, luxury in travelling means not being tired and when time flies without you seeing it. It’s when time goes ‘vroom’ and suddenly you look at your watch and realise that in three hours you have to go back to the airport and fly home.

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What do you do when you are travelling for pleasure?

I will give you a very sad answer — my dream is home [laughs]. So the best part of my holidays, although my kids are always complaining, is home. I have two homes. I have a home in Switzerland where I have a farmhouse with my cows, which is a fantastic home.

One day in this home is like one week of holidays for me. And I have a second home, which is in St. Tropez in the south of France, where I have a very old farmhouse from 1845 with a lot of forest. One day there is also like one week of holidays. So my holidays are usually spent at home in one of my two homes.

Many luxury brands are moving into the hospitality business — could Hublot follow suit?

Yes, because Hublot is also a lifestyle. A hotel is lifestyle, so there could be a collaboration with Hublot, like a Hublot coffee shop or a Hublot hotel.

There would be no problem to do it, but we must choose the right moment.

Where would you build a hotel and what would it be like?

It depends, but if it was in the city, I would like a very small hotel. I would like the kind of hotel where you can still get jam made by someone’s grandmother in the morning and bread that is baked the same day in the kitchen of the hotel. The kind of little, very discreet hotel that’s very comfortable and very homely. n

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Destinations 62

The world’s most desirable locations

Winter escape LVMH’s Cheval Blanc Courchevel resort is one of 13 French hotels awarded the coveted ‘Palace’ status

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Living the high life in Courchevel

Luxe adventure in the Canadian Rockies

Time stands still in Switzerland’s Jura region

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Past meets future at Four Seasons George V

The best of Berlin in 24 hours

An insider’s guide to Amsterdam

Photo: Getty Images

Courchevel

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Courchevel

courchevel S h o p ,

S k i

a n d

b e

S e e n

It may have dropped its 1850 suffix, but Courchevel remains the summit of alpine fine dining and fur-clad fashion Words: Oliver Robinson

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Photo: Patrick Pachod

C

oco Chanel once quipped: “Luxury must be comfortable, otherwise it is not luxury.” While snow-capped mountains are seldom equated with comfort, luxury, or indeed Coco Chanel, all three spring to mind as I stomp through Courchevel, weighed down by ski boots, poles, and my skis balanced over one shoulder.

Formerly referred to as Courchevel 1850, Courchevel is one of four villages that constitute the Courchevel Resort in Les Trois Vallées (The Three Valleys) region of the French Alps. Courchevel Moriond (formerly 1650), Courchevel Village (1550), and Courchevel Le Praz (1300) lie further down the mountain. The Courchevel authorities changed the names of each village for the 2012–2013 ski season, in an attempt to give each village its own personality.

Hitherto, it was feared that skiers were naturally drawn to 1850 because of its superior altitude.

But it would seem that dropping the four-digit suffix has only served to enhance Courchevel’s exclusive status. The other three villages are pictureperfect, self-contained ski resorts, each offering a generous array of luxury hotels and chalets, yet the village formerly known as 1850 remains unparalleled for its unabashed ostentatiousness, and continues to uphold its reputation as a playground for European royalty, oligarchs and their entourages, and the sheikhs of resource-rich Gulf states.

It’s also a place where fashion and art seem to collide. For every Chanel, Louis Vuitton, Hermès or Prada boutique, there’s a gallery or high-profile exhibition. In 2010, the village became an open-air Salvador Dalí museum, while in 2012 French sculptor Orlinski famously planted his sculpture The White Wolf atop the 2,659-metre summit of the Vizelle and dotted a selection of other eye-catching creations around the village.

Courchevel

Hitting the slopes

Photo: David Andre

Photo: David Andre

Photo: Jerome Kelagopian

The Courchevel resort offers 150 kilometres of ski runs: 19 green runs, 37 blue, and 31 red and eight black runs for more experienced skiers. Many of the slopes are north facing, meaning there’s still great snow late in the season. The slopes are served by 58 lifts, 365 days a year, which open at 9am and begin to close from about 4.20pm (times vary and lifts often close later in February). The ski season for Courchevel, Courchevel Village, and Courchevel Le Praz runs until April 6-24, while Courchevel Moriond starts December 13. www.courchevel.com.

Winter wonderland (clockwise from above) Cosy chalets, ski action and leisurely tours through the landscape on horseback are just part and parcel of the luxe Courchevel winter experience In suspense (opposite page) Chairlift rides offer spectacular alpine views en route to the slopes Snow and solitude (previous page) Courchevel offers 150 km of thrilling ski runs

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The Canadian Rockies

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The Canadian Rockies

take a road trip through Canada’s roCky Mountains, where luxury and adventure head to new heights Words: Lauren Jarvis

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Canadian Rockies

Photo: Getty Images

Natural beauty (left) The impressive Sulphur Mountain towers above Banff (previous page) iceskating with stellar views at The Fairmont Lake Louise

“

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ou can take any of the trails around the lake and golf course, but you’ll need to stay away from hole 13,” smiles the concierge at The Fairmont Jasper Park Lodge, when I ask about hiring a bicycle to explore the grounds of the luxury hotel, nestled in the heart of the Canadian Rockies. While it may be considered unlucky for some, today, number 13 is the hole of choice for a cinnamon mother bear and her cubs, who are currently grazing on the green of the award-winning course as golfers carry on with their rounds.

The bears have made a discerning dining choice — when the British royals visit the Rockies, they too check into Jasper Park Lodge, staying in the exclusive sixbedroom Outlook Cabin, which stands on the edge of the hotel’s forest-fringed Lac Beauvert. But it’s nice to see the red carpet isn’t only rolled out for the Queen and co.

Here, it seems even the Lodge’s uninvited guests are given the VIP treatment and privacy they deserve.

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Located within the UNESCO World Heritage Site of Canada’s largest national park, the buzzy, arty town of Jasper lies at the top of the Icefields Parkway, a scenic road that winds through the breathtaking landscapes of the Rocky Mountains in Alberta. The highway stretches 232 kilometres between Jasper and Banff, and is one of the world’s iconic drives, revealing mighty glaciers, cascading waterfalls and mirror-like lakes at every turn. Along the route are lookouts from which to gaze and wonder, forests full of unique wildlife, and luxe havens offering time to simply relax and recharge.

I begin my Rockies road trip in Calgary, home of the 1998 Winter Olympics and the annual Stampede rodeo.

The international gateway to the famous mountain range, Calgary is the place to pick up your car or motorhome, before heading out on Highway 1 to Canmore, Kananaskis, an hour west of the city. Whether you’re a sun lover or a snow bunny, there is no end to the outdoor activities to enjoy in the region’s unspoiled wilderness, making it a great first stop on your itinerary.

Alfred Dunhill Ltd

VALLEY OF LOST TIME

Photo: Vallée de Joux Tourism

DRAWN TO SWITZERLAND’S JURA REGION TO TRACE HIS FAMILY HISTORY, AUTHOR ADAM JACOT DE BOINOD DISCOVERS A LAND OF SPECTACULAR SCENERY, DELICIOUS TRADITIONAL FARE AND A RICH WATCHMAKING HERITAGE

Photo: Vincent Hofer

R

a ther like one of her most celebrated natives, Roger Federer, Switzerland has a charming modest streak. She is the quintessential Alpine country; one with an unar ticulated soul. She is French without the shoulder-shrugging insouciance, German without the matter-of-factness, and Italian, but with impartiality. To get an authentic impression of Switzerland, the Canton of Jura in the north-west of the country has it all, and not just the freshness of air, the purity of water or the drama of mountains.

“Remembrance of things past is not necessarily the remembrance of things as they were,” said Marcel Proust at the dawn of the 20th century, and his words still ring true today. I am 54 years old now and it’s an interesting age, one at which one looks as much backwards, to be informed, as forwards to embrace the new. Coming from a family of novelists, it is often hard to separate fact from fiction, so I set out to the Jura region with two goals in mind: to see where my family, the Jacots, used to live, and to discover more about the relatives I had always been told about as a child, as well as the land from which they are from.

FAMILY TIES My first significant discovery was made just outside the city of Neuchâtel, during a chocolate- and winetasting tour at Jacot Chocolatier in Noiraigue, where scientists experiment to find the best combination of some 600 aromas from the cocoa beans of Madagascar, regarded as the best in the world. It was here, amid the rarefied and coffee-scented air, that I met one of two distant relatives in Switzerland; the other was in my home valley itself.

Later, in the library at the Musée International d’Horlogerie in La Chaux des Fonds, I found a rather impressive cast of characters linked by blood or a commercial partnership to my Jacot ancestors. I discovered that, as a result of inter-marriages over 300 years, the same 10 or 12 families within the valley became interlinked, forming a complex web of connections throughout the entire Jura region.

I discovered connections with several notable families originally based in the area, including the architect Le Corbusier (Charles-Édouard Jeanneret). His mother, Marie Charlotte Amélie Perret, was the daughter of Amélie Pingeon who was previously married to a Jacot and by whom she had three children. Le Corbusier

Photo: Aline Henchoz

Photo: Getty Images

Photo: Vallée de Joux Tourism

Photo: Vallée de Joux Tourism

Switzerland

Frozen in time (clockwise from top left) keen explorers carefully tread a frozen lake; plethora of tools and a careful eye go to into making the country’s famous timepieces; snow and ice add sparkle to the otherwise bare trees Where time stands still (pictured opposite) Inside Espace Horloger Snowy serenity (previous page) Switzerland’s snowy-white winter is as much a national icon as chocolate, cheese and watches

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Gourmet

Your ultimate guide to luxury dining

118 Gift from the gods

An Orange Explosion at Athens’ Funky Gourmet, where fine dining has an almost mythological twist

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A taste of Piedmont, home of the world’s favourite tuber

The latest culinary news from around the world

A gourmet journey around Athens with one of the city’s top chefs

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Oliver Glowig is a German chef with an Italian soul

Become a connoisseur in Russia’s famous tipple

Zen fine dining at Sur Mesure par Thierry Marx

TASTE OF...

PIEDMONT Italy

Renowned for its fine wines and history of culinary prowess, Italy’s Piedmont region is also home of the elusive white truffle

Relais Villa d'Amelia

Gioacchino Rossini, and adored by the royal courts of Europe throughout the 18th century, the white truffle was one of the world's first true luxury delicacies, made all the more exclusive by that fact that white truffles only grow at a specific time of year and in just a handful of places on earth.

In celebration of its lucrative natural bounty, Alba hosts the annual Truffle Festival, in which thousands of visitors come to the town to buy and sell basket-loads of white truffles and feast themselves on food liberally sprinkled with its shavings. If you didn’t make it to the festival’s Truffle Market, you fill find them for sale at shops across the region throughout the autumn.

But for the best experience, put your faith in the professionals and indulge your truffle fantasies in one of the region’s seemingly infinite restaurants where, at this time of year, chefs create specialty menus designed with dishes whose flavours are complemented by generous quantities of truffle shavings.

“For a chef, being here is magical. The people of the Langa are used to eating well.

The local produce is spectacular, and they buy and eat it every day, in simple or more elaborate dishes,” says Enrico Crippa, executive chef at Piazza Duomo and one of the region’s leading culinary masters.

With wine, truffles and cheese in abundance, Piedmont seems to have been blessed with a winning trifecta, one that draws food lovers and connoisseurs from all over the world each year.

rippa from Piazza Du ico C om o Enr

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In a country known across the world for its food and wine, one region stands out above all others. Nestled in the north-west of Italy, sharing a border with France and Switzerland, Piedmont is hallowed ground for anyone passionate about food. From the regional capital Turin to the towns and villages scattered all over the landscape, food and drink are an integral part of daily life in Piedmont.

Home to a winemaking industry that was recently inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List, the region produces some of Italy’s top vintages, with Barolo, Barbaresco, Dolcetto and Barbera grapes grown on verdant rolling hillsides throughout the region, all the way up to the slopes of the Alps, which encircle Piedmont. But, while wine is certainly one of the main attractions, there is one ingredient for which the region is even more famous.

Each autumn, the fertile soils of eastern Piedmont nourish rich delicacies that will end up in the kitchens of Italian restaurants around the world. The tuber magnatum, or white truffle, is prized for its heady aroma and powerful flavour, and mysteriously grows in abundance in the Langhe region of Piedmont, particularly in and around the towns of Alba and Asti.

Although not particularly appealing to look at, the Alba white truffle is worth its weight in gold — quite literally. Referred to as the “Mozart of mushrooms” by Italian composer

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Reservation

Made to Measure

Dining by design at Sur Mesure is an otherworldly experience, finds Joe Mortimer

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o one dines alone in Paris — no one of import, at least. I’m acutely aware of this as I walk into Sur Mesure par Thierry Marx at Mandarin Oriental Paris. Sur mesure: ‘made to measure’. The restaurant opened with the hotel in 2011 on the fabled Rue Faubourg Saint-Honoré. It’s the brainchild of Thierry Marx — part chef, part martial-arts master — who spent the previous 10 years at Relais & Châteaux’s Château Cordeillan Bages. Less than a year after opening, Sur Mesure was awarded two stars by the Michelin Guide and had already earned a loyal following of very important people.

Eager to join the ranks of these foodie VIPs, I accepted the invitation to dine there with gusto, eschewing the protocols of Parisian dining form and arriving at 12.30 on a Wednesday afternoon accompanied by nothing other than a notebook and an appetite.

Walking into Sur Mesure is like entering a spacecraft from a sophisticated faraway land.

The all-white interior is ethereal — a blank canvas where Marx performs his culinary artistry. Gentle music floats from invisible speakers evoking a sense of calm. The décor on the pale walls looks like the petals of a flower or layered sheets of fabric that appear to be tumbling down. The entire four-sided space is monotone; the smartly-dressed and mostly female wait staff are all clad in black, but everything else is creamy white. The only colour at this stage comes from one other solitary early-bird guest. I am not alone in my lonesomeness.

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Other diners float in as I am seated, but my attention is quickly distracted by the menu: a scroll bound by two interlocking rings. I’m having the five-course taster menu in which two dishes, the first and last, are fixed, while three more are selected from four appetizers and three entrées. Sur mesure indeed.

The procession of dishes begins with ‘structured and destructured spinach’ – a trio of bowls containing three different interpretations of spinach: pureed with caviar and crisp potato; combined with goat’s cheese with finely-cut vegetables; and served with chorizo sausage accompanied by Granny Smith apple sauce. The flavours alternate between European and Asian — complementary and yet worlds apart. It’s classic French cuisine with Japanese style and more than a hint of molecular gastronomy.

I have selected two appetizers and a main, which are served one after the other. Egg and tomato under pressure is a deconstructed take on pizza, with manchego cheese foam on top of a poached egg encased in a thin pastry crust, served with a crisp sliver of spec ham. It’s a joyful, messy concoction — the creamy cheese and egg spilling out as I crack the crust with the side of a fork, as instructed by my waitress.

It tastes more like breakfast than lunch, but I’m not complaining.

The star of the show (and many fond memories since) is blue lobster with long turnip and red onion. Succulent and perfectly cooked double lobster tails are served on a bed of tangy red onion puree with long, tart turnips that burst with fruity, earthy flavour. I can’t help but let out a little yelp of joy with the first taste, and find

myself grinning inanely at the bowl between mouthfuls. It’s an instant love affair and I’m an emotional wreck when it comes to an end.

The entrée is a piece of grilled tuna with spicy oil similar to an Argentine chimichurri.

The tuna is accompanied by a light cannelloni of avocado stuffed with pineapple tomatoes, topped with a sweet pepper sauce that’s delicate but bursting with fresh flavour.

A kaleidoscope of desserts are then presented simultaneously: carrot cake with manchego cheese foam, raisins and sauce; pistachio cake “in his raspberries”; deconstructed chocolate fondant; a selection of choux pastries topped with caramel, raspberries and chocolate; and a trio of dainty mango dishes. By the end I am in a foggy, dreamlike state and when I look up for the first time in 10 minutes, the restaurant is full. I wonder if I have been talking to myself.

After a coffee and petits fours, I walk out of the restaurant, get into a taxi and drive off, leaving my bag, jacket and a little bit of myself behind.

I walked into Sur Mesure alone, but emerged as one of a group of people fortunate enough to have tasted the extraordinary flavours of Thierry Marx, and I know I would cross oceans to come back and sample that blue lobster once again. n

The important bit What: Sur Mesure par Thierry Marx Where: Mandarin Oriental Paris Price: five courses EUR 80 (US $102) Book: mopar-restauration@mohg.com Tel: +33 1 70 98 73 00 www.mandarinoriental.com

“The all-whiTe inTerior is eThereal – a blank canvas where Marx perforMs his culinary arTisTry”

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ON THE ROAD ROLLS-ROYCE PHANTOM METROPOLITAN COLLECTION

Rolls-Royce’s flagship Phantom model has gone urban with a limited-edition collection of 20 vehicles inspired by the great cities of the world. The Phantom Metropolitan Collection flaunts a unique design that features hand-crafted ‘marquetry’ in the rear picnic tables and front panelling. Each work of art consists of more then 500 pieces of wood veneer, varying in type, texture and colour to create dynamic interpretations of an imagined metropolis. Each car also features a special Aetherius Grey leather interior designed to reflect the colour of a conceptual modern city, and a hand-stitched abstract image of a skyscraper on the rear seats made of 6,800 two-tone stitches.

There’s also a specially made clock face showing the time zones of 24 cities around the world. Each model can be entirely tailored to suit the tastes of discerning buyers, who will no doubt be paying handsomely for the privilege of owning a piece of history.

Engine: 6.75-litre V12 Power: 453 bhp Torque: 720 Nm 0-100 kph: 5.7 secs Top speed: 240 kph Origin: Goodwood, UK Price: from AED 2.65 million (US $721,500)

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