Welcome to Visit Franschhoek – the complete tourist information guide to the beautiful gourmet town of Franschhoek – also known as the Gourmet Capital of South Africa.

Franschhoek is one of the most beautiful wine villages in the world and stands out as the premier wine and food region of South Africa.
No visit to South Africa should be complete without a visit to this breathtaking village.
Tourism, wine and food plays a leading role in the history and future of Franschhoek.

Franschhoek is surrounded by beautiful mountains which offer magnificent views throughout the year.
It is here in Franschhoek where you will find world-class cuisine, mouth-watering wines, friendly people and impeccable service – everything you need to make your Franschhoek memories last forever.
The centre of the village is where almost everything happens.
The main street of Franschhoek is lined with restaurants, coffee shops, curio shops, art galleries, antique shops and so much more.
It’s a place where outsiders soon feel at home and something that we hear from visitors on a daily basis is that a 2 night visit to Franschhoek is just not enough to experience everything that there is to see, do and taste in the region – in fact – we recommend a minimum of 4 nights to scratch the surface.

The off-season months (May to September) is also known as the Franschhoek Secret Season and is often one of the best times of the year to visit.
The weather is mild and accommodation is on average 20% to 40% cheaper – not only in Franschhoek, but throughout South Africa.
You will find that many of the Franschhoek restaurants offer great specials during this time and offer fun, themed evenings.
The wine estates have their fireplaces lit, bring our special vintages and are less crowded.
During the summer or high season months (October to April) it is advisable to book your accommodation well in advance as Franschhoek is often booked out months ahead of time.
It also happens often that restaurants and day tour operators are booked out for weeks on end with no last minute availability.

A Short History of Franschhoek
In 1685, the Edict of Nantes was revoked in France when Protestantism was outlawed and hundreds of the so-called French Huguenots fled their homeland - 277 of them arrived by ship at the Cape of Good Hope.
Many of them were given land by the Dutch government in a valley called Oliphantshoek (Elephant’s Corner) – so named because of the vast herds of elephant that roamed the area at the time.
Soon after the French Huguenots settled here, the town became known as Franschhoek – the Dutch name for “French Corner”.
The French heritage lived on today in Franschhoek with the Huguenot Monument standing proudly at the top of the Franschhoek Village.
The Franschhoek Museum nearby chronicles the history of those brave pioneers, with each of the original Huguenot farms having its own fascinating story to tell.
Today Franschhoek is not just seen as the wine and gourmet capital of South Africa, but also as a lifestyle destination.

Driving into Franschhoek you will notice that most of the wine farms still bear their original French names and are usually complete with a spectacular Cape Dutch homestead, towering oak trees and splendid vineyards.
The www.franschhoekvineyardhopper.co.za is one of the best ways to visit the vineyards of Franschhoek.
Franschhoek is a vibrant little village with lots to see and do and definitely not to be missed on your visit to the Western Cape of South Africa.

Festivals and Events in the Franschhoek Valley
Franschhoek (much like the French), have a rich history of festivals and events.
These events really do make Franschhoek a year round tourist destination and both local as well as foreign visitors enjoy every moment that they spend in this lovely valley.
Some of the festivals and events in and around Franschhoek include:

• Franschhoek Harvest Festivals (various wine estates offer these in summer)
• Annual Franschhoek Bastille Festival
• Franschhoek Literally Festival
• Franschhoek Lions Club Mountain Bike Event
• Cook Franschhoek
• Franschhoek Uncorked
• Franschhoek Open Gardens
• Franschhoek Methode Cap Classique and Champagne Festival
• Franschhoek Farmers Markets
• Franschhoek Summer Wines
• Franschhoek Winter Wines
• Franschhoek Mystery Weekend

Weddings and Conferences in the Franschhoek Valley
Franschhoek have been the ideal wedding setting for as long as we care to remember and is today one of South Africa’s premier wedding destinations.
Anyone who has been married here will tell you that the beautiful and serene Franschhoek Valley is the perfect place to start your life-long journey together.
The romantic scenery of Franschhoek adds to a wedding’s ambience and ensures that you never to be forgotten day is just more special.
With numerous wedding venues to choose from you’re bound to find some place beautiful, but we warned: during high season (September to April) there are between 55 to 85 weddings per month with venues in and around Franschhoek booked and confirmed up to 2 years in advance.
If you have guests that requires accommodation you are better off also booking this in advance as Franschhoek is an extremely popular tourist destination.
If you require assistance with finding available accommodation you are welcome to email us at info@central-reservation.net and our friendly team will gladly assist you.

For our corporate guests, Franschhoek offers some amazing conference venues and often offer special rates during the off season period (May to September).
Many corporate clients prefer visiting Franschhoek for their conference or team building as it is great to “just get away from it all”.
Cape Town is only 1 hour away by car, so it is ideal to come and do some work in Franschhoek and then relax at your hotel or guest house in the evening while enjoying stunning views and sipping on some of the world class and award winning wines that Franschhoek has to offer.

Accommodation in Franschhoek
The accommodation in Franschhoek includes hotel accommodation, accommodation in guest houses, bed and breakfasts and self-catering accommodation including holiday houses, luxury apartments, suites, villas and country cottages on wine estates.
Franschhoek is ideal for holiday and business travellers alike.
Most of the hotel and guest house accommodation in Franschhoek is close to the historic town centre or close to the vineyards.
Most establishments in Franschhoek offer free Wi-Fi.

Day Tours from Franschhoek
Franschhoek is ideally situated to take various interesting guided as well as self-drive day tours.
With Franschhoek being situated right in the heart of wine country we would advise to drink responsibly and rather take a Driver or Guided Wine Tour as opposed to driving yourself.
There are so many options to choose from, but, to name but a few, the most popular options include the Franschhoek Vineyard Hopper, the Chocolate – Cheese – Olive and Wine Tour, the Gourmet Delights Tour and also the Mystery Tours.
At night we recommend that you make use of a shuttle service to take you to the restaurants.
The Franschhoek wines are delicious and it is better not to drink and drive.
Top Tip: Wine Tours are a lot more affordable if you do it from the winelands vs doing it from Cape Town.

Restaurants in Franschhoek
Franschhoek is known as the Gourmet Capital of South Africa and for good reason.
Some of the best restaurants in South Africa is to be found right here in Franschhoek.
Representing some of the best in local and international cuisine, Franschhoek offers a wide selection of restaurants to suit every palate, budget and mood.
We would suggest that you book your table well in advance to avoid disappointment.

Franschhoek Taxi Service Franschhoek Vineyard Hopper Kapama Safari Lodges La Rochelle Tours South African Day Tours Franschhoek Wine Tours Le Franschhoek Hotel Avondrood Guest House Le Petit Bijou Luxury Self-Catering La Petite Ferme Restaurant Franschhoek Taxis Grande Provence Wine Estate Franschhoek Taxis Grande Provence Wedding Venue