Winegrowing area in South Africa with the city of the same name about 60 kilometers east of Cape Town. The district has no Wards and belongs to the Coastal Region. The town was founded by 200 Huguenots who were expelled from France in 1688. The name means "French Corner" or "French Angle" (formerly Olifantshoek, because elephants lived there). One year before, Dutch settlers under Simon van der Stel (1639-1712) had already built a 50-hectare farm there. Jacques (Jacob) de Villiers (1661-1735) planted vineyards and founded a wine-growing dynasty with his brothers, including the Boschendal winery. The French quickly adapted and after only one generation Afrikaans was spoken throughout.
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Markus J. Eser
Weinakademiker und Herausgeber „Der Weinkalender“