Grand Provence. It sounds large and luxurious, doesn’t it? And very French. And that’s pretty much what this guest house is.

Located in the Franschhoek Valley wine region just an hour by road from Cape Town, the place was initially used as a hideout by a French Protestant who fled his homeland. It’s dwarfed by the surrounding Saint Rochelle mountains, but there’s still plenty of room here for you to stay in style, in accommodation that’s all whitewashed walls and thatched roofs.

You’re left in no doubt that this is in the heart of wine country by the vineyards that surround the entry road into the estate. And early mention must go to the winelist – which is as impressive as you’d expect. So too the food. And the art hanging in the gallery. In fact, it’s tricky to find fault with anything, anywhere at Grand Provence.

The Owner’s Cottage

This Cape Dutch style villa has a well-earned 5-star rating and capacity to host up to 14 guests at one time, in various ensuite rooms that carry names such as Merlot and Chardonnay. Someone definitely likes wine around here. Book one room and share the facilities with others, or block book the entire cottage and let your group take over the place. Either way, there’s a pool and gardens to relax in outside, and you can book therapists to visit you poolside or in your room to provide some pampering.

La Provencale Vineyard Villa

This occupies a secluded spot on the opposite side of the main building to the Owner’s Cottage and has 2 air conditioned ensuite bedrooms. The beds are kingsize and the lounge between them is pretty big too. The bathrooms are shower only, so strictly speaking, they ought to be called shower rooms. You can walk out onto a terrace - where there’s a splash pool – and keep an eye on the vineyards. A loft suite provides another place to stay. It’s a studio with bathroom and balcony overlooking the garden.

The restaurant

Accommodation here is booked on a bed and breakfast basis, with the first meal of the day served in the bistro in the main building. That’s not to say you can’t get other meals at Grande Provence, you’ll just have to be ready to work up an appetite getting to the fine dining restaurant as it’s a 15 minute walk from the hotel, but well worth the journey.

If the weather is playing ball, a table out on the terrace is recommended. If you’re visiting at a colder time of year, you’ll likely appreciate a place as close to the open fire as possible. After you’ve eaten, the bar next door offers wine tasting under brass lighting, a popular way to round off the day before the journey back to the hotel.