Le Quartier Français

Next door to Le Quartier Français, monumental sculptures stand among rows of herbs and vegetables, and what grows there ends up on the menus. It is a fitting welcome to an auberge where food, wine and art share the same address.

The hotel sits on a quiet corner in the centre of Franschhoek village in the famous Winelands, so the galleries, boutiques and restaurants of the main street are a short stroll away. Inside, scented gardens wrap around a central courtyard and pool, with the mountains rising beyond.

Dinner never needs to go far. Protégé, from the acclaimed La Colombe group, serves relaxed fine dining built on fresh, seasonal produce. Épice takes a bolder route, with dishes shaped by spice and the team’s travels from India to Mexico. Before either, a drink from the honesty bar in the Lounge sets the tone.

Wine lovers can enjoy a tasting at the Great Heart Wine Boutique, an intimate space that seats just four guests at a time. Its wines come from a staff-owned project started by Mullineux & Leeu Family Wines. A scheduled shuttle also runs to sister property Leeu Estates for the spa, gym and nature trails through the vineyards.

ACCOMMODATION

Rooms and suites are individually styled, with bold colours, raffia headboards and richly layered fabrics. Auberge Rooms look over the courtyard pool or the mountains, while first-floor Grande Rooms take in both. Petite Garden Suites open onto their own secret corner gardens.

For more seclusion, the Pool Suites have walled gardens with private pools, and the Four Quarters Suites sit around a private courtyard, each with a separate lounge and walk-in dressing room. Families and friends travelling together can take Le Quartier Cottage, a standalone home for up to six guests with its own pool.