Le Quartier Francais is a gem of a private hotel (and a member of Relais & Chateaux) located in Franschoek, one of the oldest towns in South Africa. Located only 45 minutes from Capetown, Le Quartier Francais (considered one of the ” Top 20 “Food & Wine Resorts” in 2009 by Andrew Harper Travel members) is smack in the middle of the Cape Winelands and a convenient stop before or after a safari or visit to many of the Cape’s beach towns. I visited here for lunch with my husband on our honeymoon and it was one of our most memorable meals during our three-week vacation. The main restaurant, The Tasting Room, is considered one of the best in South Africa. 
Le Quartier Francais has a new and extraordinary culinary program, Culinary Concierge Program, offered exclusively to the inn’s guests. While most of these classes (with names such as “Dessert Me” and “Wine, Charcuterie and Chocolate“) cater to adults, the hotel will happily tailor a cooking class for a family around their interests and ages. Consider a class just on chocolate tarts, bread baking, charcuterie making or even a visit to the nearby Huguenot Fine Chocolate Factory!
One of my favorite programs there, though, is Mrs. Ndaba’s Fridays. Each Friday, guests can bake nutritious muffins for 67 toddlers who attend a local daycare in a nearby underprivileged area run by a 68-year-old woman, Mrs. Ndaba. After baking the muffins, guests deliver them by hand to the children at their school– an extremely rewarding and enriching experience.
