Details of 9 Merlot Drive, Franschhoek:
Our holiday home is furnished in a comfortable, modern style. The spacious living area has double doors leading to the patio with its stunning view across the vineyard to the mountains. The open plan kitchen area has a breakfast bar with 4 four stools and there is a separate dining room. The main bedroom (king size bed) has a full en-suite bathroom. The second double room (queen size bed) and the twin room share the shower room. Enthusiastic cooks will find the kitchen extremely well equipped. However, with such an abundance of excellent restaurants in Franschhoek, not to mention Paarl, Stellenbosch or the wine estates, dining-in may not be your choice. Alternatively, there is a portable barbecue for an alfresco meal outside or you can relax with an evening 'sundowner' on the terrace, perhaps to watch Franschhoek's own 'tablecloth' gently fall over the mountains. The residential community is covered by 24 hour security services.
Additional activities and excursions:
Franschhoek is ideally situated for a variety of day trips. You could go whale-watching at Hermanus, just under 2 hour's drive away over the magnificent Franschhoek Pass, or visit the Jackass Penguin Colony at Betty's Bay and combine this with a visit to the Harold Porter Nature Reserve nearby, about 90 minutes via the Gordon's Bay road. Going in the other direction via Somerset West and the R310, Simon's Town and the Cape Peninsula National Park are 1 to 2 hours away. If you want to go up Table Mountain, drive to Cape Town early to beat the rush later in the day.
For the plant enthusiast, Paarl Mountain Nature Reserve is close by, Kirstenbosch Botanic Gardens on the slopes of Table Mountain are an hour's drive away, and the West Coast National Park also makes an enjoyable day excursion, easily reachable via Paarl and Darling.
Magnificent Mountain Passes:
Some of the most stunning mountain passes in South Africa are within easy reach. As well as the Franschhoek Pass, the Bainskloof Pass is on the R303, just outside Wellington, to meet roads either to Worcester (which has an excellent open-air museum) or Ceres. If you continue to Ceres, you will drive along another of Andrew Bain's engineering feats, Mitchell's Pass.
Other Activities:
Wine-tasting, fine dining, galleries, shopping
