Franshhoek

After breakfast in the little dining room across the courtyard from our room, we set off to visit Boschendal Manor House Museum. This is a country house dating from 1812, known as an historic Cape Vernacular Manor House. It gives us an insight into how the Huguenots lived here two centuries ago, being painstakingly restored and furnished with contemporary furnishings. There are also extensive gardens, a gift shop and wine store.

We moved on to the prestigious De Graff Delaire estate, where we tasted some wonderful wine, and were also introduced to the extremely useful wine skin as we did buy a couple of bottles of wine to take home! We also saw some more sculpture by Dylan Lewis, whom we had seen on display at Kirstenbosch. Here we were alerted to a flat tyre by the parking attendant. He not only told us of our fate, but also summoned one of their mechanics, who 'helped' A fix it. What an amazing service given freely to visitors to the estate.

 Once again we drove on to another wine estate, this time Haute Cabriere, in the mountains behind Franshhoek. The owner is known for his demonstrations of sabrage - the lopping off of the tops of champagne bottles with a sword at one stroke. Needless to say, he wasn't there when we visited, but once again we tasted some fabulous wines and some to bring home.

 On the way down we stopped at the Huguenot monument and cemetery at the end of Franshhoek town. There were huge preparations underway as from tomorrow there will be a champagne festival in the town. (And we are leaving - is that what you call bad timing!)












Our restaurant tonight was Le Bon Vivant, described by the folk at Auberge Clermont as 'qwirky'. We sat with a wonderful view of chef/owner, Pierre Hendricks, cooking dinner. His food is fabulous, so artisticly arranged and full of flavour. We really enjoyed ourselves, and it was a great dinner to end our South African trip with.