THIS is the first in a series of stories coming your way about the three days I spent in Franschhoek recently. It rained – stormed even – almost the entire time, the sun only making an appearance as I was leaving, and it was fabulous.
Winter should not put you off taking a break, a mini holiday, a staycation; almost every place we visited had a fireplace, including my first night’s accommodation at La Roche Estate (and my second, at Le Quarter Français), so being cold is no excuse.
La Roche does offer things like bicycles, a hot tub, and a dam in which to swim, as well as beautiful grounds to roam, which are all obviously not really on the cards at this particular moment, but keep them in mind. For now, getting cosy is what it’s all about.
La Roche has a number of venues for weddings, retreats, meetings, photo shoots or whatever occasion you can think of. Something else to consider for spring and summer are picnic baskets, which you can order and have your site set up with with blankets, pillows, a wooden pallet (so things don’t fall over; spilling your wine can really ruin your day), a silver cooler filled with ice and sparkling water, and sufficient shaded cover. For the romantics with marriage in mind, the spot can be decorated with flowers and candles for a memorable proposal, complete with bubbly.