The luxury resort of Pearl Valley and its surrounding towns in the Western Cape combines two great qualities - the vibrancy of Africa and more than a whiff of French chic.

The stark, whitewashed walls, grey reed thatched roofs and elaborate gables of the homesteads in the valleys, set against the dramatic Simonsberg Mountains, are set among the best vineyards on the continent. The vines were originally imported in the 1600s by the French Huguenots who gave this area its distinctive character.

The Klapmuts crocodile farm and the whale-watching down at Hermanus remind you that you are in Africa but the Jack Nicklaus Signature golf course compares with the finest anywhere in the world.  Watch the locals play boules in Franschhoek or dine at La Couronne, perhaps with a fine Pinotage – this is a totally unique part of the world.

Cape Town, one of the world’s great cities, bustling with life, music, warm greetings and cosmopolitan sophistication, is half an hour away. Everything you want from a holiday can be yours to enjoy here.