I tried, I really tried, but I just couldn’t do it. I wanted to take for you one all encompassing postcard photo that showed the charms of Annecy, that bijou of a town at the foot of the French alps. But there is the big blue lake, the backdrop of snow-covered mountain peaks, the picturesque town that is Venice-esque with its canals and flowery bridges. One photo just can’t tell the tale.
We bring our US visitors to Annecy when we want to wow them with French charm (it’s just over two hours from us). The restaurants along the cute quais, however, tend to serve up the hearty, traditional regional fare (tartiflette and fondue), and we were in a mood to experiment. And so we landed at trendy chef Laurent Petit’s ContreSens (in French that means nonsense, mistranslation, wrong direction). We were greeted with a floor that was faux-painted in marble squares–no wait, that was actually the ceiling, and there was a chair hanging from it right over the hostess station. Chandeliers were in the form of rows of traditional lamps with shades, hanging at crazy angles from the marbled ceiling. We knew we were in for a good time.
The surprises continued with the food, which included everything from frites made from polenta to a deconstructed candy bar to a cheesecake served in a dome shape and coated with pistachio-hued white chocolate.
The most delicious and unusual dish, however, was a side dish of potatoes. When it arrived, we said, “who ordered the filet mignon?”, because a traditional American bacon-wrapped beef filet was exactly what it resembled (fausse ami alert: filet mignon in French refers to a pork tenderloin). But it was no filet, it was this: an oval shaped serving of pommes dauphinoise, the sides wrapped in a slice of bacon, then browned up in butter. It was beyond delicious. “I could eat a whole plate of these for dinner,” Ron said.
So of course I experimented and got pretty close. Do try this at home!
Photo, right: A chair on the ceiling at ContreSens.
RECIPE: Faux “Filets” Pomme de Terre à la ContreSens
Both times we had these we got excited and ate them before we took a photo. So you will have to imagine it. First, make a dish of potatoes dauphinoise, you can use my recipe if you like. Cook them, cool then, and chill them well. When cold take a large round cookie cutter and cut them into rounds. Wrap a slice of bacon around each, secure with a toothpick. Brown them in butter until golden, on sides and edges.
If you go to Annecy: The Hôtel Palais de l'Isle is moderately priced (though rooms are tiny and there’s no lobby to speak of). It's In an old building, done up in minimalist chic, and it's absolutely in the middle of the action.
For lunch we liked Le Petit Zinc, for good old-fashioned bistro food served in a nice, traditional atmosphere with excellent service.
Favorite Reads: Our loyal reader Sue Wallace recommends a great new book about Burgundy. Her review makes it sound irresistible: "Just read this. Excellent! All about Burgundy (the area and the wine). Loved the neighborly people, Ray's smarts and courage, and the happy ending. Tolerated the 20 pages or so that were kind of technical RE wine making, but certainly learned a lot about wine. Made me thirsty." Thanks Sue, it goes on my Christmas gift list: The Road to Burgundy: The Unlikely Story of an American Making Wine and a New Life in France
A very Happy Thanksgiving to one and all!
For the winter, Southern Fried French will come out every other week instead of weekly. Thanks for joining us!
12 thoughts on “A Jewel of a Town, Turned Upside Down”
Great post! You make me want to get on a plane heading for France right now!
I immediately knew it was Annecy. It is such a beautiful town. I also am going to do your recipe. Thanks. Happy Thanksgiving.
Those photos definitely look quite jewel-like. Gorgeous & thank you for that tempting potato recipe, a must try!
Annecy is indeed a special place – thanks for sharing!
Ah Annecy… Beautiful town and the lake is lovely. Lucky you to live so close!
Lynn, you made our day with these gorgeous pictures of Annecy(oh! even more lovely than I remembered!)– and VERY especially,that incredible potato/bacon delight! What could be a more delicious
combination than potatoes and bacon?????
We wouldn’t last long enough to photograph it either!(Actually I’m not sure it’d even make it to the table!!)
Thanksgiving week has surely begun!
THANK YOU!!!!
Oh how lovely! Definitely Annecy is on our list of must visit places …hopefully when we return in early 2014. The recipe looks absolutely yummy. Gorgeous photos. Mille merci’s et Happy Thanksgiving to you and yours.
I have to try that recipe!
Annecy…pretty name and very pretty town!!
Potato recipe sounds delicious….wonder if I can put a salad with it here downunder?! 😉
Annecy looks like a lovely town to visit – but not in winter as it must be cold there, although under snow it must also look charming. Your recipe sounds delicious but with a piece of bacon around every piece of potato – I shudder to think about the cholesterol count. Of course, eating this once in a while, who counts calories or the cholesterol? Do you celebrate Thanksgiving now that you are in France? When my late mother came for a visit from Paris to the US years ago, in August, she asked me about Thanksgiving, so I cooked the whole meal with turkey, stuffing and all the trimming that very hot August day so that she would have an idea of what it is like – she liked it but not the cranberry sauce – too sweet with the turkey.
I enjoyed this post very much. I will be in Annecy in April and would love to try that restaurant! I’m really looking forward to our visit there. In the meantime, I plan to try your intriguing recipe. Thanks!
I try the recipe, but not the upside down decorating with chairs on the ceiling. I’m sure it’s fun to visit though. I would also like to recommend a book by Jamie Ivey, titled “Ten Trees & a Truffle Dog” He and his wife build a house in the Provence with many complications. I thought building a house in Florida was traumatic! I kept hoping for success for the young couple and the two babies who are born in Provence also. Very enjoyable!
Beautiful pictures on your blog this week, Lynn.