Page 52 - Sharp September 2023

The modularity of the room means it can be effortlessly modified to suit the guest’s needs: during the day it becomes a lounge, with ample seating places for gazing at the European scenery through the giant windows, while at nighttime it’s transformed into a snug sleeping space.
Whilst all of the new suites have the same amenities and glossy golden-brown walls, there are four distinct designs at play: La Campagne (the countryside), Les Montagnes (the mountains), Les Lacs (the lakes), and La Forêt (the forest). Each is creatively inspired by a different type of landscape that VSOE trains snake through on their routes. La Campagne references the pastures and vineyards seen across Northern Italy and the French Riviera; the suites are lush and verdant, their walls emblazoned with delicate drawings of yellow and red flowers, the furniture upholstered in lush green fabric. Les Montagnes nods at Austria’s mountainous Arlberg region; the wall at the head of the bed is carved with a sketch of an angular, powerful peak inlaid with mother of pearl at its snowy tip, while the furniture and floor are draped in frosty shades of white. Les Lacs alludes to the various lakes along the routes with a fluid motif displayed on walls of a shimmering turquoise, and a deep blue floor marked with wisps of black and gold. La Forêt suggests southwestern Germany’s Black Forest with its deep reds, auburns and golds, conjuring up a decidedly autumnal atmosphere. Every detail has been meticulously chosen: even the light fixtures that
hang overhead are expertly etched with intricate designs to match the room’s theme. It would be an understatement to say that travel, and our expectations for it, has evolved greatly over the last century. Today, the expeditious private jet may be most people’s idea of luxury travel. The VSOE trains, however, with their unapologetic slowness, aren’t trying to compete with our modern transportation methods. Instead, they scratch a different itch: disconnection. “When you enter the train you walk into a time capsule, and your everyday life becomes secondary,” says Deyrolle. “You automatically start to walk at a slower pace. In today’s world, the biggest luxury we have is time and how we dedicate it to the people and activities we love.” But true luxury isn’t entirely about comfort, despite its importance. It’s also about savouring the moment and having the privilege to take things slowly. As our modern lives get faster and faster, our desire to disconnect from them only grows. And the VSOE, resolutely occupying its own space just outside of contemporary reality, is on hand to help. This winter, the VSOE season will be extended into December, when it will whisk passengers into the heart of Vienna’s festival season as well as connect them to the myriad ski resorts of the French Alps. And with the train’s modern safety standards and contemporary technologies, the chances of guests experiencing another Agatha Christie-style snow-in aren’t very likely. Although, given their level of luxury, getting stuck in one of those new suites for a few extra days doesn’t sound so bad.
TRAVEL
52 GUIDE • SEPTEMBER 2023
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