Luxury holidays in Franschhoek

For wining, dining – and a little more wining – amid dramatic scenery, there’s no better spot than Franschhoek in South Africa’s Western Cape. You’ll be in good company: rumour has it Richard Branson has just bought a pad nearby. A few miles from Cape Town, this once-sleepy, country hideaway is a secret retreat for those in the culinary know. Gastronomes can dine very well in some of the World’s 50 Best Restaurant winners and swish a few glasses in highly renowned wine cellars. Visit the Huguenot Monument and Memorial Museum for local flavour of a different kind: the influence of the French immigrants who settled here in the late 17th century can still be felt throughout the region. After a few days sipping in the sun you may well consider becoming an émigré yourself.