VI
EN
Throughout our weekend in this dreamy city, we repeated that phrase more than once. The only difference was that we would compare the new impression to a different place name – while strolling beneath the pine trees, passing by palaces that were once favorite retreats of colonial officials. Or simply the moment we came across a cluster of flowers that we thought could only bloom in a temperate climate.
Coincidentally, the place where we stayed on our first night in Da Lat was a cluster of French villas built in the early 1920s. Discreetly nestled among pine hills, Dalat Cadasa Resort is a complex of 12 villas that had been abandoned for a long time, but were later restored and upgraded by a teacher from Saigon.
The entire resort is like a museum of French villa architecture, with each building representing the typical beauty of a particular region: Brittany, Savoie, Provence, Pays-Basque… Furthermore, the charm of these villas is hidden in the fireplace in the center of the house, the tea-drinking and reading nook by the large window, and the vibrant flower garden.
The villa garden is filled with all the most beautiful flowers: roses, mimosas, everlasting flowers, hydrangeas, camellias, daffodils, and tulips. And also my most delicate favorite – the forget-me-not – a flower that appears at almost any moment you wish to see it: in the villa garden, in the courtyard of the grand cathedral, on the balconies of romantic cafes, or along the winding paths of the mountain town.
Sylvie came to Da Lat because of a promise to a friend whose father was born and spent his high school years at Lycée Yersin (now Da Lat College of Education), one of the 1,000 buildings recognized by the International Union of Architects as unique architectural works of the 20th century.
Looking at the reddish, arc-shaped rows of classrooms bathed in sunlight and the towering bell tower against the sky, we thought of Toulouse, known as the "pink city" because most of its buildings are constructed from unplastered red brick. Yersin High School and Notre Dame Cathedral in Saigon are two examples of buildings constructed with this type of exposed brick.
As I walked towards the row of classrooms opposite, my heart raced at the sight of those blue-painted doors, doors still wide open to welcome the Mediterranean breeze on warm, sunny days in southern France.
Yes, even a window can stir up fond memories of France in those with a French-loving heart. And it's fortunate for those who left their roots that the place they once belonged to remains intact, patiently waiting for the day of reunion – even if only through a few hastily taken photographs.
Designed in 1927 by architect Moncet, this school was once attended by the children of French and wealthy Vietnamese families. After being named Petit Lycée Dalat and then Grand Lycée de Dalat, the school was officially renamed Lycée Yersin in 1932 in honor of Dr. Alexandre Yersin, who discovered, 124 years ago, on a June day, "un grand plateau dénudé mamelonné" (a large, barren plateau with undulating hills) which we now call the Lang Bian plateau.
Dr. Yersin himself probably didn't know that this was the moment that would open a new chapter in the history of this land and its people.
Located on the Lam Vien plateau, at an altitude of 1,500 meters above sea level, this honeymoon paradise for newlyweds was once a resort for the French during World War II, when gunfire prevented them from returning to their homeland. The French built many structures with Western architectural influences in Da Lat as a gift to their compatriots, a sense of familiarity in a foreign land.
And like other European cities, Da Lat has a Romanesque cathedral with a cross-shaped foundation. Standing on the cathedral's 14-meter-high bell tower, you'll have a panoramic view of the city. The rooster symbol perched on top of the bell tower is associated with the story of Saint Peter in the Gospel, reminding us of repentance and awakening. For this reason, the cathedral is also known as the "Rooster Church".
It's no exaggeration to liken Da Lat to a museum of intercultural architecture, a place where Vietnamese bamboo and wood materials intersect with exposed brick, reinforced concrete, and glass reflecting Western influences. Domaine Church is a prime example of this trend. Many experts believe that the church's steeper roof slope compared to other traditional churches reflects the traditional longhouse construction style of ethnic minority communities.
The allure of Da Lat lies in its beauty, a blend of two cultures that still resonates in stories, evident in every tree and street corner we encounter in this dreamy land.
And for me, if I had to choose the moment I felt most attached to this place, it would definitely be enjoying wine in the transparent glass gazebo in the corner of Cadasa garden with my companions. Those drops of Da Lat wine sometimes led me to distant memories, to the celebratory glasses overflowing with joy of some family, perhaps a hundred years ago, also in this very space.
Text: Trang Ami Photos: Chau Giang, Dong Thu Ha, Khoi Tran, Viet Tri
