La Bri

According to the Franschhoek Museum, the original grant of La Bri is the oldest Huguenot-allocated farm in the Franschhoek Valley.

It was the first of nine farms granted to members of the main group of Huguenots who sought sanctuary in the Cape in 1688.

The name ‘La Bri’ is probably derived from the French for ‘the refuge’, a perfect name for this property, as it is safely nestled in the imposing amphitheatre of the Franschhoek valley.

Although originally granted to Jacob de Villiers, his son, Jacques, settled on the farm in 1694.

He became a very successful farmer and later bought Boschendal from his brother Abraham’s estate. In 1712, Jacques received title of La Bri, and, over time, the farm was split into three, with homesteads built on two of them. In 1744, after several owners had come and gone, Pieter Eduard Haumann bought the farm that today is La Bri.

The manor house was probably built around then, although in a much smaller form. But, in all likelihood, the house, as it currently stands, was built in 1862, when it was enlarged to its present H-shape. It still has a severe gable with straight sides, typical of the last phases of Cape Dutch architecture.

La Bri uses estate grapes exclusively to produce handcrafted wines, made for everyday enjoyment, comprising four single cultivar wines and two blends, based on the traditional French Bordeaux and Rhone wine making practices.