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History

The Franschhoek Valley, enfolded by mountains on three sides was a relatively remote area when first discovered. Originally it was named Oliphantshoek. Elephants transversed the mountains to calve.The protected isolation provided the perfect elephant nursery. Later the village of Franschhoek was founded on sections of two Huguenot farms, one of them Cabriére.

The Huguenots were brought to the Cape by the Dutch East India Company, which had established a post to provide fresh supplies for their passing fleets en route to the East. Many French Huguenots fled to the Netherlands to avoid religious persecution, and were consequently recruited to produce wine in the Cape. Most of them settled in the Franschhoek valley. Among them were two young brothers by the name of Jourdan. They hailed from the village Cabriére d’Agues, nestled in the Luberon in Southern France, where wine had been produced since the year 2000 BC. They were orphaned during the disastrous voyage of the "Berg China" from Rotterdam to the Cape of Good Hope in 1688.

Simon van der Stel, the then governor of the Cape Colony, granted them 51 hectare of land in the Franschhoek valley. Not surprisingly, they named it Cabriére. Since those early days the farmland changed hands, and was subjected to subdivisions many times. Today it's know as Franschhoek and serves as a tourist mecca and centre point of the many splendours the Winelands has to offer.


Events Calendar


CAPE TOWN& SURROUNDING AREA'S FESTIVALS & EVENTS    

DATE  

EVENT  

WHERE  

MORE INFO  

JANUARY

1  

CapeTownMinstrel Carnival  

Cape Town  

http://www.sa-venues.com/events/western-cape-event-description.php?id=414   

31  

J&B Met  

Kenilworth  

http://www.sa-venues.com/events/western-cape-event-description.php?id=527   

FEBRUARY   

2  

Blessing of the Harvest  

Franschhoek  

http://www.franschhoek.org.za/events/view/32   

22 - 24  

CapeCountryPicnic Festival  

Simondium  

http://www.cadek.co.za/BigEvents/picnic_festival.htm    

29 Feb   

- 2 March  

Design Indaba Expo  

Cape Town  

http://www.designindabaexpo.com/  

MARCH  

1-3  

Up the Creek Music Festival  

Swellendam  

http://www.upthecreek.co.za/  

9  

CapeArgusPick `n Pay Cycle Tour  

Cape Town  

http://www.cycletour.co.za/home.aspx   

22  

Two Oceans Marathon  

Cape Town  

http://www.twooceansmarathon.org.za/   

29 - 30  

CapeTownJazz Festival  

Cape Town  

http://www.capetownjazzfest.com/  

28 March  

- 5 Apr  

ABSA Cape Epic  

Knysna 

 - Somerset West  

http://www.cape-epic.com/  

APRIL  

25 - 28  

Solm-Delta End of Harvest Festival  

Franschhoek  

http://www.franschhoek.org.za/events/view/57/   

24 - 27  

Crayfish Festival  

Lambert's Bay  

http://kreeffees.com/  

25 - 27  

Olive Festival  

Prince Albert  

http://www.olivefestival.co.za/  

25 - 28  

SA Cheese Festival  

Franschhoek  

http://www.cheesefestival.co.za/  

MAY  

16 - 18  

Literary Festival  

Franschhoek  

http://www.franschhoek.org.za/events/view/36/   

JULY  

4 - 13  

Oyster Festival  

Knysna  

http://www.oysterfestival.co.za/  

5 - 29  

Wildlife Photographer of the Year  

Cape Town  

http://www.sa-venues.com/events/western-cape-event-description.php?id=225   

12 - 13  

Bastille Festival  

Franschhoek  

http://www.bastillefestival.co.za/   

20 - 21  

Port Festival  

Calitzdorp  

http://www.sa-venues.com/events/western-cape-event-description.php?id=44   

AUGUST  

2 - 5  

Wine Festival  

Stellenbosch   

http://www.sa-venues.com/events/western-cape-event-description.php?id=290   

8 - 10  

CapeTownFashion Week  

Cape Town  

http://www.capetownfashionweek.co.za/   

9 - 12  

Robertson Slow  

Robertson  

http://www.robertsonslow.com/  

SEPTEMBER   

16 - 17  

Penquin Festival  

Simon's Town  

http://www.simonstown.com/penguinfestival/index.htm   

20 - 24  

Cultivaria Festival  

Paarl  

http://www.sa-venues.com/events/western-cape-event-description.php?id=212   

21 - 23  

West Coast Flower Show  

Darling  

http://www.sa-venues.com/events/western-cape-event-description.php?id=404   

21 - 29  

Whale Festival  

Hermanus  

http://www.whalefestival.co.za/  

28  

Nederburg Wine Auction  

Paarl  

http://www.sa-venues.com/events/western-cape-event-description.php?id=285   

29  

Fitness Festival  

Clanwilliam  

http://www.sa-venues.com/events/western-cape-event-description.php?id=357   

OCTOBER  

16  

The Cape Odyssey  

Hermanus - Franschhoek  

http://www.cape-odyssey.com/  

20 - 21  

Cape TownInternational 

Kite Festival  

Muizenberg  

http://www.sa-venues.com/events/western-cape-event-description.php?id=539   

22 - 26  

Rittelfees   

Vredendal  

http://www.rittelfees.co.za/  

23 - 26  

CapeTownFlower Show  

Somerset West  

http://www.capetownflower.com/  

24 - 26  

Classical Music Festival  

Franschhoek  

http://www.sa-venues.com/events/western-cape-event-description.php?id=210   

24 - 26  

16th Annual Rose Fair  

Greyton  

http://www.greytonrosefair.co.za/  

NOVEMBER   

10  

Winelands Half & Full Marathon  

Stellenbosch   

http://www.sa-venues.com/events/western-cape-event-description.php?id=256   

23 - 25  

Nelson Mandela Invitational 

Gold Tournament  

Kleinmond  

http://www.sa-venues.com/events/western-cape-event-description.php?id=198   

30 Nov  

- 1 Dec  

Obz Festival  

Observatory  

http://www.obzfestival.com/  

DECEMBER   

6 - 7  

Cap Classique & Champagne Festival  

Franschhoek  

http://www.franschhoek.org.za/events/view/49/   

28 - 29  

The Moment Event  

Stilbaai  

http://www.sa-venues.com/events/western-cape-event-description.php?id=466   

 

What to do

 

THINGS TO DO IN FRANSCHHOEK & SURROUNDING AREA  

ACTIVITY 

WHERE 

MORE INFO 

101 Things to do 

Franschhoek 

http://www.franschhoek.org.za/101_things_to_do/ 

Aqaurium 

Cape Town 

http://www.aquarium.co.za/ 

Art Galleries 

Franschhoek 

http://www.franschhoekweb.co.za/franschhoek-arts-culture.htm 

Butterfly World 

Klapmuts 

http://www.sakidsonthego.com/activity_detail.php?activityno=445 

Cheese Tasting 

Paarl 

http://www.fairview.co.za/index.php?page_id=76 

Cycling 

Winelands Area 

http://cyclingholidaysouthafrica.com 

Day at the Beach 

Cape Coast Line 

http://www.sa-venues.com/attractionswc/beaches.htm 

Farmers Market 

Franschhoek 

http://www.franschhoek.co.za/farmersmarket.html 

Flea Markets 

Cape Town 

http://www.uncoverthecape.co.za/local-attractions/green-market-square/green-market-square/ 

Fly Fishing 

Franschhoek 

Tel: +27 21 876 2755 

Galleries 

Franschhoek 

http://www.franschhoekweb.co.za/franschhoek-arts-culture.htm 

Golf 

Paarl 

http://www.paarlgolfclub.co.za/ 

Helicopter Trips 

Winelands Area 

http://www.cape-air.co.za/Winelands.html 

Hiking Trails 

Winelands Area 

http://www.linx.co.za/trails/lists/wc33list.html 

Horse Carriage Drives 

Paarl 

http://www.horsetrails-sa.co.za/weddings.html 

Horse Riding 

Franschhoek 

http://www.paradisestables.co.za/Horse%20Riding.html 

Hot Air Ballooning 

Paarl 

http://www.xtremeadventures.co.za/ballooning.php 

Jet Skiing 

Cape Coast Line 

http://www.bugalooadventures.co.za/main.html 

Life Music 

Cape Town 

http://www.capetowntoday.co.za/Live_music.htm 

MonkeyTown 

Somerset West 

http://www.monkeys.co.za/ 

MotorMuseum 

Franschhoek 

http://www.fmm.co.za/ 

Museums 

Winelands Area & Western Cape 

http://www.capegateway.gov.za/eng/directories/facilities/131 

Paintball 

Paarl 

Tel +27 82 307 6358 

Picknicks 

Franschhoek 

http://www.thecapetownpass.co.za/offers/offe/lepiqueniqueboschendal.asp 

Quad Biking 

Paarl 

Tel +27 82 307 6358 

Restaurants 

Franschhoek 

http://www.franschhoek.co.za/where2dine.html 

Star Gazing 

Franschhoek 

Tel: +27 21 876 3355 

Theatre 

Franschhoek 

Tel: +27 21 874 1000 

Winetasting 

Winelands Area 

http://www.franschhoekwines.co.za/ or http://www.paarlwine.co.za/ 

World of Birds 

Hout Bay 

http://www.worldofbirds.org.za/ 


 Services


SERVICES IN FRANSCHHOEK & SURROUNDING AREA 

WHAT 

WHERE 

CONTACT 

Banks 

Nedbank 

Tel: +27 21 876 9000 

Beauty Salon 

Le Manoir de Brendel Beauty Clinic 

Tel: +27 21 876 4525 

Car Hire 

Comfort Car Hire 

Tel: +27 21 872 4010 

Cinema 

The Screening Room 

Tel: +27 21 876 2125 

Doctor 

Dr Heywood van der Merwe 

Tel: +27 21 876 2474 

Emercency Medical Care 

Medicare EMR 

Tel: +27 21 876 4316 

Grocery Store 

Pick 'n Pay 

Tel: +27 21 876 2075 

Hairdresser 

Salon La Belle 

Tel: +27 21 876 2422 

Handmade Chocolates 

Huguenot Fine Chocolates 

Tel: +27 21 876 4096 

Jewellers 

Schwartz Jewellers 

Tel: +27 21 876 2596 

Laundromat 

La Laundry 

Tel: +27 21 876 4014 

Nursery 

The Pink Geranium Nursery Franschhoek 

Tel: +27 21 876 3551 

Pharmacy 

Franschhoek Pharmacy 

Tel: +27 21 876 2261 

Photo Lab  

Franshhoek Photo Lab and Internet Cafe 

Tel: +27 21 876 4741 

Property Realtors 

Pam Golding International Properties 

Tel: +27 21 876 2100 

Shoes 

Tsonga 

Tel: +27 21 876 3274 

Taxi Service 

Isak de Wet Taxi Service 

Tel: +27 21 876 3413 

Tourist Information 

Franschhoek Tourism 

Tel +27 21 876 3603 

Travel Information 

Franschhoek Tourism 

http://www.franschhoek.org.za/about_franschhoek/travel_information/ 

Wine Sales 

La Cotte Inn Wine Sales / Fromages de France 

Tel: +27 21 876 3775 

 

 

 

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