Franschhoek Wine Valley & Tourist Association

Franschhoek is South Africa's French Corner — a name that has endured since 1688, when a wave of French Huguenot refugees fleeing religious persecution settled in this sheltered valley at the foot of the Drakenstein Mountains. They brought with them centuries of European agricultural knowledge, and they named their farms for the places they had left behind: La Motte, Champagne, La Cotte, Cabriere, La Provence, Bourgogne, La Dauphine. Most of those farms still stand today, their original Cape Dutch homesteads now the centrepieces of some of South Africa's most celebrated wine estates.

The Franschhoek Wine Valley and Tourist Association was established to unite this extraordinary collection of farms, restaurants, and hospitality businesses under a single destination brand. Today it coordinates tourism marketing, events, and visitor services for a valley that has earned the unofficial title of South Africa's food and wine capital. More than forty wine estates are members of the association, and the valley is home to some of the highest concentrations of award-winning restaurants in the country.

The wines of Franschhoek reflect the valley's unique geography. Hemmed in on three sides by mountains, the terroir benefits from diverse soil types — decomposed granite, clay, and alluvial deposits — and a climate moderated by mountain shelter and afternoon breezes. The valley excels with Methode Cap Classique sparkling wines, Semillon, Cabernet Franc, and Bordeaux-style blends, though the range of varietals produced across its estates is remarkably broad.

One of the valley's most distinctive attractions is the Franschhoek Wine Tram, which follows a historic 1904 branch railway line that once served farmers transporting produce to Paarl. Decommissioned in the 1990s, the line was revived in 2012 as a tourism experience using double-decker trams modelled on the 1920s Blackpool tramcars. The tram and hop-on-hop-off bus service now connects multiple wine estates along several routes, offering visitors a leisurely and safe way to explore the valley without driving.

The association's annual events calendar includes the Franschhoek Cap Classique and Champagne Festival, the Franschhoek Literary Festival, and the boisterous Bastille Day celebrations each July — a tribute to the valley's Huguenot heritage. The Huguenot Memorial Museum in the centre of town tells the story of the original settlers and their lasting influence on Cape culture.

From its visitor centre in the village, the association provides booking services, maps, and curated itineraries for a destination that offers world-class wine, fine dining, boutique accommodation, and three centuries of living history within a single, stunningly beautiful valley.