Franschhoek is a Village of South Africa, located in the Province of the Cape-Westerner at about fifty kilometers of the city of the Cape.

History

At the 17th century, the governor Simon van der Stel had insisted near the Company of the Eastern Indies so that to him is provided experts will vingerons and of the specialists in the olive-tree in order to cultivate grounds rich in alluvia. The company accepted its request and the December 31st 1687, a first ship transporting of the refugees huguenot S of French origins left the Holland for the Cape. These Huguenots had been found in Holland following the revocation of the edict of Nantes by Louis XIV. The company offered to them a Pécule and a ground to be cultivated in South Africa for one 5 years duration minimum. At the end of a voyage 3 months during which perished of many passengers, some 176 Huguenots unloaded in the Cape during the first quarter 1688. The March 20th 1688, Berg China still transporting many Huguenots left Holland for the Cape. In all, nearly 277 huguenots settled in the colony Dutchwoman.

The governor van der Stel had reserved to them grounds in the valley of Olifantshoek quickly renamed Franschhoek (literally “the corner of the French” in Afrikaans) so that the French can develop the culture of the vine to with it.

The reverend Pierre Simond in vain tried to preserve the use of the French language facing the policy of assimilation of the governor. He asked without success in 1689 that the worship can be exerted in French language. A generation later, the assimilation was successful and more no French-speaking person remained in the colony.

The culture of the vine developed in Franschhoek and in all the valley of Drakenstein thanks to the contribution of French Huguenots. Until in the Eighties, the village is entirely afrikaner, communautée linguist to which belongs the descendants of French Huguenots, and more exactly populated Peuple of language Afrikaans (including/understanding the mongrels). The village counts only 3 anglophone families and a black.

From the Nineties, many farms are repurchased by funds of investments and individuals of European origins, in particular English and French. Nearly 11% of the population of the village east henceforth of English language.

Many French family names remain in the area (of the Roof, Marais, of Plessis, Malan, Malherbe, Joubert). This is why the majority of the farms and wine fields of the valley have names with French consonance (Chamonix, Ormarins, the Shelter).

Since 2000, Franschhoek belongs to the municipality of Stellenbosch.

Tourism

At one hour of car of the city of the Cape, Franschhoek is a village afrikaner calm and vain which gives to the visitors the possibility of tasting with a vast wine range to accompany the refined French kitchen and to visit superb viticultural fields like that of Boschendal.

The borough itself is composed of a main street leading to the memorial and the museum dedicated to Huguenots (Hugenoot Museum) which receives some 60.000 visitors per annum including French 40%. The museum is also a research center genealoqic. Very close the old man Cimetière sheltering is located the burials of Huguenots and their descendants.

Although French is not spoken any more, of many French indications in the city recall the influence of the huguenots, in particular in the viticultural field.