On 14 July, the Franschhoek Valley is hosting the Bastille Festival – essentially a celebration of freedom and of course a lot of gourmet goodies thrown in.

The Restaurant at the luxurious Grande Provence Estate has a unique three-course menu planned in order to join in the celebrations.

The Tapa’s-style feast includes signature dishes such as Kingklip Brandade with garlic croutons and Beef Bourguignonne. This is decadently completed with desserts such as Coffee Crème Bruleé, Chocolate Fondant, Raspberry Parfait or Sorbet.

On Sunday 15 July (over the Bastille Day weekend), The Gallery presents an exhibition with the title Beautiful Ghosts by well-known Stellenbosch artist, Vernon Swart – a provocative take on vintage erotica. Also exhibited are ceramics by Ceramic Matters.

The opening will feature music and actors in period costume recalling the atmosphere of fin de siècle Paris.

While at the estate, visit The Tasting Room to sample the newly released Grande Provence Chardonnay 2005 and Sauvignon Blanc 2007 as well as Angels Delight, a heavenly dessert wine.

The wines are created using classic cultivars of the highest quality. The distinctive vintages that are produced reflect the passion and enthusiasm of winemaker Jaco Marais and the wine making team.

All interested South Africans and foreigners are invited to participate in Saturday morning's float parade, "The Long Walk", joining Grande Provence and the rest of the valley on this special day.

Bastille Festival tasting menu: R220 per person.

The Winery at Grande Provence: Open for wine tasting and sales from 10am – 5pm daily with Cellar Tours on weekdays at 11am and 3pm.

For more info visit www.grandeprovence.co.za or call +27 (0)21 876 8600.

Grande Provence Estate, Main Road, Franschhoek

KOI restaurant is now listing the Grande Provence range. For more information visit www.koirest.co.za