The luxury residential estate in South Africa ranked as one of the best in the world

The Val de Vie luxury residential estate, situated near Paarl and Franschhoek in the Western Cape, has received several awards, ranking it as a top estate not only in South Africa but also globally.

Val de Vie, which translates to “Valley of Life” in French, was recognised as the “Best Leisure Development in the World” by the International Property Awards in 2021.

It was also listed as the top estate in South Africa for five consecutive years, from 2015 to 2019, by the wealth intelligence firm New World Wealth.

Before the estate’s development, the land was a wine farm established by Abraham Andries le Roux in 1783.

In 2001, Val de Vie founder Martin Venter spotted the rundown wine farm while flying over the Paarl and Franschhoek areas, noting the potential of the area and recognising that it needed to be brought back to life.

Venter purchased the property, which borders the Berg River, in 2003. Construction began the following year, and R450 million was invested in infrastructure.

In addition to residential construction, the development included the erection of a lifestyle centre, which was completed in 2006. It included a 25-metre pool, a gym, as well as squash and tennis courts.

While Venter had another vision for the once collapsing wine farm, the land’s former purpose remained part of Val de Vie’s offering, with it producing its first wines that year.

The estates opened its gates to its first residents the following year, and also completed the construction of its renowned Hurlingham standard polo fields and Polo Pavilion.

Val de Vie Investments were ready for expansion just a year after its first residents moved in, having acquired 320 hectares of the second phase of the Pearl Valley development, which was previously undeveloped.

It also bought land on the Western side of the Berg River, which belonged to the Levendal development.

Over the next decade, the development continued to expand with more land acquired, including the remainder of the Pearl Valley development.

The Competition Commission approved Val de Vie Investment’s acquisition of Pearl Valley’s portfolio from Standard Bank after the developer went into business rescue.

The portfolio included the first phase of Pearl Valley, a hotel site, a 20-hectare equestrian farm, 80 serviced and unsold plots of land, and an additional 150 unserviced residential plots.

Val de Vie’s purchase also included the Jack Nicklaus signature golf course, designed by former American golfer who won 117 tournaments throughout his professional career.

He designed the course in 2003, describing the setting as “one of the most spectacular settings in which I have designed a golf course.”

Several new developments were added as well, including the River Reserve, Polo Village Apartments, Gentleman’s Estate, The Vines, The Oaks, Le Domaine, and La Vue.

In 2016, African Rainbow Capital, founded by South African Billionaire Patrice Motsepe, acquired a 20% stake in Val de Vie Investments.

The estate now boasts state-of-the-art security systems, featuring 24-hour armed response and 108 infrared cameras strategically positioned around the perimeter of the premises.

It has also expanded its outdoor recreation offering, which now includes a 50-metre Olympic-sized swimming pool, a 25-metre indoor heated pool, cricket nets, lawn bowls, and a rugby field.

The estate also has 42 kilometres of mountain bike trails and 21 kilometres of running and walking trails.

Numerous awards

In 2016, the Valentina Manor House, situated on the estate, won the International Property Award for Best Single Unit Residential Development in Africa.

However, this was only the start of its international recognition, with several awards rolling in the years to come.

In 2018, the estate was awarded the “Best Multigenerational Resort in the World” at a ceremony in London.

Two years later, it once again featured at the International Property Awards, where it won “Best Residential Development in South Africa.” Its retirement home, Val de Vie Evergreen, was awarded the “Best Leisure Development in Africa.”

Val de Vie improved on this in 2021, earning the estate the titles of “Best Residential Development in South Africa” and “Best Leisure Development in the World.”

Property prices in Val de Vie

Given its serene setting, facilities, proximity to prestigious schools, high level of security, and accolades, Val de Vie properties are among the most sought-after in the Cape Winelands.

Suites in the Val de Vie Evergreen retirement community start at just over R2 million for a single bedroom unit with a floor area of 44 square meters.

Apartments start at just over R4.5 million for a single-bedroom unit with 80 square metres of living space.

A three-bedroom home, on the other hand, starts at around R7 million. On the other end of the spectrum, a four-bedroom house with a floor size of 834 square metres can cost as much as R34.9 million.

Photos of Val de Vie