Franschhoek Experiences

ACTIVITIES INDEX The following index includes hyperlinks to relevant information for your ease.

1. CUISINE AT LEEU COLLECTION 2. OFFERINGS AT LEEU COLLECTION 3. PARTNERSHIPS AT LEEU COLLECTION 4. RECOMMENDED RESTAURANTS IN FRANSCHHOEK 5. HISTORICAL TOURS 6. GOLF 7. QUAD & SEGWAY TOURS 8. GARDEN & ART TOURS 9. FISHING & HORSE RIDING 10.MCC 11.WINE TASTING CUISINE AT LEEU COLLECTION

LE CHÊNE Multiple award-winning chef Darren Badenhorst, well- known as the Chef Patron of Le coin Français, heads up La chêne (The Oak) in the Manor House at Leeu Estates. The restaurant serves French-inspired dishes made from local produce. Both the name and concept of this dining experience acknowledge Franschhoek’s history: French Huguenots settled in the valley in the 17th century, hence its name of Franschhoek which derives from the Dutch for “French corner”.

For more information, click here. www.leeucollection.com

LEEU HOUSE Set in the vibrant epicenter of Franschhoek village, resident guests can enjoy leisurely meals in The Conservatory, or al fresco on the terrace. Breakfasts are highly rated, and an all-day dining menu offers light meals with a focus on local produce from midday.

Click here for more information. www.leeucollection.com

TUK TUK MICROBREWERY Tuk Tuk, a craft beer microbrewery in partnership with the award-winning Cape Brewing Company (CBC) team, serves bespoke brews and Mexican-inspired food. Tuk Tuk’s brewery is “micro” in the truest sense of the word and provides an interactive experience. Guests can be seated indoors around the microbrewery and watch fine craft beer being expertly brewed, or outdoors on the bustling main street of Franschhoek village. They can also enjoy watching live sport on the big screen TVs. The Tuk Tuk “Taqueria” serves Mexican-inspired dishes, perfect partners to the bespoke brews.

Click here for more information. www.leeucollection.com OFFERINGS AT LEEU COLLECTION

LEEU SPA & GYM Set among the vineyards, Leeu Spa is a wellness sanctuary that offers authentic massages and holistic treatments by expert therapists. These tailor-made treatments were inspired by Africa’s rich heritage and traditional rituals.

Premium organic products from the innovative Esse, OPI and TheraNaka™ ranges are utilised in the treatments. A range of treatments for children (aged six to 12) is also on offer.

Facilities at Leeu Spa include four treatment rooms, including a premium suite, two couple’s treatment rooms and one single treatment room, a hair and nail salon, his and hers changing and steam rooms, a plunge pool overlooking a tranquil lily pond, a yoga lawn and a 15-metre infinity swimming pool,

The spacious gym with its premium TechnoGym fitness equipment offers framed views of the majestic mountains. The gym, which caters exclusively to resident Leeu Collection guests, is open seven days a week from 07h00 to 19h00.

Click here for more information. www.leeucollection.com PARTNERSHIPS AT LEEU COLLECTION

MULLINEUX & LEEU FAMILY WINES The Wine Studio on Leeu Estates offers a truly immersive wine experience. The tasting room is run by the Mullineux & Leeu Family Wines team, whose knowledgeable tasting room staff will guide guests in the finer nuances of these premium handcrafted wines. There are three tutored tasting options to choose from (booking advised): Signature (one complimentary tasting per Leeu Collection guest per stay), Single Terroir and Leeu Passant.

Click here for more information www.leeucollection.com EVERARD READ GALLERY FRANSCHHOEK Their sixth gallery, Everard Read Franschhoek, in partnership with Leeu Collection, is a considered space showing the best modern and contemporary artworks by southern African artists. Adjacent to Le Quartier Français, the gallery includes a sculpture garden for monumental works interspersed with herbs and vegetables, the first of its kind in South Africa. The fresh produce from the garden features on the menus of the Leeu Collection’s restaurants.

Click here for more information www.leeucollection.com

LA PETITE COLOMBE La Colombe, the award-winning and world-renowned restaurant based in Constantia, one of the oldest winemaking regions of South Africa, has established a sister restaurant at Le Quartier Français, run by the talented La Petite Colombe team. Visitors to the epicurean valley of Franschhoek can now look forward to experiencing the same level of service excellence and exquisite cuisine that put La Colombe on the map.

Click here for more information. www.lapetitecolombe.com PROTÉGÉ Protégé is a casual-style eatery at Le Quartier Français under the guidance of celebrity chef Scot Kirton. Visitors looking for an informal eatery now have the perfect venue in Protégé, featuring stylish casual fare created by a series of talented young chefs headed by Cameron Smith. Asian, French and Italian influences can be detected in the cuisine which includes the trendy small plates menu, ideal for sharing. Visitors can choose to dine al fresco or watch the chefs at work in the central show kitchen.

Click here for more information www.protegerestaurant.co.za RECOMMENDED RESTAURANTS IN FRANSCHHOEK

LE COIN FRANÇAIS This is a restaurant really and truly for Franschhoek. Both in concept and in name, the aptly named “Le coin Français”, which literally means Franschhoek, embodies the essence of the valley in heritage, cuisine, art and wine. It features cutting- edge methods meeting time-tested French elegance in cuisine, a carefully selected locally themed wine list to showcase the best local wines, a French sommelier’s selection, and an ever- evolving collaboration of art in the theme of photography.

Click here for more information. www.lecoinfrancais.co.za

REUBEN’S With a passion for creating fine yet uncomplicated cuisine and a laid-back setting to match, their menu offers staunch favourites that have been with them from the start. Being in the heart of South Africa’s Winelands, their wine list is the envy of any connoisseur. Reuben’s restaurant and bar combines all the ingredients for the perfect get together and to honour true South African “braais”, they offer a weekday lunchtime braai inclusive of some of the country’s most traditional dishes.

Click here for more information. ww.reubens.co.za FOLIAGE The setting, much like the menu, falls somewhere between upmarket bistro and contemporary farmhouse.

“At Foliage, anything goes, and we build the menu around what’s growing now, what’s available, and we play with that. Working for myself I get inspired by everything around me.” – Chef-patron Chris Erasmus.

Click here for more information. www.foliage.co.za

LE BON VIVANT Set in a converted house in central Franschhoek, the atmosphere at Le Bon Vivant is homely and relaxed, while reminiscent of contemporary French restaurants. The glass wall allows you to see chef-patron Pierre Hendriks and his team at work. Tables are also available in the shaded garden next to the restaurant for lunch and dinner on warm summer evenings.

Click here for more information. www.lebonvivant.co.za RECOMMENDED RESTAURANTS IN FRANSCHHOEK

CHEFS WAREHOUSE AT MAISON Chefs Warehouse at Maison is about experiencing food like you’ve never experienced it before. In short, it’s about the sheer pleasure of taste. By pairing flavours in unexpected and exciting ways, an infinite number of fresh taste sensations is created for you to enjoy.

Click here for more information. www.maisonestate.co.za

BOVINE “Local is lekker” - Everything served is made from scratch right in their kitchen. They buy in the best quality raw ingredients and craft all their dips and sauces, even the mayonnaise on their burger bun.

Click here for more information. www.bovinerestaurant.co.za

LE PETIT MANOIR Mediterranean characteristics embody the contemporary restaurant with the “old town” deli offering freshly home baked breads and pastries daily. In the evenings, the restaurant transforms, creating a premier fine dining experience with beautifully crafted meals. The trendy bar creates a relaxed atmosphere where guests can socialise and indulge in gin or whiskey tastings after a delicious meal.

Click here for more information. www.lepetitmanoir.co.za

THE FRENCH CONNECTION BISTRO French food is all about flavour, decades of tradition, superb ingredients and skilled preparation. The French Connection is a charming bistro-style restaurant with a welcoming and unpretentious atmosphere. Chef-patron Matthew Gordon has created a simple yet enticing menu, guaranteed to suit all palates.

Click here for more information. www.frenchconnection.co.za HISTORICAL TOURS

HISTORICAL WALK WITH SIEGFRIED Join newspaper editor and amateur historian Siegfried Schäfer on a guided walk through the historic part of Franschhoek. Discover Franschhoek's unique history, culture and heritage. Learn about the French Huguenots, Khoi and San, development of the village, Cape Dutch and other architecture, mountain passes, local flora and more. Full of personal anecdotes and interesting asides, this walk will change the way you look at Franschhoek.

Click here for more information. www.historicalwalkwithsiegfriedfhk.co.za

MANDELA TOUR AT DRAKENSTEIN CORRECTIONAL CENTRE The Drakenstein Correctional Centre, formerly known as Victor Verster Prison, is an unofficial attraction linked to the life and times of Nelson Mandela. Situated between Paarl and Franschhoek in the Cape Winelands, it was here, on a house on the property, that Nelson Mandela spent the last 14 months of his 27 years in prison. A low- security farm prison, it was previously used for lower-risk political prisoners on their way to being released. Mandela was transferred there from Cape Town’s Pollsmoor Prison in December 1988.

Click here or more information. www.mandela.southafrica.net

GOLF

PEARL VALLEY GOLF COURSE As the name implies, the Jack Nicklaus Signature golf course truly bears the stamp of the world’s preeminent golf course designer. Golf Digest has named the course as “Best Conditioned” in the Western Cape from 2010 to 2019. Since 2006 the course has consistently been placed among the top 10 in South Africa and was ranked as the fifth best in the country in 2018/2019 by Golf Digest magazine. For six consecutive years Compleat Golfer bestowed the Five Star Experience Award on the course.

Click here for more information. www.pearlvalleygolf.co.za

ARABELLA GOLF COURSE The estate is home to one of the top-ranked golf courses in South Africa, with pristine grass, tricky sand traps and challenging water hazards. Designed by Peter Matkovich, the golf course has been enjoyed by celebrities such as Samuel L. Jackson and professional golfers including Ernie Els and Gary Player. The fabled 18-hole, par 72 championship course has consistently been ranked in the top 10 courses in South Africa. The eighth hole has been described as one of the most beautiful par 5s in South Africa and the 18th hole was rated one of the finest finishing holes in the country.

Click here for more information. www.arabellacountryestate.co.za QUAD & SEGWAY TOURS

RHEBOKSKLOOF – QUAD BIKING & HORSE RIDING Wine Valley Horse Trails has introduced Wine Valley Quad Bike Trails! Based on the beautiful Rhebokskloof Wine Estate in Paarl, South Africa, the quad bikes complement the horse trails by allowing guests to enjoy the same views and nature experience that the horse riders do. Like the horse trails, the quad bikes are led by an experienced guide. There are half-hour to two-hour trails. There is also a fun obstacle course through the forest, which gives novice riders the opportunity to practice their new skills.

Click here for more information. www.rhebokskloof.co.za

SPIER SEGWAY TOURS Segway Tours and Spier wine farm have combined green technology, sustainability and fun to provide South Africa’s Stellenbosch winelands experience of a lifetime – for the whole family! Segway Tours offers one of the best things to do in Cape Town and Stellenbosch. Voted number one most unique way of exploring the Stellenbosch winelands.

Click here for more information. www.segwaytours.co.za

GARDEN & ART TOURS

DYLAN LEWIS SCULPTURE GARDEN The Dylan Lewis Sculpture Garden is a place of expansive vistas, scents and the sounds of nature, with tranquil groves, hidden paths and lush indigenous vegetation. The project began serendipitously in 2009 when Lewis hired an excavator on a whim and began shaping the contours of what would become the seven-hectare sculpture garden. Today, the artist continues to explore themes integral to his work in this serene landscape on the slopes of the Stellenbosch Mountain looking out over vineyards towards the ocean. Here, the notion of the untamed wilderness within the human psyche is expressed both in the sculptures and their positioning in the landscape.

Click here for more information. www.dylanlewis.co.za

GARDENS AT BABYLONSTOREN Set within 3,5 hectares (eight acres) of cultivated fruit and vegetables, the garden at Babylonstoren is at the heart of the farm. It was inspired by the historic Company’s Garden in Cape Town, which supplied the sailing ships of the Dutch East India Company with fresh vegetables and fruit during the days when the Cape was a halfway station between Europe and Asia. Bookings are essential.

Click here for more information. www.babylonstoren.com FISHING & HORSE RIDING

LA FERME – TROUT FISHING The Wemmers River runs through La Ferme. There are natural brown and rainbow trout in the river. There are four dams stocked with trout, smallmouth and largemouth bass, carp, some witvis and tilapia. You don’t have to book to fish, just come along.

Click here for more information. www.laferme.co.za

PARADISE COTTAGES & STABLES Take a scenic ride through vineyards, forests and over mountains, stopping at Rickety Bridge and Mont Rochelle before returning to the stables. The total riding time is around two hours and 30 minutes, with 30- to 45-minute stops at each wine estate.

Click here for more information. www.paradisestables.co.za

WINE & METHODE CAP CLASSIQUE

COLMANT CAP CLASSIQUE & CHAMPAGNE The Bubbly Experience: created for those who have a special love affair with bubbly. Those who take part in the bubbly experience will discover the pleasure of drinking sparkling wine in an entirely new and exciting way and get the chance to deepen their understanding and knowledge about the worlds of Cap Classique and Champagne.

Click here for more information. www.colmant.co.za

HAUTE CABRIÈRE CELLAR TOURS The farm dates to 22 December 1694 when the French Huguenot Pierre Jourdan was granted a piece of land in Olifantshoek, today known as Franschhoek, which he decided to name after his hometown Cabrière. In the early 1980’s Achim von Arnim, then still Cellar Master at Boschendal, purchased a portion of this land. His vision firmly set on the idea of producing wines in the style of the Champagne region. Guided cellar tours are followed by a sabrage and wine tasting. Please allow 90 minutes for this experience.

Click here for more information. www.cabriere.co.za WINE TASTING

BLACK ELEPHANT VINTNERS It’s Black Elephant’s mission to bring truth to the wine industry and create experiences that turn convention on its head. Private wine and music tastings conducted by the owners to give you the best glimpse into the beautiful valley and the world of wine accompanied by music. Generally, they allow one-and-a-half hours for a tasting, but as there is no set agenda this can vary according to the extent of the conversation.

Click here for more information. bevintners.co.za

LA MOTTE Situated in the beautiful Franschhoek Valley in South Africa’s Cape Winelands, La Motte is home to the finest wines, recognised internationally for exceptional quality. With its picturesque setting, traditional cuisine and historic charm, La Motte is an enchanting choice for those who appreciate the finer things in life. Enjoy a tutored wine or acclaimed food & wine tasting or indulge in their hospitality with a taste of traditional Cape Winelands cuisine at the Pierneef à La Motte Restaurant.

Click here for more information. www.leopardsleap.co.za

Should you require any further information, please do not hesitate to contact our service assistant by contacting the reception at the Leeu property where you are located or our concierge at [email protected].