1. 24 Hour Franschhoek Scenic Meander
There we were on a cloud covered arrival in Franschhoek, just in
time for the Franschhoek Wine Tram.
Driving from Hermanus to this charming village took us along the
narrow yet scenic R44 cutting through Villiersdorp draped with
the most beautiful Canola fields - all you see is what seems like
gently sprayed shade of yellows on the side of the road. For a
cosmopolitan girl as myself accustomed to skyscraper buildings - my sense of reality got a bit blurred, it
was captivating all the way… This scenic journey lasted half an hour or so leading us to what I imagined
must make for the perfect testing ground for performance cars - the Frasschhoek Pass. According to most
online references, it was built in 1822 and completed in 1825 authorised by then Governor, Lord Charles
Somerset. It served as the main gateway to the Overberg until the construction of Sir Lowry’s Pass in 1830,
offering a more direct route from Cape Town…
I was looking forward to the
breathtaking views with the mountains,
valley and vistas as a backdrop… I
imagined how incredible the drive would
be… From a distance we could see the
clouds, yet still under the illusion of the
sunny and picturesque R43 the sudden
darkening and now grey covered pass
took me by surprise… I will have to go
back this very route another time on a
clear day and re-experience the drive
on the Franschhoek Pass as we literally
went through an enormous blanket of
clouds. You know the feeling one gets
(well, I sometimes do) when on board a
flight, and the plane zips through the
white/ grey layer and the captain warns
of turbulence ahead/ seatbelt/ don’t go
to the bathroom, etc.…? I had that feeling. Only this time I was the driver hence the urge to pray…, not so

2. much for myself but for my passenger tucked in the seat next to me… prayed that I would bring her out of
this ‘emotional adventure’ into the light of day safely …😊 It got real…
09h30 we were parked on the side of Main Street, Franschhoek just in time for our scheduled Wine Tram
journey departing at 10h00. It was freezing but we were padded and unperturbed! Our scenic meander
saw us going through a few wine estates, we elected to go into
three of these starting with Grande Provence. We tasted a few
variations and were happy with white wines, and that was
before 11h00 in the morning – the perks of being on
holiday🍷🍷
We then ventured outside into their spectacular gardens home
to a magnificent outdoor art display, superb works might I
add… It was great fun walking around the open art exhibition
where we tried our photographic skills,
I became creative director of this spontaneous undertaking
executed with pure finesse👌👌
Onwards continued the scenic meander with a stop for a light
lunch at Mont Rochelle. The mushroom soup was served with
freshly baked bread that took me back into my family's kitchen -
crunchy on the outside and oh so fluffy and steamy on the
inside, warmed my heart.
The highlight of our escapade, was the visit at La Bri for
Chocolate and Wine Pairing. Theirs are "Signature Wines
Created With Style". We concur with the sentiment and loved the
uniquely styled bottles each with a label of a Cape flower
except for the Syrah labelled with a herb. This old boutique
estate has a history dating back to 1694, which is worth
mentioning and recognizing (www.labri.co.za).
Did you know that Franschhoek was once called Olifantshoek?
It is so hard to imagine large herds of elephants roaming this
quaint valley in yester years… that with the modernity and
sophistication of this boutique estate in
the valley makes the history the more dreamlike. What I still
remember from our tasting was the unique marriage of the Cranberry Delight wrapped in the aromatic
handcrafted Belgian dark chocolate sourced in the village, paired with the decadent Merlot, …"a match
made in La Bri heaven” indeed 👌👌
We ventured back to the Main Road
for a pleasurable walk browsing
through some stores and street
vendors, all in Franschhoek style and
refinement, even their street signs are
worth a second glance! We found
some gems and had to shop
because one never knows if one will
return to a location… We loved the
Franschhoek Museum and Karoo
Classics amongst others- Ostrich
leather bags, belts, purses, etc.… a
feast for the eyes all over the store
and some cuddle me pretty mohair
scarves too… A trap we
enthusiastically fell into.

3. Our day ended with dinner at Café BonBon highly
recommended by a friend, once a local of the village. This
restaurant had understated luxury, stylish comfort and warm
ambience. The welcome by our hostess was attentive and
sincere - we felt as though we were the only guests and yet
there were other patrons. And, what could be better than fire-
places dotted around every cozy nook in the restaurant on a
cold evening? Try their roast pork belly (off the bone), with
mash potatoes, and some veg, jus. Perfect winter dish that I
enjoyed, our hostess recommended we pair it with a bottle of
Chocolate Block (I do not think one can ever go wrong with
this excellent and drinkable wine). For desert I had Crème
Brulee and a cappuccino making it a perfect dining
experience to end off a perfect day in the charming village💜
http://www.lapetite.co.za/cafe-bonbon
We stayed at Calais Guest House (walking distance from Main Road), in the open plan studio suite with a
double bedroom area and en-suite bathroom with shower, lounge, kitchenette equipped with tea/ coffee
facilities and fridge. Our room was spacious, tastefully decorated, comfortable and luxurious. In the morning
we had a warm a la carte breakfast and journeyed off towards Camps Bay winding-up our trip with a full
day visit at a Spa, and high-tea with sweeping views of the Atlantic Ocean, where we enjoyed the most
picture-perfect sunset 👌👌
Signed Rebecca Kambule, Owner at REMPO Consulting, www.rempo.joburg T @r_kambule
Credits Getty Images: Canola Fields Image