Franschhoek, a little slice of France in the Cape Winelands is known as South Africa’s Gourmet Capital, and with good reason. This wonderful wine region is not to be missed and offers a plethora of award-winning wines, delicious dining options and lifestyle experiences to suit every palate and pocket; a veritable food and wine lover’s playground throughout the year.
September proved to be a bumper travel month once we reached Lockdown Level 1. I found my travel thirst quenched with numerous trips around the Western Cape and was thrilled when an invitation to rediscover Franschhoek popped in my inbox. And not just for the day. Our jam-packed itinerary included an overnight stay at… well, read on to find out how to get the most out of your time in and around fabulous Franschhoek.
In true Spring fashion, the weather was a mix of single-digit temperatures with lashings of rain one minute and bright, sunshine skies with the whitest, fluffiest cumulonimbus clouds. Our Franschhoek experience began with a stop at beautiful Boschendal and their new Farm Shop & Butchery.
The newly renovated space is filled with a cornucopia of delicious eats, sweet treats, homeware, full range of Boschendal wines (wine sales are currently not permitted on weekends) and more, with a focus on supporting local, especially small, budding designers and artisans.
You’ll find an array of beautiful wares from acclaimed local artisans and a fine selection of produce from local like-minded suppliers, selected for their quality and great attention to detail with a healthy environmental ethos.
As a WWF South Africa Conservation Champion, the Farm Shop also sells their own products such as butter, vegetables and free-range meats with all other produce sourced locally within a 160km radius, keeping it very much local. They are expanding their collection of treats and luxury pantry items that will celebrate the farm’s seasonal tastes. Read more here about what they have to offer. You will want to spend a lot of time here, and quite possibly a lot of money; don’t say you haven’t been warned! Market lovers will be happy to hear that their popular Night Market and Saturday morning markets will be starting again soon.
After a frothy cappuccino and freshly baked scones at The Deli, we made our way to Rickety Bridge Winery just off the Main Road that leads to Franschhoek. There was a vibey atmosphere at this winery situated on the popular Franschhoek Wine Tram route. One can eat, sip and stay at Rickety Bridge, but our mission was to try our hand at making our own wine with an interactive wine blending experience.
Warmly welcomed by Faith with a glass of their MCC Chardonnay 2015, we were shown to our table in the cosy tasting area close to the fireplace. While chatting and sipping on some of their red wines, Ryan aka the wine scientist guy, had a field day experimenting with various combinations, finally deciding on 60% Merlot and 40% Pinotage. I favoured my second try with 60% Pinotage, 30% Merlot and 10% Shiraz.
After blending the wine, we took our bottles to be corked and added our own labels. It is such a fun experience that I highly recommend, either at Rickety Bridge or in the comfort of your own home.
They’ve recently launched their DIY Wine Blending Kit (red or white wine) which can be purchased online or at the Wine Tasting Centre for R430 a kit.
‘Rickety Bridge offers a unique wine blending experience at the Wine Tasting Centre, where guests can create their own wine blend, bottle it and take it home. With the current restrictions, they’ve adapted their offering to bring the experience into your home, with their new DIY wine blending kits for two. It is the perfect addition to a romantic date night or simply a fun experience for two wine lovers looking for something different. The bonus is the two unique wine blends for you to enjoy afterwards.’
This DIY wine blending kit includes:
• 3 x Blending wines (red or white depending on the kit)
• 2 Empty wine bottles
• 1 x 250ml cylinder
• 4 x Wine labels
• Fibre pens
• Detailed instructions
Pre-booking your red or white wine blending experience is essential. The duration is 1 – 1.5 hours and costs R270 per person when blending at the Wine Tasting Centre.
Tummies began to rumble and fortunately for us, we were off to Leopard’s Leap Family Vineyards for a wine tasting followed by lunch. This is such a great destination for family and friends as they offer a wide range of wines, their food is super delicious and well-priced, and the kids can run around to their heart’s content on the lush green lawns.
Steph Botha, their fun and highly knowledgeable Tasting Room Manager, took us through a tasting of their Classic Range and Culinaria Collection. While I’m familiar with the Classic Range, I had yet to try their premium Culinaria Collection and some of these really caught my attention.
Gorgeous colour! 
Exquisite wallpaper in the Tasting Room. 
Loved this Pinotage.
Ensconced in a private tasting room, the Culinaria Pinot Noir Chardonnay was a winner for me (R110 per bottle), as well as the Special Edition Pinotage 2018 (R85 per bottle). The Pinotage has since sold out and understandably so; excellent value for money and a proudly South African example of this signature variety.
The restaurant was buzzing with happy diners and while waiting for our drinks to arrive, we perused the menu. Due to Covid-19, the usual lunch format has changed from the buffet-style Harvest table and is now served family-style at the table. The Rotisserie lunch offers 3 kinds of meats (the Rotisserie Pork Belly with apple sauce was to die for!), baby potatoes with tomato salsa or sweet potato with a caramel sauce (mind-blowing flavour), along with a range of fresh and delicious salads, all for just R195 per person!
Our table was positively heaving by the time our server brought all the dishes. A mini photo session ensued before we tucked into the hearty fare that celebrates our country’s rich food heritage with fresh and seasonal food. Beautifully presented with an explosion of vibrant colours and flavours, we couldn’t have asked for a more delicious meal.
With magnificent mountain views, divine wine, food and warm hospitality, add this popular spot to your must-visit list. Bookings are advisable and make time to walk around the lovely gardens and browse their shop filled with gorgeous goodies.
Taking a leisurely stroll down the Main Road is a great way to capture Franschhoek’s quaint village atmosphere. With an array of restaurants, bars, bespoke retail stores and more, you’ll want to linger longer, perhaps over a relaxed lunch at an outdoor café watching the world go by or enjoying a glass or two of Franschhoek’s finest while deciding where to go next.
We popped into Peacock Blue Menswear for a spot of upmarket retail therapy. Located at 50 Huguenot Street, Paul and Patricia Eccles own the menswear store that spans two floors and stock a wide range of well-known international labels, as well as their own label, Peacock Blue Own Label. Offering refined collections for discerning men of all ages, you’ll be hard-pressed to find a more stylish menswear boutique in Franschhoek.
A short drive took us through the gates of La Petite Dauphine Guest Farm. Arriving at this idyllic and tranquil country retreat was just incredible; our very own shangri-la for the night. I felt like a kid at Disney World, except this was the adult version, exuding an air of exquisite luxury and I just knew that I wouldn’t want to leave the next day.
The scenery is mesmerising, with views of the Franschhoek Mountains reflected in the small lake in front of our suite, the setting sun creating a dreamlike state with pink and purple hues lighting up the sky before our eyes.
Checking in with Jean-Pierre was a breeze, and while Ryan drove to our suite, I hitched a ride on a golf cart with Jean-Pierre and admired the vineyards and passing scenery.
Entering our spacious and sumptuous suite, I oohed and aahed while Jean-Pierre showed us the amenities. I have a thing for beautiful bathrooms and this one ticked all the right boxes, right down to the large bathtub, underfloor heating and bespoke L’Occitane products.
The suite offers everything one needs for a relaxing and lavish stay. The king-size bed (can be changed to two twins) was extremely comfortable with down pillows and duvets and 100% cotton bed linen – fit for a queen!
You’ll also find a Nespresso cappuccino machine, free Wi-Fi, gowns (a tad small for us), slippers, hairdryer, telephone, mini-bar and a wood-burning fireplace with two comfy couches, perfect for snuggling on a cold winter’s night. One can cool off in the shared pool during the hot summer months.
That evening, we enjoyed a leisurely dinner at Old Road Wine Co. on the Main Road. The restaurant menu offers a little bit of everything, as well as some blackboard specials.
My Salmon Tagliatelle with Franschhoek Salmon and a creamy lemon chilli sauce was super yum, while Ryan opted for their Asian-style Steak with triple-cooked fries, washed down with some local beer and Old Wine Road Co. wine – unpretentious good food and wine and a relaxed vibe.
After a drink or two beside the roaring fire and a blissful soak in the tub, we headed for dreamland in that gorgeous bed. I’m quite sure it has magical qualities as we both slept so well!
A beautiful morning at La Petite Dauphine.
Breakfast was a delightful affair at Café BonBon, the charming onsite restaurant, where we both chose Eggs Royale aka Salmon Eggs Benedict. Perfectly cooked eggs and a silky smooth, luscious Hollandaise sauce, this was a great start to our day.
Be sure to look up at the trees near the restaurant to see the resident owl, who may or may not deign to look down at you from his perch. I highly recommend a few days at La Petite Dauphine, the perfect luxury country escape to relax and recharge while exploring Franschhoek.
Heaven awaited at the luxurious Mont Rochelle Hotel where I was treated to a rejuvenating 60-minute spa treatment. This was exactly what my body and mind needed after the stresses of 2020.
Bronwyn worked her magic on my tense muscles with a bespoke Swedish-style massage using eco-friendly Africology products. After choosing an oil specifically for my needs, Bronwyn used a combination of hot stones, massage and stretching which left me feeling more relaxed than I had for months.
While I was having my divine treatment, Ryan took a wander around the lush grounds, capturing a few beautiful images of Mother Nature.
Floating on a cloud, we made our way to the stunning Le Lude Estate. I feel I must give you fair ‘warning’, especially if you are a first-time visitor. Le Lude will enchant, entice, excite and delight all your senses to such an extent that you’ll be forgiven for thinking you are somewhere in France.
Our sensory experience began before we entered Orangerie Restaurant. The mountain and vineyard views are exquisite and while photographs don’t do it full justice, one can’t help but snap away.
The Tasting Room is just as exquisite, complete with chandeliers and an elegant Parisian-style interior. Janine took us through their MCC Tasting Menu – Brut Reserve, Brut Rosé Reserve and Brut Vintage Cuvée 2013. While I enjoyed all three, the Brut Rosé was my favourite. The dark bottles were just as impressive. You can do the tasting with or without a selection of canapés (one vegetarian option is available). Find out more about their MCC collection here.
Prior to lunch, we took a stroll through the lush rose and herb gardens, savouring the beautiful scenery and sunshine. Seated in the conservatory-like ambience of Orangerie, we were ready to begin our culinary journey. Trust me, Chef Nicolene’s fresh, flavoursome and vibrant dishes will take you on a delightful and delicious journey.
The a la carte menu has something to suit all tastes and with a selection of starters and mains, it took us some time to choose because it all sounded so good. Kutie (yes, that is her real name) provided us with flawless service and gave us suggestions when we couldn’t make up our minds.
The crispy fried Patagonian Calamari with roasted garlic aioli and Asian-style coleslaw with Ponzu dressing was scrumptious. Ryan’s Fresh West Coast Mussels steamed in Le Lude Brut with a gremolata crème created more than a little food envy from my side!
I just knew I wanted the Duck breast with fennel, orange and coriander crust, roasted pear (wow!), broccolini, carrot puree and duck jus… doesn’t that sound positively moreish? Ryan surprised me with his choice of Pan-roasted line fish, Sicilian cauliflower (he doesn’t eat cauliflower), capers, raisins and orange-brown butter. While both dishes were delicious, I think my main course won that round.
The combination of aromatic and fresh flavours, vibrant colours and seasonal produce, mostly sourced locally and from their herb garden, made our lunch experience even more memorable.
Chef Nicolene surprised us with her delectable Potato Mille-Feuille. Cooked in duck fat and served with kewpie mayo, sweet plum and Hoisin sauce, our tastebuds were beyond titillated, and we weren’t quite sure if it was a sweet or savoury dish at first. It was such a flavour explosion and one that I would happily have many times over! For a first-class experience, please do yourself a favour and add Le Lude to your (long) list of places to visit in Franschhoek.
Our final stop before heading home was a visit to Masquerade, a local gem. How I had never been here before is a mystery to me. Discovering this unique and quirky store was an absolute delight.
A treasure trove for decor lovers and those with a sense of humour, one could happily spend a few hours here and more than a few Rands. A must stop when in the village!
Ask for Christine when you pop in. She was such fun, sharing a few chats and chuckles. They are opening a new store in Constantia Village in Cape Town soon.
Franschhoek is very much open for business and is a safe travel destination. Strict Covid-19 safety and hygiene protocols were in place at all the places we visited. Please support local businesses as much as you can; they need all the help they can get from the community to help rebuild their struggling livelihoods in the aftermath of Covid-19.
Thank you Franschhoek Wine Valley and your members for a wonderful stay in your beautiful French corner. We cannot wait to return!
Disclaimer: I was invited to explore Franschhoek by the Franschhoek Wine Valley and their members to showcase some of what they have to offer in terms of food, wine, experiences and accommodation. All views and images are my own unless otherwise stated. Service fees and any extras were paid for by ourselves.
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Yours in Travel, Food, Wine & All Things Fine
xoxo
Nadine aka Living It Up CT endorses responsible drinking.
Please don’t drink and drive. Appoint a designated driver or make use of a taxi service.
Not for persons under 18.
Sounds and looks amazing! Thank you for the virtual experience….. I could almost smell the food and taste the wine 🍷
An absolute pleasure Pam. So happy that you enjoyed the virtual experience! Thank you for reading my post. More coming soon. Have a great weekend. 🙂
What a wonderfully descriptive post. I would love to follow your itinerary to the letter if I were to visit. But it would be more like a 5-day excursion. Whew!
Thank you Pat. I’m happy to hear that you enjoyed it. I agree with needing more time for that jam-packed itinerary! 🙂