Nicolette Dirk
EXPERIENCING the taste of Franschhoek’s wine, food and a dose of French tradition were just some of the reasons why this year’s Franschhoek Bastille festival was attended by more than 6 000 people over the weekend.
Bastille Day, France’s national day, is tomorrow.
Despite the rainy weather, people came out in hordes over the two-day period dressed in red, blue and white French-flag themed outfits.
Franschhoek’s boutiques, crafts shops, food emporiums and restaurants also matched the French flag theme. Some of the entertainment along the streets included the All Stars Youth Development entertainers from Wellington and the Simothando Gospel choir.
Vendors like Tshims Tshiteya, who never usually sells his handmade crafts and African memorabilia during winter, braved the cold to showcase his stall of goods from Congo, Mozambique and Zimbabwe to the crowd.
Franschhoek Bastille Festival’s food and wine marquee was one of the main venues and it was packed with more than 2 000 people.
Some of the foods showcased included gourmet menus of oysters, sushi, handmade local and French cheeses, handmade chocolate, and salmon trout from the valley. This was all complemented by the sample wines.
The festival is one of the province’s biggest tourism attractions in the wine industry. Two years ago, it was recognised as the best tourism-related event of the year in the Cape Winelands District.
Kuils River resident Brendan Felix was hoping to get a taste of a blended red wine or a merlot to satisfy his palate.
He said the Franschhoek Bastille was one of the biggest events that showcased the northern suburbs’ wine routes.
“Events like this are also an opportunity to showcase the history of the Western Cape. This is also a big boost for tourism, because it’s such a unique wine festival,” he said.
Somerset West’s Grant Malherbe’s French heritage was one of the motivations that made him brave the cold to attend Saturday’s event.
“The Malherbes came to Franschhoek in the 1600s and I have always appreciated my heritage, so this is why I come to the Bastille every year. An event like this really puts South Africa on the map.
“So many French people get to visit a town like Franschhoek, that it is turned into a little French town. When you come here, you actually feel like you are getting a piece of France because the festival embraces the culture,” he said.
Besides its renowned festival, Franschhoek is also a member of the Délice Network of Good Food Cities of the World.
This year, Franschhoek was also voted third in the 2015 TripAdvisor Travellers’ Choice top 10 destinations in South Africa.