The Cape Winelands around the range of mountains to the east of Cape Town were settled in the 1600's by settlers from European countries who brought their knowledge of viticulture with them. Many of these early settlers were French Huguenots and their legacy can still be found in the names of the estates, La Provence, La Motte, Haute Provence and L'Ormarins are some of the better known producers of fine wines founded by those early pioneers.
The Wine Route, as it is known, is a popular day tour from Cape Town with most of the estates offering wine tasting and sales. Many of them also include top quality restaurants while others provide picnic baskets which can be enjoyed on the lawns
under shady oaks, one of the first to offer this type of catering is Boschendal Estate, situated between the university town of Stellenbosch and Franschoek, the estate is a producer of several excellent wines.
The pocket sized town of Franschoek boasts some 27 restaurants at last count with an enormous variety of choice, from gourmet breakfasts to top quality dinners including smoked trout from the clear and unpolluted local rivers and lakes.
