What to do at Shades of Provence
We offer our guests the following, at no charge:
Swimming: Guests are welcome to laze around the pool. Towels will be available next to the pool and there is
an outdoor shower with hot water. It is quite an experience as you are showering amidst flowers and tree branches.
Boules/pétanque: Boules is one of the favourite pass times of La Provence in France and it is also one of our favourite
pass times. We have got two courts - one under the oak tree and one between the guava tree and parking place - where our guests can play and
we will supply you with the boules. Boules sets can also be bought from us.
Cycling: There is no better way to explore the town than on a bicycle. We have got 5 town bikes and one mountain bike
for the use of our guests. We encourage our guests to bring their mountain bikes with as we would gladly accompany them up the mountain or
give them directions. We are also planning a 33 km trial with stops at the local wineries.
Table tennis: We have got a Surita Odendaal signature table which is of the highest quality. We have also got a couple
of excellent bats. We don't want our guests to play pingpong with little plank bats, but enjoy a good game of table tennis.
Library/reading room: Guests are welcome to sit and read in our library. We have got quite a variety of books. It is
also a book exchange where we will buy old books from guests and they can buy books from us.
Bridge Club: We want to encourage bridge players to come and play bridge here. We have started a date base of bridge
players and will organize bridge days or weekends. Drinks, cheese platters and cake will be available at a small cost.
Backgammon Club: We want to encourage backgammon players to come and play backgammon here. We have started a database
of backgammon players and will organize backgammon days or weekends. Drinks, cheese platters and cake will be available at a small cost.
At a small fee, the following can be enjoyed at Shades of Provence:
Therapy: Hot stone and Shiatsu therapy in our Oak Tree therapy room.
Picnic Lunches: On a Saturday and Sunday you can order a picnic lunch for R69 which includes the following: half a bottle
of wine/Grapetizer, snoek paté, aïoli (the butter of Provence),cream cheese with basil pesto or onion marmalade, camembert or brie, Emmenthaler
cheese, salami, chicken sosatie, vegetable sosatie, rice salade, strawberries, Nocellara olives, Kalamata olives, boerejongen (a grape in brandy),
koeksister and coffee.
Eats and Drinks: Cheese platters (R35); our home made bread with olive oil/balsamic vinegar (R15), cake (R10) and an
assortment of speciality coffees and cold drinks.
Water Aerobics: Over weekends there will be water aerobic classes @ R20/session (including mineral water).
Hiking/Nordic Walking: Over weekends a hike up Kasteelberg, jog up the Pass or a walk through the vineyards will
be organized. (R20 per person, including mineral water). Nordic walking (where you walk with sticks similar than ski sticks that take 40%
of the impact of your knees) is the new craze overseas and we would like to introduce it in Riebeek Kasteel.
Children Friendly
Shades of Provence is children friendly, with lots of things for children to do, like:
A carousel horse
An old fashioned swing
An old fashioned "watervoor" in which they can sail their boats.
Our vegetable garden with the local scarecrow. We encourage children to play around in the garden: water, weed, drink water,
pick and eat strawberries, cherry tomatoes, etc. and get to know the names of the herbs.
Swimming
Table Tennis
Cycling
Tennis (200m down the road)
Corporate team building
Shades of Provence would also like to provide a day or weekend venue for businesses for corporate team building or planning. We can provide
indoor/outdoor seating for up to 60 people, a laptop and data projector, motivational speakers, meals, refreshments, activities like boules
and table tennis and some team building exercises like a treasure hunt in the area, a relay of some sorts, adventure activities in nature or
"survivor style" activities.
