A Taste of Savoy in Paris

Hidden in the Jardin des Plantes is the Alpine Garden. You will not find it by looking around: the Alpine Garden is three meters below the famous flower-beds of the Jardin des Plantes. To recreate the climate and the hilly landscape of an Alpine mountain, the botanists of the Parisian park had to dig a small valley between the big trees of the Alley Cuvier and the menagerie. To reach the garden, take the tunnel starting in the gardens of the Botanic school. On the left are the Alpine plants: rhododendron, cornflower, crimson digitalis, globeflower, cross gentian, purple saxifrage, valerian and the most famous and the rarest of all: the edelweiss. What a change of scenery! Although this intimate garden will not give you the same emotion as the grandiose mountains of Savoy, it is an undeniable good start.   To enjoy the rest of Savoy’s offerings, no miracles: you will not learn to ski in Paris. But you can at least enjoy the food! Savoy gastronomy is mostly based on cheese and charcuterie. Raclette, Beaufort, Reblochon, Tome and Abondance are the stars of Alpine cheese. As for charcuterie, you will find all types of French salami at the “Savoyard”, 39 rue Popincourt (11th arrondissement). Smoked pork salami, salami with chestnuts, salami with mushrooms, salami with blueberries, stag salami, wild boar salami, the list is endless. You can even rent a “raclette set,” a very friendly way to discover Savoy’s gastronomy. And you will not even have to cook!  Just spread your melted raclette on boiled potatoes. Serve with raw jam, gherkins and a little bit of grated nutmeg, and the trick is done!   As for wines, choice is not easy either: Savoy counts nineteen vineyards. Two thirds of them are white vines. If you are brave enough, you can even try the very strong local liqueur, made from a local plant, the Genepi. No wonder the Savoyards were using it to heat up a little during cold winters.Surprisingly, Savoy restaurants in Paris are not numerous. At “La Grange”, rue Mouffetard (5 th arrondisement), the interior design adds to the charms of Savoy gastronomy: old skis and tools hang on the wood and stone walls. Of course, they are serving the famous “fondue”, another convivial way to enjoy cheese.  Several types of melted cheese in a heavy saucepan are placed at the center of the table for the guests to dip pieces of bread. A forfeit is given if one piece of bread falls into the saucepan. Beware!    But a for a more in-depth discovery of Savoy’s tradition, you will have to pop in the Maison de Savoie, which will provide you with all the necessary information to organize a trip there.     Maison de Savoie31, avenue de l’Opéra75001 Paris01 42 61 74 73   La Grange72 rue Mouffetard75005 paris01 43 36 19 74   Le Savoyard39 rue Popincourt75011 paris01 43 55 68 53   Jardin Alpin du Jardin des PlantesRue Jussieu/rue Geoffroy-Saint-HilaireOpened between April and September