This text is part of the special Pleasures notebook
From Vancouver to Banff, via Kamloops, the journey called First Passage West, of the luxury Rocky Mountaineer train, is a true eulogy of slowness. It’s also a nice way to cross from British Columbia to Alberta on less traveled paths. Travel with our colleague, on a connection which will resume next spring.
Everybody aboard
As soon as the train starts moving, at Vancouver train station, we are invited to sit down at the table. In GoldLeaf service carriages, the dining room is on the first level, while the passenger area is located above, where a large floor-to-ceiling window offers stunning views of the landscape.
On the menu, local and national ingredients are well highlighted. Canadian bacon (back bacon) replaces the ham in the eggs Benedict, Quebec maple syrup generously coats the thick pancakes topped with a stone fruit compote from the Okanagan Valley, and, of course, the local smoked salmon is king on avocado toast.
This choice may seem obvious on the part of the catering service of such a train, in an era where “eating local” is the magic formula to put in bold letters on all menus. But Rocky Mountaineer chef Kaelhub Cudmore’s biggest wish goes far beyond the current trend. “Ultimately, I would like us to be able to mention each producer throughout the trip and the meals served, just as we announce attractions throughout the journey,” he says.
From the Fraser Valley to the Kamloops desert
As soon as the rails move away from the city, they now border the fields and rivers of the Fraser Valley. Guide and waitress Patrycja Podgòrski explains that it is here that more than half of British Columbia’s annual agricultural income is generated.
This shows that Chief Cudmore’s wish could be granted rather easily in this region of the province. For example, in Abbotsford, we are told that there are rice fields there. It is the most northerly place where rice is grown in the world!
Leaving the town of Hope, we are now surrounded only by dense forests, which occasionally offer a glimpse of the turquoise waters of the Fraser River. Then, we cross a semi-arid climate as we approach Kamloops, the territory of the Tk’emlúps te Secwe̓pemc community.
All day long, the guides take care to name the indigenous territories, give the original names of the rivers and municipalities and clarify their meaning. Upon arrival in Kamloops, customer service manager Cristina Sanchez Ortega recounts in detail the history of residential schools to all passengers, most of whom are from the United States, Australia or the United Kingdom .
The art of traveling slowly
At dawn the next day, we continued our way towards Banff. Quickly, the train plunges into the dense forests of the West. Thanks to the bay window, we feel even more enveloped by nature.
At lunchtime, ravioli generously stuffed with Dungeness crab are a hit at our table, as are crispy-skinned rainbow trout served on homemade gnocchi, garnished with pesto, verjuice, blackberries and asparagus. .
Going out between the wagons to get some fresh air, after this delicious feast, we noticed that the trees were thinning and revealing the majestic Rockies.
It takes us about twelve hours to get to Banff, while the journey takes about seven hours by car. But the proximity to nature, the communication of particularly interesting facts by the guides throughout the journey and the haute cuisine served on board are undoubtedly worth the few extra hours of travel.
If slow travel has the wind in its sails, since it allows us to make the most of each moment, everything suggests that little train will go far.
Our journalist was the guest of Rocky Mountaineer and Fairmont Hotels.
This content was produced by the Special Publications team at Duty, relating to marketing. The writing of the Duty did not take part.