Val de Grace Accommodation

Val de Grace is a refined eastern Pretoria suburb with nicely appointed homes amid shady trees and a few modern office complexes. Large companies such as the national roads agency, a forestry company and national Department of Tourism have all chosen to build their Green Star-rated buildings in this well wooded, spotless and convenient suburb.

Val de Grace is bordered by the Willow tree-lined Moretele River that flows northwards into the Pienaars River and gathers at several dams further upstream.

With an easy passage to the main highway, shopping malls and schools, it’s no surprise that the area is highly sought after.

Top 6 reasons to visit Val de Grace

1. The Watermeyer Park Shopping Centre in the suburb is ideal for convenience shopping, however, for more serious retail shopping, head to Menlyn Park Mall with its 275 stores, IMAX Theatre, Play Park and the world's first rooftop drive-in.

2. Visit the nearby Pioneer Museum to experience the typical Voortrekker’s way of life in the 1848-built house constructed of clay and stone and with thatched roof. Guides dressed in period costumes enlighten the visitor. The museum has a lovely grassed area to enjoy a braai (barbecue). 

3. The Faerie Glen Municipal Nature Reserve is a popular hiking spot with short routes ranging from 2.5km to 4.5km in length. The reserve hosts a number of small mammals including the Cape clawless otter. Several sparkling streams criss-cross the reserve.

4. Pretoria’s National Botanical Gardens is a short distance from Val de Grace. The gardens are classified as a national monument and here you will find a tea garden and restaurant, biodiversity and education centres and herbarium and arboretum.

5. It’s an early rise to get to the Pretoria Boeremark (farmer’s market) in time. Farmers arrive at daybreak to sell their fresh produce and to be on the road before noon. Aside from garden-fresh farm goods, stall operators sell a wide range of handmade crafts, preserves and traditional fare. The market is open from 5h30 to 9h30 on Saturdays.

6. Spend a leisurely afternoon in the cool of the Pretoria Art Museum, renowned for its collection of South African art. The museum houses a vast collection of art reference material and guided tours are offered Tuesday to Friday.

Transport

The nearest airport is OR Tambo International Airport, 50km from Val de Grace. The smaller Wonderboom Airport for chartered flights is 22km away. Catch the Gautrain, a fast train service that travels between the OR Tambo Airport and the Hatfield business district, 7km to the west of Val de Grace. Car rental agencies are located at the airport and throughout Pretoria city or book a vehicle online. Metered taxi companies are based in and around Val de Grace. If you have the Uber app, order a ride via your mobile phone.

Did you know?

A section of the Moretele River was for a long period believed by some to house a terrifying river monster. Local faith healers warned the community to avoid the river until journalists visited in 2015 to find that the monster is a large monitor lizard!

A favourite pastime amongst South Africans, particularly in these parts, is to invite friends and family to a ‘bring & braai’. The word braai is Afrikaans for barbecue and guests arrive with their own uncooked meat and salads, bread, etc. The host provides the drinks and prepares the meat with side dishes enjoyed by all. It’s a social and fun way for a get-together and mostly coincides with important televised Saturday afternoon sporting events.