Le Quartier Francais
Cape Winelands, Franschhoek, South Africa
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LE QUARTIER FRANCAIS
- FRANSCHHOEK (CAPE WINELANDS), SOUTH AFRICA
 A
little French, a little foreign, a little style they like to call
Cape Provencal. Of course, some call it an Auberge, others an exclusive
country inn. In any language, Le Quartier Francais
is a splash of style in the heart of the historic village of Franschhoek,
a quaint corner of the Cape winelands that is forever a little French.
Set behind a delightful Provencal façade
lined with a charming rose and lavender border, Le Quartier Francais
welcomes visitors from all over the globe who come here to dine in
fine style and spend the night in a room with a spectacular view.
A melange of French,
Malay and traditional South African dishes, Margot Janses’ menu
tempts with a modern twist of the old Cape and the new. The newly
refurbished, spacious suites are stylishly furnished with modern
fittings, refreshing colours and brilliant handpainted fabrics.
Discerning world travellers who stay in the loft and ground floor suites
relax around the large swimming pool in the Victorian courtyard by day.
Honeymoon couples retire to the intimacy of the exclusive house suite
set in a private garden courtyard with a natural Mediterranean pool.
The
highly trained staff are dedicated to spoiling you. Elegance made simple
is the art of living around here.
Located in the heart of the Cape
Winelands, Le Quartier Francais
is an ideal base from which to explore the Western Cape. Located in the
picturesque village of Franschhoek, approximately forty-five minutes
out of Cape Town.
Accommodation  For
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Quartier Images
Le Quartier Francais has
fifteen luxury en-suite bedrooms and two wonderful suites set around
lovely courtyards and private swimming pools. The 15 luxury
double rooms all contain balconies opening onto the landscaped gardens
with a natural pool. The exclusive house suite is set in a private
garden courtyard with a natural Mediterranean pool and is perfect for
honeymooners.
All rooms and suites are newly refurbished
with comfortable
sitting areas, modern fittings, refreshing
colours and brilliant hand painted fabrics. Authentic Egyptian cotton
lines the large beds, and spacious en-suite bathrooms contain a separate
walk-in shower and bath. The two suites contain a large sitting area
complete with a complimentary full bar.
The retreat contains a reception area, lounge and library, so that even
if the weather is not conducive to outdoor living, there will still be
plenty of places to unwind.
Origins
The
origins of Le Quartier Francais are steeped in the history
of the Cape Winelands, the original buildings were labourers’ cottages
which were upgraded and used as different forms of accommodation
until Michael and Cheryl Trull opened the first restaurant on this
site;
known as “1688”, it was a simple country restaurant.
Adre and Arthur MacWilliam Smith took it over in 1984, they changed
the
name to Le Quartier Francais and put it on the map with
its outstanding cuisine.
Susan Huxter bought the already popular
restaurant in 1989 and extended the scope considerably by building
the Auberge, which opened in 1991
with a total of 14 rooms. Later Susan converted her house into the
luxury suites with their own private pools. The
project architect, Tom Darlington, designed an intimate, cloistered
Cape Victorian
setting for the Auberge Du Quartier Francais.
Set in tranquil surroundings, the reception,
lounge, library and 15 double rooms plus the Pool Suite and a House
Suite are set against
the mystic backdrop of the Franschhoek mountains and overlook a central
landscaped garden with a natural pool.
The private courtyard, with its “broekie
lace” and old
fashioned street lamps recreates the charm of a village square in
a bygone era. Le Quartier Francais offers something for
everyone.
The main restaurant offers diners
innovative Cape Provencal
cuisine in a beautiful setting. The Bar and streetside Terrace offers
light meals throughout the day and a variety of drinks. It is the place
to go to relax in a stunning setting and be assured of good food, wonderful
local wines and warm friendly service.
In December 2000, Le Quartier
Francais became
a member of Relais et Châteaux.
Dining
Le Quartier Français Restaurant
The Le Quartier restaurant offers diners innovative Cape Provencal,
French and Malay dishes. It’s a light and airy restaurant with
vibrant and colourful décor, and leads onto a French style courtyard
where meals can be enjoyed 'al fresco'.
Feast on the gastronomical delights of chef Margot Janse, her modern
twist of the old Cape and the new has
captured the restaurant a place in Wine Magazine’s new guide
to the Top 100 restaurants in South Africa and Eat Outs Top 10.
Le Quartier Francais
is a non-smoking restaurant, but patrons are welcome to smoke in
the
bar.
Margot’s
delectable menu features all her signature dishes:
• Double
baked beetroot and rocket soufflé with
apple and hazelnut
• Fried gorgonzola
dumplings with grilled asparagus and truffle vinaigrette
• Olive oil poached
salmon trout with smoked salmon fritter, cucumber and seaweed
• Grilled Springbok
loin in balsamic broth with curried gnocchi, roast onions and mushrooms
Emily van Sitters’ divine
desserts include new mouth-watering innovations such as:
• Chocolate
and hazelnut springrolls with pistachio ice cream
• Saffron and vanilla panna
cotta with honey roasted fruit and sesame snap
• Caramelised
lemon tart
• Cino brûlée
• Death by Chocolate
for two
Chef Margot
Janse takes Chef of the Year 2002
Chef Margot
Janse of Le Quartier Francais added
yet another string to her impressive bow of culinary achievements
when she was awarded Chef of the Year at the EAT OUT Restaurant Awards
held
in Cape Town recently.
The first ever recipient of this
special new award, Chef Margot was lauded by Eat Out editor Lannice
Snyman as a ‘mega-talented chef
heading a meticulous kitchen at the seductive Cape Winelands restaurant
Le Quartier Francais.’
Le Quartier Francais also received
the most sought-after accolade in the restaurant industry - The Editor’s
Top Ten - for the sixth time, while Margot Janse was included in
this Top Ten selection for the fourth year running.
In addition Le Quartier Francais
also received its first star in the newly introduced Eat Out Star
Ratings, an honour given to only 50 restaurants countrywide. This
praise for the team of Le Quartier Français follows shortly
on the heels of the acclaimed British publication, Restaurant, rating
it as one of the top 50 restaurants in the world.
Is it the signature double-baked
beetroot and rocket soufflé,
the olive oil poached salmon trout cleverly paired with its smoked
version in a fritter with cucumber and seaweed or the classic caramalised
lemon tart? According to Lannice Snyman, she has been following Margot’s
culinary journey for many years. “Margot never ceases to surprise
me. Her food is layered with textures and flavours and only the best
and freshest ingredients will do. She knows when to break the boundaries
and when to stay safe. For this she is respected not only by diners
who keep on coming back for more, but also her peers.”
South Africa ’s leading chef always dreamt of becoming an actress.
When she did not make it to the Amsterdam Theatre School she was advised
to “go see the world”. And that she did by coming to the
Southern Tip of Africa, at the age of 23. Here she learnt a new art
which would bring her international recognition in the years to come.
For the spirited and ego-less Margot the secret lies in boundless love
for what she does. “It is not about achievements, but the joy
of making a living by doing what I love best. I am happy to go to work,
arriving in my kitchen with a smile on my face. I work with a fantastic
team headed by Linda Coltart, our general manager, and I have wonderful
suppliers. My work allows me to express myself and offers the best
of all – to be appreciated.”
Margot loves working with local
ingredients for their freshness and variety. “Franschhoek
has amazing produce. I love it when women from the village arrive
at my doorstep with a
colander full of black
figs, berries or nettles. My food style is about being creative. I
never stop thinking about food. Certain things are logical. Before
starting anything you must know what you want to achieve. This applies
to food as well. I know in my head what a dish will taste like - call
it culinary logic if you like.”
“We are thrilled and terribly
proud,” says Susan Huxter,
owner of Le Quartier Francais. “The awards are the result
of a dedicated team doing what they all love. They believe in change
and innovation, but also take responsibility. Most of all, they are
successful because they respect their profession and have fun at it.”
Le Quartier
on culinary A-list (May 2002)
Le Quartier Francais Restaurant
has also been named one of the World's 50
Best Restaurants
in authoritative ratings published by Restaurant, a leading
food magazine published in London.
Winning a highly-prized place, Le Quartier
Francais was the only South African restaurant to make the top 50
list that includes the world's
most renowned restaurants from New York and Paris to Hong Kong and
Sydney.
A panel of top chefs, restaurateurs
and gourmet writers were asked to find "the greatest places to eat in the world - serving simply
the best food in the world".
Bread & Wine Restaurant on Môreson
Wine Farm
The grapevine is singing about
the inspired new menu at Bread & Wine
on Môreson Wine Farm in Franschhoek. A regional showcase for
the freshest seasonal fare, the enchanted restaurant in the lemon
orchard has come of age as the home of a new genre of Cape country
cuisine. Creating light gourmet cuisine from the finest locally sourced
ingredients; it offers visitors from around the world a taste of
the winelands on a plate.
Reflecting the global return to cuisine du terroir, the innovative
menu tempts palates with the delectable aromas and flavours of home-baked
breads, sublime soups, country terrines, imaginative salads and highly
original dishes.
Breaking away from the traditional
formula of set courses, Bread & Wine
encourages guests to take a more informal approach to dining. Why restrict
yourself to starters and mains? A refreshingly different menu invites
you to explore a range of tastes and textures by sharing a selection
of affordable dishes. The menu offers unbeatable value for fine country
cuisine.
Served at country tables with
pastel chairs scattered around the courtyard, the al fresco setting
has the charming ambience
of a Monet painting.
Visitors linger over lunch in the country, savouring Môreson's
fine wines grown in the vineyards, served by the glass or bottle. Signature
dishes like shrimp cake with tomato salsa, clay-baked asparagus with
red pesto and balsamic jelly and pan-fried wild mushrooms with marrow
butter are bound to whet an appetite for more. One of the most popular
dishes offers a delicious combination of home-smoked salmon served
with warm potato and avocado salad.
Newly renovated for the season,
Bread & Wine has a chic new look
with an enclosed terrace that is the ideal venue for a grand country
wedding or special functions. Featuring a dance-floor, the elegant
100-seater dining room has a high ceiling draped in provençal
fabrics and giant picture windows that afford an outlook of mountains
and vineyards as far as the eye can see. The indoor area leads onto
the al fresco courtyard shaded by trellised vines and lemon trees.
Designer menus are tailor-made for weddings and special events.
Chefs Neil and Christina Jewell,
partners in the kitchen and at home, joined Bread & Wine in 1999 after working in the celebrated British
kitchens of Conrad International, The Avenue and Stephen Bull in London – Time
Out's top Modern European Restaurant. The popular anti-pasta platter
showcases the specialist meats cured in Neil’s own charcuterie
- the cardamom salami, home-cured hams, red-wine cured meats and farm-smoked
salmon. He 's famous throughout the Franschhoek Valley for his spicy
Toulouse sausage - and plans to lead sausage-making classes at Bread & Wine
in 2003.
Christina Jewell, the renowned
baker and manager, makes the scrumptious foccacia, ciabatta, sour
dough and beetroot
breads served at Bread & Wine
with savoury dips and oils. She also holds popular monthly bread-baking
classes on Saturday mornings for the novice bakers who come back to
learn how to make their own gourmet breads - filled with kitchen dried
tomatoes, feta and green garlic.
At Bread & Wine, they're looking forward to the next big event
of the season on the annual calendar - the blessing of the harvest
events at Môreson Wine Farm in early February. These events
attract hundreds of visitors who celebrate the first fruits of the
new vintage at a foot-stomping party where they press the grapes the
old way - underfoot.
Getaways
at Le Quartier Francais
So, life in the fast track is hectic. You seriously need time out.
Yet the weekend arrives before you've even had time to organise a rendezvous
in the country where you can chill out. There's no need to despair.
Whether you're looking for a little romance, a quiet spot to go fly-fishing
or the soothing aroma of lavender and roses, there is a place for you.
There is a sanctuary in the Cape winelands
where you will be pampered beyond your wildest dreams. A renowned guesthouse, restaurant and retreat,
the luxurious Auberge in Franschhoek will plan your whole weekend -
then leave you in complete privacy to romance the weekend away. All
you have to do is bring the right partner along.
If you simply want time out,
Le Quartier Francais will tempt
you to book a "veg out" weekend that leaves the two of you
alone on luxurious linen with your favourite movies in front of a romantic
fireplace. (The sweet dreams are on the house.)
For guests who need to get a
little more active to unwind, Le Quartier Francais also
now offers fly-fishing weekends. If you want to cast a rod in the
idyllic setting of Dewdale trout farm in Franschhoek
while your partner takes forty winks on the riverbank, they'll organise
that too. If you come back to Le Quartier Français with a tall
tale about the one that got away, they'll even serve you fish and chips
at the bar to cheer you up.
At Le Quartier Francais,
the dedicated staff will go to the ends of the earth to make sure
your great getaway
in the country is
simply perfect this weekend. If you need a break with a touch of class,
take a look at our four innovative weekend packages - and pick exactly
what you're looking for. A veg out or fly-fishing weekend. It's all
up to you. They'll do the rest.
Activities
Môreson Wine Farm - Môreson’s
quality wine will take you on a journey of the senses and an unforgetable
experience.
Bordeaux Street Art
Gallery - Suppliers of divine artworks and gifts
Butterfly World – Thousands of species
Animal Zone - New and exciting concept of interaction
with rare, exotic species
Wine Estate Visits - Bellingham, Cabriére Estate, Landau du
Val and Môreson
are just a few of the 20 wine estates in the surrounding area that
offer wine sales and tasting , cellar and vineyard tours.
Cycle Hire – Inquiries at Reception
Franschhoek Mountain Trail – Scenic walks
Franschhoek
Museum – Learn about Hranschhoek's historical background.
Open everyday between 9h00 - 16h00
Golf – A choice of 4 golf courses within a 45km Radius – contact
Reception for more information.
Health and Skincare Clinic – Pamper yourself
Kei Carpets – Beautiful hand–made carpets
Mont Rochelle Equestrian Centre – Trail riding
and cellar tours on horseback
Over 20 local restaurants to choose from ranging Cape Provincial Cuisine
to Bistro’s, Coffee Shops, Deli’s and family restaurants
Tennis Club - Inquiries at Reception
Trout fishing on Dewdale - For lovers of outdoors,
with hiking and mountain biking trails, tackle shop and picnic hampers
Wine and Cheese Farm – Fairview
Le Bonheur Crocodile Farm
The Vonds Snake Centre – Fascinating collection
of crawling reptiles
Winelands Ballooning – Balloon flights over
the vineyards
Wine Route Ostrich Farm – Tours, bushman crafts
and restaurant
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