Street scenes in Franschhoek, South Africa. Founded 1688, it’s one of the oldest towns in the country.

Facts About Franschhoek

+ La Motte, Champagne, La Cotte, Cabrière, La Provence, Bourgogne, La Terra de Luc and La Dauphine were among some of the first established farms — most of which still retain their original Cape Dutch farm houses today. These farms have grown into renowned wineries.

+ The Cape Dutch architecture in much of the village is unspoilt, as restrictions have been placed on many renovations and new construction in order to preserve the spirit of the original settlers to the area.

+ Franschhoek’s weekend Bastille Festival has been celebrated every July since 1994, the year of the first South African general election with universal adult suffrage marking the end of the apartheid era.

+ In 1904, a 27 km branch line was built between Paarl and Franschhoek to serve as an alternative to ox drawn carts for farmers wanting to get their produce to market.

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