Fortified

Anaya Spa by L’Occitane is a veritable sanctuary of wellness perched on the banks of the majestic Ganges. Hemchhaya De soaks in the grand ambience of the riverside retreat.

With a busy work schedule, an escape to cooler places can remain a pipe dream. Unless you sneak away for a short trip to a spa resort along the Ganges that reminds you of the French province of Provence, bordered by the lower River Rhône and the Mediterranean Sea!

Fort Raichak, around 50 km from Kolkata, is located right at the heart of the 'Raichak on Ganges' cluster of riverside properties that includes the heritage resort, fort, and an upmarket spa resort called Anaya Kutir, home to Anaya Spa by L'Occitane.

I made my way to Anaya in Raichak armed with the belief that the spa, almost 10 km away from the riverside, would offer a wonderful cocktail of French and local wellness rituals. It took around a couple of hours to the spot, driving along the arterial Diamond Harbour Road.

I could breathe in the tranquility the moment the car entered the fort premises. The elegant brick structures transported me at once to a bygone era of kings and noblemen. The car dropped me in front of a little bridge leading to a small lawn and then to an oak-panelled reception area. And I found myself right in the middle of a fairytale setting! As I looked across the well-manicured, undulating lawns, I could see a big silvery dome at some distance, which, I was informed, was Anaya Spa by L'Occitane.