Franschhoek: what to see, where to stay and how to get around
In 1688 and the years after, around two hundred French Protestant refugees reached the Cape and were given farms in this valley, which soon took the name Franschhoek, 'the French corner'. Many of the estates you drive past still carry the names those families gave them. This route starts on foot at the monument and museum, then follows the main road west past the vineyards. Allow a full morning; the tram covers most of it if you want to taste without driving.
A short history of Franschhoek
The valley was first called 'Elephants' Corner', because of the herds that crossed the mountains through it. In 1688 about two hundred Huguenot refugees, French Protestants fleeing persecution, arrived at the Cape of Good Hope, and the Dutch company gave them land in the valley, which took the name Franschhoek, 'the French corner'. They brought experience of growing vines with them, and the farm names are still French. In 1948 the Huguenot Monument was inaugurated in the town. Today most of the valley is covered by vineyards.
The ten best sights in Franschhoek
1Huguenot MonumentThree arches at the top of the main street; the lawn in front is the town's photo spot
2Huguenot Memorial MuseumRight next to the monument; look up your surname on the family-name lists
3Franschhoek Motor MuseumClassic cars on a wine estate; check opening days and book online
-
4La Motte
Wine estate with a museum of the painter J.H. Pierneef
5BoschendalCape Dutch manor house and long lawns for a picnic
-
6Nelson Mandela Statue
At the prison gate he walked out of in 1990; a short stop on the Paarl road
7Afrikaans Language MonumentConcrete spires on Paarl Mountain with a view over the whole valley
-
8Stellenbosch Village Museum
Four furnished houses from four centuries, a block from the oak-lined main street
9Franschhoek PassPull over at the bends on the way up for the view back over the valley
-
10Mont Rochelle Nature Reserve
Fynbos trails above town; start early in summer, there is little shade
Scan with your phone camera to open the map there
What is an audio walk?
Tours in Franschhoek →A guide in your headphones: open the walk on our site, walk from stop to stop, and at each one your phone tells its story. No guide, no group, and free. This is the first walk in Franschhoek:
Free walking tours in Franschhoek
The Huguenot valley
In 1688 and the years after, around two hundred French Protestant refugees reached the Cape and were given farms in this valley, which soon took the name Franschhoek, 'the French corner'. Many of the estates you drive past still carry the names those families gave them. This route starts on foot at the monument and museum, then follows the main road west past the vineyards. Allow a full morning; the tram covers most of it if you want to taste without driving.
- Huguenot Monument · The monument was inaugurated in 1948, for the 250th anniversary of the Huguenot arrival. The three arches stand for the Holy Trinity, and the woman in front holds a Bible and a broken chain, the symbol of freedom of religion.
- Huguenot Memorial Museum · The main museum building is a reconstruction of Saasveld, a Cape Town house designed by the architect Louis Michel Thibault and demolished in the 1950s. Inside are the Bibles, furniture and family trees of the refugee families.
- Haute Cabrière · Achim von Arnim founded Cabrière in 1982 and made a show of opening sparkling-wine bottles with a sabre. The estate's cellar is cut into the slope of the Franschhoek Pass.
- Grande Provence · The wine tram stops right at the gate. It runs on the line that the railway built to Franschhoek in 1904, and the tram was put on it a century later for wine tourists.
- La Motte · La Motte's museum is devoted to Jacob Hendrik Pierneef, the painter whose clean, geometric landscapes became the classic image of the South African countryside.
- Boschendal · The land was granted in 1685 to Jean le Long, one of the first Huguenots in the valley. The white gabled manor house that stands today was built in 1812 and is furnished as a period museum.
Mountains over the vineyards
Before the French arrived the valley was called Olifantshoek, 'elephants' corner', because elephant herds came down here to calve. The mountains around it are covered in fynbos, the low, flowering bush of the Cape that grows nowhere else on earth. This route climbs the pass, then swings round to the dams and granite domes on the Stellenbosch and Paarl side. It is a driving day with short walks; take water and a hat, as there is little shade on the slopes.
- Franschhoek Pass · The road over the pass was built in the 1820s along a track that elephants had used to cross the mountains. Engineers followed their line because the animals had found the gentlest gradient.
- Mont Rochelle Nature Reserve · The reserve protects the mountain fynbos directly above town, part of the Cape Floral Region that UNESCO lists as a World Heritage Site. In spring the proteas and ericas flower along the trails.
- Berg River Dam · The dam was completed in 2007 and feeds Cape Town's water supply. It was one of the first large dams in Africa built to the guidelines of the World Commission on Dams, including releases that imitate the river's natural floods.
- Jonkershoek Nature Reserve · The valley behind Stellenbosch is a dead end closed in by peaks, so the only way out is on foot. Its trails lead to waterfalls that run strongest in the winter rains.
- Paarl Mountain Nature Reserve · In 1657 the Dutch explorer Abraham Gabbema saw the granite domes shine after rain and named the mountain 'Peerlbergh', pearl mountain. The town of Paarl took its name from it.
- Afrikaans Language Monument · The monument was inaugurated in 1975, fifty years after Afrikaans replaced Dutch as an official language. Its tapering columns represent the languages and cultures that fed into Afrikaans.
Freedom road to Stellenbosch
The R45 and R310 tie Franschhoek to the two older towns of the Winelands, Paarl and Stellenbosch. On the way stands the prison from which Nelson Mandela walked free, the end of 27 years behind bars. The route mixes that history with gardens, cars and animals, so there is something for every age in the car. A full day; Stellenbosch is worth an evening on its own if you have one.
- Nelson Mandela Statue · On 11 February 1990 Mandela walked out of the gate of what was then Victor Verster Prison, now Drakenstein Correctional Centre. The bronze statue shows him with his fist raised, as he was photographed that afternoon.
- Babylonstoren · The farm dates from 1692, and its garden is laid out in a grid inspired by the Company's Garden that the Dutch East India Company planted in Cape Town to feed its ships. Almost everything growing in it can be eaten or used.
- Franschhoek Motor Museum · The collection belongs to the Rupert family and is shown on their L'Ormarins estate. Around 80 vehicles are on display at a time, spanning more than a century of motoring, and the line-up changes through the year.
- Drakenstein Lion Park · The lions here were rescued from circuses, zoos and private owners and cannot be released into the wild. Visitors watch from platforms above the enclosures; there is no cub petting.
- Stellenbosch Village Museum · Stellenbosch, founded in 1679 by Simon van der Stel, is the second-oldest town in South Africa. The museum's Schreuderhuis, from around 1709, is one of the oldest surviving town houses in the country.
- Stellenbosch Botanical Garden · The university's garden, opened in 1922, is the oldest university botanical garden in South Africa. It is small, free to walk and full of succulents and plants from the Cape's dry interior.
Getting to Franschhoek and getting around
- Cape Town International Airport · About 50 minutes by car; the natural place to pick up or drop the rental
- Franschhoek Wine Tram · Hop-on hop-off tram and bus loops between the estates, so nobody has to drive after tastings
- Paarl Station · Metrorail to Cape Town runs from here, but it is slow; the car is the easy way
Cheap eats in Franschhoek
The Cape Winelands eat well at every price. Bakeries and delis on Huguenot Road sell pies, sandwiches and coffee, and the Saturday market adds cheese, biltong and baked goods. A light lunch in town costs about R100-180, a fraction of the estate restaurants a few kilometres away.
- Motherdough · Sourdough bakery off the main road; a pastry and coffee about R70-100
- The Hoek · Café on Huguenot Road; coffee about R30-45, a red cappuccino too
- Bootlegger Coffee Company · Breakfast, toasties and coffee; a toasted sandwich about R80-110
- Terbodore Café · Coffee roaster's café at the north end of the road; coffee about R30-45
- Let's Frite · Quick bite a block off the main road; about R70-120
- The Station · Pub with burgers and beer by the tram stop; a burger about R110-160
Museums in Franschhoek
- Huguenot Memorial Museum · Refugee families, their Bibles and furniture; an hour
- Franschhoek Motor Museum · Check opening days before you drive out
- La Motte · Pierneef's landscapes, then a walk in the vineyards
- Boschendal · Period rooms in the 1812 manor house
- Stellenbosch Village Museum · Four houses, four centuries; an hour on foot
Nature and day trips near Franschhoek
- Mont Rochelle Nature Reserve · Fynbos trails straight from the top of the pass
- Franschhoek Pass · Viewpoints at the bends; quiet in the early morning
- Berg River Dam · Lake and mountain views five minutes from town
- Jonkershoek Nature Reserve · Waterfall walks behind Stellenbosch; pay at the gate
- Paarl Mountain Nature Reserve · Climb the granite domes; a chain helps on the steep part
Things to do in Franschhoek with kids
- Franschhoek Wine Tram · Kids ride the open-top tram; grape juice for them at the stops
- Drakenstein Lion Park · Lions seen from raised platforms; feeding days are the busiest
- Butterfly World · Tropical butterflies under glass, plus spiders and reptiles
- Giraffe House · Giraffes and small local animals; easy for toddlers
- Babylonstoren · Chickens, a maze of fruit trees and a prickly-pear hedge maze
Where to eat in Franschhoek
- La Petite Colombe · Long tasting menus, among the country's best; book weeks ahead
- Ryan's Kitchen · Chef's counter with South African flavours
- The French Connection · Bistro classics on the main road; walk-in friendly
- Leopard's Leap Rotisserie · Spit-roasted meat and vegetables served family style
- Haute Cabrière · Sparkling-wine tasting in the cellar before dinner in town
- The Franschhoek Beer Co · Craft beer and pizza for those tired of wine
Frequently asked questions about Franschhoek
What is there to see in Franschhoek?
The top sights in Franschhoek are Huguenot Monument, Huguenot Memorial Museum and Franschhoek Motor Museum. The full list on this page has 10 sights, each with a photo and a short note.
How many days do you need in Franschhoek?
Three to four days are enough to see the best of Franschhoek without rushing, including at least one walking tour.
Is there a free walking tour in Franschhoek?
Yes. sleepntrip has 3 free audio walks in Franschhoek, with no guide and no group: your phone tells the story at every stop. The first one: The Huguenot valley.
How do you get to Franschhoek and get around?
The main ways are Cape Town International Airport, Franschhoek Wine Tram and Paarl Station. Full details are in the transport section on this page.
Where to stay in Franschhoek, and for how much?
sleepntrip shows only rooms in Franschhoek that meet nine conditions: a good location, high guest scores, cleanliness, and a price of up to $80 a night for two. Pick your dates and see what is free.
Looking for a hotel in Franschhoek for your dates?
Only rooms that meet nine conditions, up to $80 a night.