Sarah

Each villa at La Clc dcs Montagncs has its own private pool and spacious patio. BELOW La Grange’s earthy palette, influenced by the colours of surrounding orchards, comes to life on its patio. OPPOSITE The living room of La Galerie has blasts of succulent colour and ornate furnishings.
Then French Huguenot farmer Pierre Jourdan bought land in Oliphantshoek, Western Cape, in the 1600s, he couldn't have known that the isolated town would flourish into one of South Africa's foremost getaway spots. And with over 70 hotels and guesthouses in what's now known as Franschhoek, you're not short on places to stay. But what if you’re looking for something a little different?

A place that feels just as comfortable as your own home... only more sublime? In 1692 Pierre became the owner of and farmer on land, which would, 300 years later, be the spot where such a place exists
- the newly opened estate and villas, La Cle des Montagnes.
Investing in the property four years ago, international hotelier Michael Pawlowski's vision was one of 'unparalleled luxury', yet 'a home away from home’. To turn this concept into reality, he needed an expert interior decorator to handle the villas and, after a successful previous partnership with Cape Town-based Sarah Ord, the decision was easy.
'I went on an adventure with each villa. Each one took me by the hand and showed me its view, flaunted its gardens and let me imagine what story we could tell through colour, comfort, flavours, scents and textures,' says Sarah of creating the individually decorated spaces.
Tasteful and elegant, the Victorian farmhouse-style La Grange brims with warmth and texture. Sarah describes Le Manoir as 'a grand old lady with a new red frock' as it nods to the town’s French heritage, swathed in regal red hues, with a swaggering wooden library and museum-quality antiques. Le Colonial takes inspiration from Morocco and east Africa, and is a 'well-travelled eclectic space with bold spice colours, ethnic patterns and quirky detail' - and with four rooms, it's ideal for a family getaway. However the coup de theatre is La Galerie
- a veritable exhibition space. To showcase its fine collection of carefully curated contemporary art Sarah selected a 'stormy grey palette and shots of hot colour'. The light that flows generously into the rooms is brightly framed by yellow-on-linen curtains, and offset by richly upholstered sofas and chairs in deep hues and eclectic patterns.
The villas aren't the only part of the experience that will speak to your sensibility; everything down to the name has significance at the estate. 'We thought of the old, original key to the door of the Manor house and the mountains that surround the valley, and eventually settled on the name, which means "the key to the mountains",' explains Michael.
And when you sit on one of the expansive patios in front of your private pool, watching the sunset slip between the cracks of the mountains, you can be sure that you're the only people in the area with access to the world-class vista.
Add to this a personal butler, ready to take care of your every fancy (Frank Chirwa is positively exceptional, and he won't rest until he's sure you've been lulled into a coma of self-indulgence), a gourmet chef should you require it and the estate's own collection of wines, and Michael's vision of unparalleled luxury has become a tangible experience.
Of course, it's not just the guests who savour the experience; every person involved at La Cle seems to walk around with a secret playing at the corners of their sincerely happy smiles - one you'll learn by the end of your stay. Perhaps best summed up by Sarah: 'I'm still breathing its character - La С1ё is under my skin!' Cl La Cle des Montagnes,
13 Daniel Hugo St, Franschhoek, 021-876-4646, lacle.co.za