Franschhoek means French corner, and the story behind the name is one of the Cape's founding tales. In 1688, a group of Huguenot refugees fleeing religious persecution in France were granted land in this high valley by the Dutch East India Company, and they brought vines and winemaking skills with them. Their descendants still carry names like Du Plessis and Malherbe, the farms have French names, and a monument at the head of the village commemorates them with three tall arches and a statue.
The setting is a sheltered, steep-sided valley enclosed by mountains, with lines of oaks and poplars, whitewashed Cape Dutch gables and rows of vines turning gold and red in autumn. Today the village is known more for its food than its history, with a great number of restaurants for a place of its size, and for wine estates offering tastings. A vintage tram runs between farms in summer, and many visitors come from Cape Town for the day.
The riding is the other reason to come. The road from Stellenbosch runs between farms and vineyards in gentle bends, and from the village the Franschhoek Pass climbs steeply toward the east, with hairpins and wide views over the valley. Traffic can be heavy at weekends and on summer holidays, so a weekday morning is much better. In winter the mountains are often draped in cloud, and rain can make cobbles and painted lines slippery in the village.
The village has fuel stations, cafés and a few small shops, though a larger range of workshops and supplies is found in Stellenbosch, about twenty-four kilometres away, and Paarl nearly the same distance in the other direction. The best time for a visit is spring, when the vineyards are green and the weather is mild, or autumn, when the leaves change colour and the harvest is over. Book a table if you want to eat at one of the better restaurants, and watch your alcohol intake before you ride, since the roads are narrow and there are police checks on weekends.