This past week with the passing of Chef Michel Guérard of Les Prés d’Eugénie an enchanting paradise in Landes, France; brought back a flood of memories. From his wide smile and especially the twinkle in his eyes, it seemed like I was just there in his exquisite realm composed of 40 acres of parkland, gardens, restaurants, hotels, spas, and a cooking school in Eugénie-les-Bains.
Mr. Guérard was already recognized as one of the most daring and innovative chefs in France, in 1974, when he took over Les Prés d’Eugénie, one of the smaller, less developed properties in a chain owned by the family of his wife, Christine. Together, the couple turned the spa into a major gastronomic destination, despite its remote location between the sea and the Pyrenes in the southwest. They called it their poetic world and that it is. A graceful country estate was instilled with beauty and charm at every turn. Back then they were just starting to introduce Le Couvent des Herbes so, we stayed in the main house at the top of the stairs, in an elegant expansive room.
Our visit was a delight, I will remember it forever. Elegant, warm, welcoming all in one. From walking through the plane trees and palm walkway, pass the Greek goddess and into the main house. The aromas of jasmine and orange flowers, lavender and rosemary filled the air. The house started as the Grand Hotel and thermal station in 1861. When I was there the Emperor and Empress were Michel and Christine, but a hundred years before that, there was Louis Napoleon and Eugénie.
Nearby Biarritz was the start of it all. This is where the Emperor and Empress are still well-known stars. Empress Eugénie fell for the landscape of southwest France and brought her new husband, Napoleon III, to see it. In 1854, he built them a Belle Époque summer palace, naming it the Villa Eugénie, and just like that, Biarritz, a pretty fishing town some five miles from Bayonne, was suddenly chic.
The French, in general, didn’t like Napoleon III. They call him Napoleon le Petit and say he did nothing for France. Though he took on many nicknames alluding to his bedroom adventures and escapades, one of which was ‘Le Badinguet.’ Even though Eugenie de Montijo of Granada, Spain was a stunning beauty, she would never have made the history books had she not married him and produced an heir. The legend says when he met her, he said "What is the road to your heart?" and her answer was, "Through the chapel, Sire."
Along with the wild coast of Biarritz, Eugénie loved the region’s thermal baths, particularly Las Aygos de Saint Loubouer, which was renamed for her in 1861 when she granted the town her patronage. Though her husband was deposed 9 years later and she went into exile in England; her memory is still written all over Biarritz and their summer palace became the Hôtel du Palais in 1883. Where they still oversee comings and goings from magnificent hanging portraits.
Michel Guerard started out his career as a pastry chef and worked at restaurants such as Maxim’s and the Hotel Crillon in Paris. In 1958 he was awarded the prestigious Meuilleur Ouvrier de Francais for pastry. He struck out on his own in 1965, opening the restaurant Le Pot au Feu in Paris, gaining a Michelin star in 1967 and a second in 1971. Then his own love story started when he met Christine whom he married in 1974 and moved to Landes where his wife’s family ran a spa. Thus in 1974, the new Mr. and Mrs. Guerard renamed their domain Eugenie les Bains. And Chef Michel transformed the kitchen there, gaining the ultimate third Michelin star for the property in 1977, just three years after taking over.
Michel Guérard, a driving force behind the 1960s culinary movement known as nouvelle cuisine and the creator of the enormously successful Cuisine Minceur, that put him on the cover of Time Magazine in1976! His influential “slimming cuisine” was due to his own efforts to lose weight at the spa. This inspired him to develop dishes that relied on vegetable purées combined with low-calorie fromage blanc for sauce, rather than butter and cream. Rather than sautéing in oil or butter, he steamed fish and meats in sealed containers with herbs to infuse and retain flavor. “The point of slimming cuisine is that it is delicious,” he once said. “You don’t feel like you’re making a sacrifice.”
Since I wasn’t there for calorie counting but if some spa slimming was part of the experience, I thought it most welcome. As evening fell, I remember walking down the staircase and being seated for the famous “Le Badinguet” imperial champagne cocktail while we browsed the menu. First, there aren’t any bubbles served that I don’t love, but this was another level of fabulous. I was not aware at the time of its double-entendre connection to Napoleon III. It had layers of flavors with raspberries and orange….then mini hor d’oeuvres were passed because you took your time ordering from the Maître D before being shown to your floor length ivory linen draped on round table. A small stool was slide by your feet for your bag. Everything was so smooth and silent – service was flawless. The restaurant is set in the historical lounge of a 19th century building, decorated in a magnificent way. My eye took in the large gilt framed portraits, chandeliers, the heavy beams and the bay leaf balled trees in huge urns.
Of course, we went for two different tasting menus, wanting to taste as many flavors as possible. A delight from start to finish was each of the six courses, doing double time. Traditional luxury dishes: lobster, foie gras, vegetable tarts, duck, and of course the best known L’oeuf Coque glace a la Russe (yes, we are talking caviar), to make it healthy here was a sprig of asparagus. Small copper saucepans came by in a flash to nap here and there. I couldn’t tell you if there were less calories but by this time that thought was thrown to the wind. Walking back up those stairs I was calculating calories burned?
Breakfast is served in your room; a massive tray is delivered. I would be happy for just coffee and baguette with my French butter, but that was not to be! Varieties of fruits, jams and selections of butters and yes, warm crispy croissants. And have you ever had a cheese souffle crepe? You need the spa and more than just a thermal bath.
I introduced myself Madame and gushed at what an amazing property, she was dressed in long white linen flowing dress and took the compliment with “it’s just our home” nod. Leaving was dreadful, but my memories take me back.
Commentaires