This statue that stands outside the main building of La Provence D’ Afrique, is made all the more poignant by the fact that the building they ‘protect’ has burned down not once but twice.
Most property owners might have walked away but not Marguerite and Charles! The building was restored to its former glory on both occasions and is open to welcome guests from near and far once more.
The main entrance to a huge building that contains not only a restaurant but several of the rooms that offer guests accommodation.
Doors like these fascinate me as there has to be a story behind them. Where do they come from? The un-restored nature of this door is part of the innate charm that La Provence offers.
And it engages visitors both new and returning to venture in to see what magic the building holds.
You might be forgiven for thinking that you have stumbled into the town square of a small French village when you see the lengths that the owners have gone to in order to create the effect of transporting their guests from the mountains of South Africa to the quiet fields of France.
But you would be incorrect as this space is actually the old studio of artist, sculptor and co-owner Charles Gotthard.
Through double doors that hid THIS from view.
This vast space is home to this ‘street’ restaurant and there are rooms, all individually styled, to each side.
In winter, the magnificent fireplace at the end of the room is most welcome and the comfortable sofas are a magnet for those who are spending time here.
With the help of manager Jeremiah, my wife got to blow out her birthday candle.
This was a return visit for us and we were here for a celebration weekend.
The cake was the icing on top on a wonderful meal that was served in a basket and consisted of a starter, mains and a dessert! So much food and delicious to boot.
Well know and respected sculptor Charles Gotthard owns the property together with his wife of more than 4 decades, Marguerite.
There are statues of his dotted all over the property and this one seemed to be keeping an eye on the building that we were staying in.
The door is the entrance to our room.
The phrase that I coined for our room was Perfect Imperfection.
If you are looking for ‘faults’, you will find them. But as a whole the décor and the quirkiness of the room will win you over.
The art work behind the bed is actually a stained glass window!
The bed was most comfortable and it was not easy to leave this cozy confines when it was time to get up for breakfast.
The settee at the foot of the bed is where I spent a lot of time sitting and reading.
From that vantage point, I was able to see out of the door and into the garden and beyond.
It took me a while to find that there was a tv secreted in this cupboard.
However, on the first night we were there, load-shedding put paid to any thought of utilizing it, and with the aid of torchlight and a kindle, both my wife and I were able to read until we nodded off.
There was no load-shedding on our second night, so we were able to catch one of our favourite series before hitting the books once again.
A time to reflect…
There was no separate shower in our room, but there was a shower attachment on the bath which could be used.
I chose to run a bath and then, seeing we were on holiday, I lay in it and read for the longest time. One of my favourite pastimes and one that I do not get to indulge in nearly enough.
From the outside looking in…
Charles Gotthard is called the Van Wouw of the 21st Century; Being the master of his own medium, Charles is one of South Africa’s most avant-garde & successful ceramists. His name has been included in three authoritative South African publications. Charles’s work can be viewed at Art Museums, Lifestyle Estates, Churches and Galleries across South Africa such as the Mosaiek Church, Pretoria Art Museum, Potchefstroom Gallery, the Tas Gallery, Lourensford Wine Estate. (wikipedia)
He still takes on private commissions and gives intimate quarterly 4-Day Midweek Art Retreats here.
To inquire about attending these workshops contact Marguerite: bookings@laprovencedafrique.co.za or give her a call on 082 900 8205 for more info.
I found this doll’s head in a cabinet in the dining room next to our accommodation.
It is part of a most interesting collection and one that I could have built a story around.
Suffice to say that finding it in the semi-darkness as I wandered around caused me to stop and wonder who it might have belonged to.
To find out more about what the property offers, click on the logo above.
For those that were not aware, there is an extension to the Travel & Things Blog in the form of ‘In conversation with‘ a YouTube channel hosted by David Batzofin and filled with a plethora of interesting interviews with a variety of people.
To visit the channel, click on the ‘In conversation with’ image above.
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