| We are going to Christchuch for the heats of Zone VII’s Bridge World Championship.
We taked the opportunity to visit Akaroa for 3 days. It was the low season and there was nobody but in summers it’s overpopulated.
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Akaroa is an historic French and British settlement situated in the heart of an ancient volcano on the French Bay, just 85 kilometres from the city of Christchurch. There are 650 inhabitants. In 1838 a French whaler, Captain Langlois arrived to Akaroa and bought 30 000 acres of land to Maoris. He returned to France, floated the Nanto-Bordelaise company, and sail for New Zealand with 57 Frenches aboard the ship Comte de Paris, with the intention of forming a French colony on a French South Island of New Zealand. However, by the time Langlois and his colonists arrived at Banks Peninsula in August 1840, the Treaty of Waitangi had already been signed and New Zealand's first Governor, Hobson, had declared sovereignty over the whole of New Zealand. When Langlois and his colonists arrived, the British flag waved on Akaroa. The French settlers stayed on, making Akaroa the first colonial settlement in New Zealand's South Island,but their colony was not to be French. Neverthe’less, the French left a mark on Akaroa, laying out its charming narrow streets and planting many walnut trees and roses whose descendants survive.
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Today Akaroa exudes historic charm, and to visit it is to take a step back in time. You can walk to the town’s narrow streets at tranquil charm with little cottages with lovely gardens. There are many streets and cottages with french names : rue Jolie, rue Benoit, rue Lavaud, rue Croix.
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| What's really great: |
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There is a marvellous cruise to do with Dolphin Experience : the encounter with wild dolphins in their natural habitat : “the Hector’s Dolphins”. They are amongst the smallest and rarest of all the world’s dolphin species. Adult females reach a maximum size about 1,4 m - 48 kg, while adult are a litle smaller. A newborn is just 76cm – 8kg.
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| Sights: |
We drived around the Summit Road which traverse much of Peninsula, one cannot drive anywhere and be disappointed by the glorious views. There are really marvellous points of view.
A most picturesque bay is “Le Bons Bay” with a fine sand beachon the north-east coast .
We were very lucky with a marvellous sunny weather.
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We are living in L’Hotel, charming place with welcoming proprietor and very good Italian restaurant.
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| Restaurants: |
Le Jardin Café is a new café where you can eat quick meals.
If you want to eat good breakfast you must go "chez Turenne Cofee Shop".
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Published on Friday January 27th, 2006
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Wed, Mar 01 2006 - 12:02 PM
 by marianne
| Good report but I missed the caprions for the pictures |
Mon, Jan 30 2006 - 02:07 AM
 by ravinderkumarsi
Fri, Jan 27 2006 - 04:46 PM
by davidx
| After all your wonderful photos I was waiting for a report from you - and this was worth waiting for. Thanks. I hope for some more! |
Fri, Jan 27 2006 - 03:46 PM
by frenchfrog
| Very nice report, nice to see the French culture in this part of the worls. I would also to see the dolpins. |
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