The village of Franschhoek is located about 50 minutes from Cape Town (via either the N1 or the N2, past Stellenbosch). Babylonstoren, the location of the wedding venue, is about 10 minutes from the center of Franschhoek. See the googlemaps link below.
Given the location of the wedding at Babylonstoren, which is just outside Franschhoek, we HIGHLY recommend that you stay in Franschhoek or on site at Babylonstoren with us. If you would like to arrange accommodation at Babylonstoren, please email reservations@babylonstoren.com for options or take a look at the website (babylonstoren.com/).
As a rule, accommodation in Franschhoek can be expensive unless booked in advance. However, it is generally of a very high standard, usually located in a Cape Dutch farmhouse and often includes an amazing breakfast. Alternatively, there are loads of good Airbnbs in the area. Here follows a wide range of suggested accommodation for the wedding:
La Providence: Fantastic mid-high end guesthouse with awesome breakfast. We stayed here and loved it. Book early as limited number of rooms. Also note that it is is 10 minute walk from Hugenot Memorial at far end of Franschoek's main road (www.laprovidence.co.za).
Boschendal: Renowned wine estate, located on the wine tram route, the location of the picnic on the final day and 5 minutes from Babylonstoren. Offers a range of reasonable options, including 2-6 person cottages for group bookings (https://www.boschendal.com/farm-accommodation). The Mountain Villa, which has 6 double beds and its own lake, is a great option (https://www.boschendal.com/farm-accommodation/view/mountain-villa).
Centre-Ville: 9 rooms, family run guesthouse, very central in village. Probably the most reasonable, but also the most basic (www.centre-ville.co.za).
Leeu House: Very central, small high-end boutique hotel in the centre of Franschhoek (also home to Franschhoek's most extravagant restaurant). Note there is also Leeu Estates, its sister property, which is situated in its own vineyard, a short 10 minute drive from the main street. Both properties are very nice (www.leeucollection.com).
Akademie: Charming boutique hotel, some rooms come with hot tubs but also offers a family cottage which sleeps 4 (www.aka.co.za).
Franschhoek Country House & Villas: Larger boutique hotel with 5* amenities (www.fch.co.za).
La Residence: Absolutely BEAUTIFUL (but completely unaffordable) renaissance style hotel (sister to the Silo), with amazing food and wine. An absolute must for lunch or dinner (which is much more reasonable) and located a 10 minute walk from central Franschhoek. Recommended if you are feeling fancy (www.theroyalportfolio.com).
Protea Hotel Franschhoek: Marriott managed hotel in centre of village. Decent rates if booked in advance. Ideally located and good for anyone with an SPG credit card... (www.marriott.co.uk).
La Fountaine: Centrally located mid-range boutique hotel with four categories of rooms, book early if you want a more reasonable room or room with a mountain view. Complimentary bikes and shuttles (www.lafontainefranschhoek.co.za).
Villa rentals: If you are attending with a group or a family, the most economical accommodation option in Franschhoek is likely to be renting a villa. Cape Town Villas (info@capetownvillas.net) has a good range of options as does Airbnb. Again, make enquiries early, this is high season etc.
The restaurants in both Cape Town and Franschhoek are AWESOME! They are all, relatively speaking, really reasonably priced and the food and wine are all local and excellent. That being said, YOU NEED TO MAKE RESERVATIONS IN ADVANCE FOR MOST PLACES (for basically everywhere, other than casual dining). There is also a strong concentration of high end French restaurants (given the history with the Huguenots), we have mentioned some of these below and have also suggested some more casual options:
Le Petite Ferme: Excellent French cuisine and produces its own wine. Go for sunset, have a glass of MCC on the terrace overlooking the Franschhoek valley and and ask for a table by the window. Need to book in advance (www.lapetiteferme.co.za).
Allora: Casual option. Hearty Italian restaurant in the centre of town – good if you want a night off from French cuisine, with a wood oven and friendly ambiance (www.allora.co.za).
La Residence: Already included in the hotel recommendations but a must for lunch/dinner/drinks too - seems snooty, but shorts and hoodie are fine (FYI SA dress code is relaxed)!
(www.theroyalportfolio.com)
Le Coin Francais: Elegant French cuisine, drawing inspiration from the Franschhoek valley (the name translates to 'Franschhoek' or 'French Corner'). Sensational tasting menus with wine pairing. High-end but very reasonable compared to London or Dubai (www.lecoinfrancais.co.za).
Tuk Tuk Microbewery: Casual option. Serves its own craft beer and Mexican-inspired food (located next to Leeu House on Franschhoek's bustling main street). Always busy (www.leeucollection.com).
Foliage: Experimental cuisine with a USP that all ingredients have been foraged that week by the madcap chef. Formal restaurant where 12 courses is the norm. Need to book in advance (www.foliage.co.za).
Reubens: Tasty but uncomplicated food. Good alternative to other slightly fussier options in center of Franschoek village, particularly if you've have 12 courses the night before (www.reubens.co.za ).
La Petite Columbe: Known as one the best restaurants in South Africa. Slightly guilty of jumped-up hubris, but it is critically acclaimed. Obviously book ahead (www.lapetitecolombe.com).
Roca: Unsurpassed view of the Franschhoek valley (the food is fine but go for the view), violin music and pleasant, informal atmosphere. Walk up from the village on the valley side (past Chamonix and Black Elephant into Dieu Donne) for sunset (www.rocarestaurant.co.za).
As noted elsewhere, we would very much encourage those attending to hire a car, not so much for the wedding but because it's very cheap in South Africa and is useful for going onwards after the wedding.
For the wedding, we will be organising transport to and from the various venues and further information will be provided in due course.
Uber does operate in South Africa although, in Franschhoek, the wait can be up to 20 minutes. An efficient, cost effective alternative is Jaci's taxis, https://www.hellofranschhoek.co.za/listing/jaci-tours-transfers-and-taxi/ or Franschhoek Taxi's (+27 63 703 5274).
One of the joys of Franschhoek is simply pottering about the idyllic town, looking in the shops, buying odds and sods and speaking to the townfolk, before the crushing realisation dawns that your enjoyment at such things means your youth has escaped you.
Aside from the town itself, Franschhoek is mainly about the wine, the mountains and the beautiful wine estates, and those should really be your focus! One of the best things to do to see and experience Franschhoek and other valleys is to take the Wine Tram (www.winetram.co.za/).
The tram starts from the centre of Franschhoek and the easiest way to experience it is to take the 'hop-on, hop-off' option. There are 8 different lines you can pick from (although 4 are just the reverse of the other 4) and, depending on your stamina, you can usually visit approx. 5 - 6 wineries on a line during a day (9am - 5pm). As with everything else, you should book tickets in advance as it can sell out during peak season or on weekends. All the lines have merit, but our favourites are the Green or Pink lines as they include some of the most special vineyards such as Le Lude (famous for its South African champagne, MCC), Grande Provence (with its Anton Smit statutes and art gallery), Glenwood (a hidden treasure at the end of a dirt track with fantastic chardonnay). Most importantly, PLEASE DO NOT VISIT OUR WEDDING VENUES IN ADVANCE OF THE WEDDING (on the Purple and Orange routes).
Other vineyards we would recommend in Franschhoek include: (i) Rupert & Rothschild (www.rupert-rothschildvignerons.com.); (ii) Haute Cabriere (www.cabriere.co.za); (iii) Eikehof (eikehof.com/); and (iv) Delaire Graff (www.delaire.co.za/).
Further afield, for serious wine fans, we would recommend: (i) Kanenkop (www.kanonkop.co.za/); (ii) Morgenhof (www.morgenhof.com/); (iii) Simonsig (www.simonsig.co.za/); and (iv) Delheim (www.delheim.com/).
If you are wined out, then there are also lots of outdoors options:
Hiking: Hike from La Motte to the top of the surrounding mountains and come back for lunch at their fantastic restaurant, Pierneef (www.la-motte.com/pages/hiking-trail). There are also lots of trails around Mont Rochelle wine estate (Richard Branson's place) (www.montrochellehiking.co.za/).
Franschhoek's Saturday market: Based in the centre of the village on a Saturday morning between 9am and 3pm, with live music, early morning sparkling wine and local crafts etc (franschhoekvillagemarket.co.za/).
Bicycle rentals: Cycle up the Franschhoek pass to see the whole valley (www.tripadvisor.co.uk/Attraction_Review-g469391-d2674901-Reviews-Franschhoek_Cycles-Franschhoek_Western_Cape.html).
Dylan Lewis Sculpture Garden: We haven't actually visited the garden, but those who have really do rave about it! Visits are by appointment call (+27 (0)21 880 0054) or email (reservations@dylanart.co.za).
Nightlife is something of a grandiose term for what is essentially one quite small late-night opening pub, but the Elephant & Barrel is all that Franschhoek offers! It's a lively pub just off the main street, which usually has live music, lots of outdoor seating and is the only spot that is open past 1am (elephantandbarrel.co.za/ ). As mentioned elsewhere, please do not walk home alone - especially in the dark.