Montagu lies at the western gateway to the Klein Karoo where the Keisie River emerges from dramatic mountain passes linking the Breede River Valley to the interior. The town was originally laid out as a relatively compact grid of streets in the fork of the Keisie and Kingna Rivers but now spreads across the valley floors. Framed by steep mountains and fertile farmland, historic buildings line the central streets, while orchards and vineyards extend outward along the river and valley slopes.

History

Montagu was established in 1851 as a farming service centre for the surrounding valleys and as a staging point on the routes connecting the Overberg and the Karoo. The town developed alongside the wagon roads and later the famous Cogmanskloof Pass, which improved access through the mountains. Agriculture, particularly fruit farming and irrigation along the Keisie River, shaped the growth of the settlement during the late 19th and early 20th centuries.