Post offered to Yvette Van Der Merwe
New President of OIV - Organisation Internationale de la Vigne et du Vin
From the CENTRE D'HISTOIRE DE LA VIGNE ET DU VIN
The emigration of French Protestant winegrowers to South Africa after the revocation of the Edict of Nantes in 1685 is a fascinating chapter in the history of French Huguenots and South African winegrowing.
The revocation of the Edict by Louis XIV led to the persecution of Protestants in France, forcing many Huguenots to flee to more tolerant lands.
Many fled to the Netherlands, Switzerland, Germany, England and even the American colonies.
Among them, some were attracted by the opportunity to settle in the Cape of Good Hope, #CAPTOWN a colony of the Dutch East India Company.
Encouraged by the Dutch authorities, who saw the Huguenots as excellent winegrowers, around 150 to 200 French Protestant families emigrated to the Cape Colony between 1688 and 1700. They settled mainly in the Franschhoek region (which means "the French corner"), in the fertile valley around sixty kilometres from Cape Town.
Many of the Huguenots had viticultural skills acquired in France, especially those from wine-growing regions such as Charente, Saintonge and Languedoc. In South Africa, they brought their expertise and grape varieties, contributing to the development of the South African wine industry.
Prior to their arrival, attempts at winemaking in the region by the Dutch had met with little success. The French settlers, by bringing more advanced methods of vine cultivation and winemaking, played a crucial role in the production of better quality wines. They introduced various winemaking practices, and certain grape varieties adapted to the Cape's Mediterranean climate thrived in local conditions.
The influence of the French Huguenots can still be felt today in the Franschhoek region, where family names, place names and even certain cultural aspects reflect this French heritage. Franschhoek is now recognised as one of South Africa's leading wine-growing centres, producing a wide variety of quality wines.
Despite their contribution, the Huguenots had to adapt to a new geographical and social environment. Their practices and customs sometimes differed from those of the Dutch established in the colony, which created some initial tensions. Over time, however, the two communities gradually merged, adopting local values and customs while retaining a distinct heritage.
John Barker Yann Juban Sophie Pallas
Pierre-Louis TEISSEDRE AZÉLINA JABOULET-VERCHERRE François Rebsamen Laurent Delaunay LAURE MENETRIER Christophe Riou Valérie Lempereur
