Top Tips: Franschhoek

 

Akademie Street is a boutique hotel and guest house in the beautiful village of Franschhoek. I can personally recommend this one and have fantastic memories of staying in the house pictured above.

Hazel (manager) shares her top tips for the area:-

Franschhoek is a small village type town – mainly French origins. The focal point of the village I would say is the monument and museum with the historical aspect of the town. The central village offers various products such as curio, art, paintings, pottery, handcrafted Belgium chocolates, etc.

Placed in such a unique corner with surrounding mountains and vineyards makes the area ideal for hiking, cycling, horse riding, fly-fishing, wine tasting or even taking a ‘fynbos’ tour.

If you want a real good gastronomic experience, this is the place to be in. Lots of restaurants are placed along the main hub of the village, a short walk from nearby accommodation establishments. A few however are a little further out on wine farms. You’ll find yourself indulging in food combinations which will leave you amazed.

Wine experiences are another way of spending your day – choose from private wine touring with a trained tour guide or even a connoisseur; or alternatively having a relaxed visitation on your own.

Boutique wine farms with warm personality would be:

Stony Brook

My Wijn with their beautiful mountain track

Glenwood – scenic with relaxed environment

Lynx wine farm is further out of the village about 15km from Franschhoek central village (en-route to Paarl).

Other wine farms of interest:

Allee Bleue (their Pinotage),

Antonij Rupert wines (at L'Ormarins),

Graham Beck (a big winery but what a range - and some are marvellous wines) and

Solms Delta Heritage Museum called ‘Museum van de Caab’ – the restaurant ‘Fyndraai’ offers South African cuisine.