Things to see and do Paarl

Famous for its immense variety of fynbos and protees, don't miss the botanical garden, this reserve offers many walking and mountain bike trails. The climb to the top of Paarl Rock, 45 minutes from the lower car park or 15 minutes from the upper car park, is easy and impressive. In bad weather, beware of the orientation! For a panoramic view of the valley, take the Jan Phillips Mountain Drive along the reserve.

The sculptor Jan van Wijk would have liked to represent here the contribution of Europeans, Africans and Malays to the development of the Afrikaans language, which Afrikaners have long "brandished like a club against their enemies", in the words of the writer Coetzee. You should know that the highest column is supposed to represent Afrikaans, then next to it, the Republic, the terrace being Africa and the column on the left, the West. Come and get an idea on the spot, in front of this monument which seems to be a curious political vestige. But the view is superb..

The former presbytery of 1714, formerly the Huguenot Museum, now houses Dutch antiquities and objects that trace Paarl's history. So the history certainly, but also the daily life of the inhabitants. It would not be surprising to find in this museum a citrus press or a vegetable grater relegated to the title of antique and good to be exhibited! It's always interesting when you get somewhere to start with the museum of the history of the city, it can help to understand a lot of things and to go through it differently.