| This sybaritic little
town is situated smack in the middle of some gorgeous scenery in
the heart of the Winelands. It’s one of those places that became
fashionable some time around the 1980s and things just snowballed.
Fabulous restaurants line the main street, there
are some lovely little guest houses and – of course – great
wineries.
In fact, Franschhoek has a special place in the history of
South African wine making. The name, which means French Corner,
came about in the 17th Century when a whole bunch of French
Huguenots, who were fleeing persecution by the Catholic Church in
France, settled here. They weren’t the first to grow and produce
wine in the Cape but they certainly contributed a certain flair
that the Dutch didn’t really possess.
Vineyards outside Franschhoek
Notwithstanding their Gallic skill with an oaken vat, these
immigrants became totally integrated into the colonial scene and
soon started speaking Dutch – and then Afrikaans. So much so, in
fact, that many South Africans consider surnames such as du Toit,
Labuschagne and Marais to be Afrikaans. But, even though no French
is spoken here, there are strong links to France. A pretty
monument to the Huguenots dominates the town and – in July –
Franschhoek celebrates Bastille Day with a flourish unmatched
except, perhaps, in Paris.
There is an excellent paragliding launch site in the mountains
on the outskirts of the town, and the nearby pine plantations
offer some great mountain biking.
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