Rouxville, Xhariep Region
If you haven't heard of Rouxville, someone you know will have stopped off here on their way to East London on the N6, possibly after overnighting at somewhere like Smithfield.
Despite outward appearances, Rouxville, which lies in the southern most reaches of the Free State roughly 170 kilometres south of Bloemfontein, is more than a wee farming village with a petrol station, a bottle store and a shop or two.
Rouxville definitely lacks the attraction of other small towns like Smithfield, where the restaurants and the obvious residence of at least a couple of artists makes it so interesting, but there are other things going for it. First of all it has one impressive view of the Maluti Mountains.
And that's what makes Rouxville such an attraction in my mind. You see, it is really close to other great places - like Zastron, Aliwal North, Smithfield, Bethulie and the Gariep Dam - but it has none of the 'discovered and claimed' atmosphere that seems to bewitch little towns once other arrive to claim it as theirs. It is also in the midst of some wonderful walks, and simple tramping around the village's pretty streets, lined with older houses, half of which have been, or are about to be, restored is worth a stop in Rouxville.
Additional Reading
For more info about Rouxville see our articles on the SA Travel News Blog: • Rouxville - A Nothing-Doing Town Or An Ideal Breakaway?
Travellers' Reviews
2 Reviews from SA-Venues.com travellers. All reviews are verified.
Verified review
So het ek groot geword in Rouxville, my familie nog steeds daar. Desember 2011 toe ek daar was, mens was dit seer binne my. Rouxville, so stil en rustig soos dit jare gelede was. Pragtige dorpie, pragtige mense. Daar het ek iemand geken en nou dat ek amper 20 jaar later in Bloemfontein woonsaam is voel dit nog steeds of ek niemand ken nie.
Annelize Kellerman (Bloemfontein)
Verified review
I grew up in Rouxville, and even today the place has a special taste to it. The dust streets, the old houses - glad to see that some has been renovated. Especially the view of the distant mountains that surround the town. Sad to see about the old station and hope that one day it will be restored and renovated - maybe for a museum to its old glory. This will always be my hometown, and the barren beauty will stay with me forever.
Gerda Botha Mew (CAPE TOWN)
In the vicinity
Hotels & other accommodation options
The Nest B&B Lodge
The Nest B&B Lodge is set off the N6 on the Gateway to the Eastern Cape and easy to find! Situated 5km North of Aliwal North on the Free State si...
Noteworthy attractions
Karoo Gariep Conservancy
Karoo is a “quenna” word meaning “dry and hard”. Gariep is also a “quenna” word meaning “big water”or river. The Karoo Gariep Concervancy is foun...
Tankwa Karoo National Park
The 80 000 hectare Tankwa Karoo National Park, proclaimed in 1986 and still in a development stage, is at present in a veld recovery phase and it...
Gariep Dam Nature Reserve
The Free State's largest nature reserve is a combination of the 36 487 ha Gariep Dam on the Orange River and an 11 237 ha game sanctuary on its n...
Kalkfontein Dam Nature Reserve
Lying just south east of Koffiefontein in the south western Free State, Kalkfontein Dam Nature Reserve on the Riet River is not usually visited e...
Tussen die Riviere Game Reserve
Tussen die Riviere Game Reserve is one of the most accessible game reserves in the Free State. Situated in Bethuli, you can get there from Bloemf...
Oviston Nature Reserve
The Oviston Nature reserve lies close to the little Karoo towns of Venterstad and Oviston roughly two hours’ drive from Bloemfontein. That it is ...
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