The heights of delight at Franschhoek’s La Petite Ferme

There’s no shortage of enticing wining and dining destinations in Franschhoek, but La Petite Ferme, perched above the Franschhoek valley on the slopes of the Middagkrans Mountain, is among the most welcoming.

On the way to the village, I make some mental notes about possible stops: Boschendal, La Motte or Haute Cabrière; the Motor Museum; or just wander along the main road and pop into some of the shops. Instead, we head straight to our destination, to soak up the views.

La Petite Ferme (“little farm”, in French) has evolved over its 40 years of operations. Today, it includes a boutique hotel and award-winning restaurant that serves country fare with a contemporary twist. You’d be hard-pressed to find a better view to taste the collection of small-batch wines produced on the property (winemaker Wikus Pretorius’s flagship reds include Verdict, a Bordeaux-style blend, and the Rhone-style Variation).

Ahead of its 40-year celebrations, the estate underwent a revamp last year. While the central building was known for its Cape vernacular style, with reed ceilings on the veranda and traditional furnishings and décor, that’s been refreshed. The verandas have been redone, the interiors are more contemporary and upmarket, the pool has been enlarged and the interior landscape modernised. It’s about breezy air flows from inside and out, and from almost every aspect you get to soak up views of the majestic mountains and vineyards.

There are 15 individually decorated rooms on the property — five Manor House suites that open onto a shared pool, five stylish Vineyard suites each with their own pool and five Winery suites overlooking their own shared pool. Each is sumptuous but not overdone; spacious and airy, with a private terrace (ours had daybeds) and a view that starts with expansive lawns — and the odd peacock roaming around — and ends with the mountains. 

As part of the revamp, the Winery suites were converted from the former wine cellar; they’re named after five of La Petite Ferme’s wine labels. Elsewhere, the suites are named for people special to the owner, and each is decorated to reflect their personality and origins. The Andre suite, for example, pays homage to the south of France, a magnificent region that the man loves and visits often. Here, it’s not only the bedroom that is enticing; the bathroom feels like a suite in its own right.

Just behind the suites, you’ll find the restaurant, where the menu has also had an overhaul. Dinner includes starter options such as fried bobotie balls with cilantro mint yoghurt sauce, and a fig and ricotta cigar. Mains include Cape Malay seafood curry and Karoo lamb, and dessert options include almond cake with muscadel poached pears and hertzoggies with Amarula ice cream and sago pudding. A children’s menu is very welcome.

More than just menus and views, the estate offers walks and hikes, a guided vineyard tour and mountain biking. And, of course, there’s pampering, with in-room spa options.

As always, part of the charm of Franschhoek is that it’s so close to Cape Town yet it feels like an escape from the city. Only, this time we could enjoy the sunset from one of the most striking vantage points in the region.

This article originally appeared in Financial Mail and Adele Shevel was a guest of La Petite Ferme