text shona bagley photographs jeremy browne and ... - Val de Vie

living the dream
THERE HAS BEEN A DISCREET AND UNOBTRUSIVE TREK TO THE PROMISED LAND OF
MILK AND MONEY; WHERE THE SCENERY IS BREATHTAKING, THE LIVING IS EASY, THE
CULTURE IS RICH AND LA VIE IS ALWAYS CHIC AND STYLISH
TEXT SHONA BAGLEY PHOTOGRAPHS JEREMY BROWNE AND TAMLIN WIGHTMAN
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VAL DE VIE | LIFESTYLE
THIS SHANGRI-LA IS THE VERDANT PAARL-FRANSCHHOEK VALLEY,
where childhood is still an idyllic time and the valley’s many positive
attractions make it a magnet for family buyers, the most obvious
being the beautiful Winelands setting, surrounded by craggy
mountains and rolling vineyards. Pam Golding’s MD for Boland
Overberg, Annien Borg says: “Buyers experience country living,
with its slower, gentler way of life, yet still have easy access to an
international airport and Cape Town CBD, 45 minutes away.” The
setting also provides numerous opportunities for wholesome family
activities, from hiking and fly-fishing, to wine-stomping, horse-riding
and strawberry-picking.
The region is a mecca for golfers, and estates such as Pearl Valley
Signature Golf Estate & Spa and Boschenmeer Golf & Country Estate
offer a variety of premium opportunities including golf lodges, houses
and residential stands. Val de Vie Wine & Polo Estate, sandwiched
between the two, offers the best of both worlds. “Another huge
drawcard,” adds Annien, “is the high standard of education on offer;
from single gender schools to co-ed, English, Afrikaans and dualmedium.”
Some of the country’s top schools are here, including Paarl
Gimnasium and Paarl Boys’ High, Bridge House in Franschhoek, Paul
Roos and Rhenish in Stellenbosch – with the additional attraction of
a well-established university of international repute.
The ultimate feel-good factor, though, comes from the low crime
rate, offering significant peace of mind to parents who want their
children to play freely, without worrying about their safety. Here,
children can, and do, cycle the idyllic country lanes on their own.
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PAARL
Paarl is experiencing a renovation renaissance, with bargain-savvy buyers
bagging some of its older buildings and transforming them into characterfilled
modern structures. There has been a surge of interest in some of the
town’s older houses, especially those with historical backgrounds, and
renovators are turning ugly ducklings into covetable family homes, smart
offices and chic boutiques.
“In the last few years we have seen a complete transformation from
motor dealerships and traditional businesses to a bustling avenue full of
beautifully renovated buildings, trendy cafés, gift shops and restaurants,” says
Surina du Toit, PGP Paarl Area Manager. One of the biggest success stories
is number 279 Main Road. Developers have transformed drab offices and
flats into modern apartments above a vibrant deli, restaurant and boutique;
creating valuable pedestrian traffic and outdoor living. Flanked by beautiful
old buildings, it has become a drawcard for tourists.
Annien says the property market in Paarl remains buoyant, fuelled by
business people working in Cape Town’s Northern Suburbs, a 25-minute
drive to work. “There are many enquiries from up-country residents looking
for a less stressful and more secure place in which to raise their families, with
particular demand for homes in the various security and golf estates such
as Pearl Valley, Boschenmeer, Winelands Estate and Val de Vie Wine & Polo
Estate.” Secure living surrounded by beautiful scenery.
“Val de Vie is the perfect location for anyone wanting to live in this
beautiful valley, because it offers wide-open spaces, the feeling of living on
a wine farm, stunning mountain views, and excellent security,” adds Surina.
“We find that locals from Paarl find Val de Vie very attractive, but there’s also
a growing Gauteng following since Val de Vie fits the idyllic picture of what
they think living in the Boland should be.”
Only 40 minutes from Cape Town and close to top schools and two
universities, Val de Vie affords a perfect family living environment. Safe and
secure, surrounded by breathtaking views and with an impressive array
of facilities including two polo fields, stabling, a wellness centre and the
renowned Ryk Neethling Swim School. It also boasts a premium restaurant
– the Polo Club – that is fast becoming the valley’s favourite social hub.
Residents can also produce their own-label boutique wines, inspired by the
estate’s fine signature Rhône-style vines.
STELLENBOSCH
Stellenbosch oozes history. The town is renowned for its oak-lined streets
and Cape Dutch architectural landmarks, and the student culture gives it
a vibrant, cosmopolitan atmosphere. There’s a plethora of art galleries and
museums, theatres and festivals with the wine industry evident at every
opportunity. The town boasts some of the country’s top sporting facilities
and events, from rugby at Coetzenburg stadium to a new equestrian centre
and tennis academy.
Stellenbosch is a vibrant town and a great place for the young and the
not-so-old as there is always something happening. Jool has its colourful
floats, Vensters is where student residences put on five-minute ‘skits’ and
there are plenty of nightclubs. When the students break, the foreigners arrive
and bring different cultures and languages. “Weekends are very busy with so
PROPERTY BUSINESS
PAARL Stands on Val de Vie range
from R700 000 to R4.5 million. In
Paarl proper, property starts at
R450 000 for an apartment, with
small homes at R1 million. Surina
du Toit says: “You can get a threebedroom
home with two bathrooms
and a double garage for around
R1.5 million. A slightly larger house
comes in at R2 million, but you will
pay R2.5 million for a sizeable home
in the best areas of town. Proximity
to schools pushes up the price. You
can still find a sizeable house here
for R1.5 million, but you need to be
very quick.”
There is a wide variety of larger
family homes, smallholdings and
farms. One large wine and port farm,
complete with traditional Cape Dutch
homestead, was sold recently for a
whopping R33 million.
STELLENBOSCH Pam
Golding Property’s Louise Varga
says: “Stellenbosch offers ample
accommodation for families, with
many large homes with spacious
gardens, providing the ideal
upbringing for children. There is a
wide variety of properties on the
market, ranging from R1.5 million
to R15 million.
FRANSCHOEK Certain
properties that were under R300 000
ten years ago could now easily fetch
in excess of R10-million.“ Prices have
not dropped during the recession.
Today there is nothing free-standing
available under R2.5-million – what
is regarded as entry level for a house,
says Jager Estate’s Peter Hager. “For
that you can get a two-bedroom
house in good condition close to the
town centre. A 70-80 sq m apartment
is around R1.3 million. From R3.2m
to R4.5m you have a wide variety of
properties. The upper market is R5m
upwards and the quality is very high.”
But why put a price on paradise? The
look on a harried city dweller’s face
when they hear you’re living in the
new Shangri-la? Priceless.
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VAL DE VIE | LIFESTYLE
WE MADE THE MOVE…
MIKE BOSMAN
CEO OF ONE DIGITAL MEDIA (SA DIGITAL MEDIA
MARKET‘S LARGEST NETWORK PROVIDER),
AND FORMER CEO OF TBWA
Mike moved to a small farm with his wife, Sabine, and
two daughters, Lisa and Aimee. “Franschhoek has a real
sense of community where people come from across the socio-economic
spectrum to work together. It is one of the most beautiful valleys in the
world, filled with music, art, food, wine and friendship. I now work in
Stellenbosch, which is an easy drive since the new road has been built past
Boschendal. We moved because we wanted our daughters to attend the
top academic school in the Western Cape. We visited Bridge House, and
absolutely loved that it brings out the best in every pupil.”
many wine farms to visit and magnificent restaurants. Craft markets sell the
most wonderful goods from olive oil to koeksisters and chilli chocolate,” says
Gemmy Uys, a home owner here. “At the end of the day I sit on my stoep
with a glass of wine, horses grazing in the field, and watch the sun go down.”
FRANSCHHOEK
Another magnet for families looking for a country utopia is Franschhoek,
where Susan Huxley, owner of Le Quartier Francais (named one of Restaurant
Magazine UK’s 50 Best Restaurants in The World from 2006 to 2010) has lived
for 24 years. “It’s small but totally international,” she says. “There are great
restaurants, it’s close to Cape Town but is still a village.”
“Franschhoek has grown into a great place for families, spanning the
generations. Children can ride their bikes in the street, it is so safe,” she says.
“It is an extraordinary upbringing, a gift to grow up like that.”
As chairman of the local tourism association, she counsels against
over-development and while Franschhoek’s charm has not been eroded
by insensitive developers, Susan has seen it change from a town where
her son was the only English-speaking child in playschool to an extremely
cosmopolitan collective.
Peter Hager of Jager Estates explains that during the past five years there
has been a huge influx of foreign buyers – mostly European – but in the last
two years, the emphasis has shifted back to South Africans; many retirees
but also professionals and businessmen who commute to Johannesburg.
“The Gautrain has made it much easier. People ask if it’s sustainable to live in
Franschhoek and work in Cape Town. The large number of people who do
just that would suggest that it is.”
Chris Weylandt, founder of Weylandts home stores, says: “The drive to
Cape Town is manageable if you work around peak traffic times. Driving
home in summer is rather therapeutic. A late sunset allows us to enjoy the
beautiful landscape as we get closer to home. By the time we reach it, we
are relaxed and definitely ready for a glass of wine!”
The area has attracted other high-profile buyers too. Naspers’ CEO and
Media 24 Director, Koos Bekker and his über-stylish wife, Karen Roos, former
editor of Elle Decoration, have bought Babylonstoren, an historic 1690 Cape
Dutch farm off the R45. The pair are cleverly developing it into a boutique
hotel and restaurant called Babel, combining the simplicity of farm buildings
with considerable style. French architect, Patrice Taravella has designed the
seven-acre garden to pay homage to the botanical gardens of the Dutch
East India Company. Koos, who grew up on a farm, has always yearned to
be back on one – a dream that he, and many others who have made the
move, now get to realise.
GEMMY UYS
GOLDSMITH AND IMPORTER OF FINE LINGERIE
FOR THE FULLER FIGURE
Gemmy Uys moved from KwaZulu-Natal to Stellenbosch
in 2006. A widow, she moved because daughter
Tanya wanted to study at Stellenbosch University and
daughter Amy was keen to study at Cape Town’s Varsity College. Tanya
bought a horse and while out looking for stabling, Gemmy says: “we
stumbled across Quantus farm where we have been living for the past
two years. Waking up every morning to an uninterrupted view of the
mountains, the quiet, the Blue Cranes in the field, the buck that run free
and the freedom to take a walk without feeling threatened, is more than
we could ever wish. We live outside the city, but aren’t too far from the
gym, shops and Cape Town itself, should I want to enjoy a night out.”
CHRIS WEYLANDT
FOUNDER AND CEO OF WEYLANDTS
“We bought a Franschhoek farm in 2003 and lived in a
1920s out-building while our home was built. It took
two years of planning and 18 months to complete. The
house is a contemporary design, lovingly integrated into
the original 1700s barn.
“We love living in the valley. Our only regret is that we don’t spend
enough time here. We moved for the beauty, the space and the lifestyle,
and enjoy horse riding in the mountains. We love seeing our chickens
scratching in the veggie patch and the luxury of space and privacy is
priceless. Producing our own Maison estate wines is extremely rewarding.
Being surrounded by nature is so vital to the human spirit – it goes a long
way to counterbalance the stresses of everyday business life.”
TANJA LEWIS
INTERIOR DESIGNER
Tanja and her husband moved to Val de Vie from Johannesburg and have
never looked back. Their modern three-bedroom house took a year to build
and Tanja says they can’t believe they didn’t make the move sooner.
“In Johannebusrg you get sucked into the rhythm of the city and think that
the traffic, crime and general rat race is normal. Here on Val de Vie we are
surrounded by natural beauty and wildlife. And it is so peaceful and quiet.
I wake every morning to a breathtaking view, and watch the rich birdlife in
my garden. We have raptors, Blue Cranes and even a Fish Eagle that visits
now and again. Ricci and I love to get on our mountain bikes and do a good
hour up and down the mountain. It is invigorating.”
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