A taste of France in the south

BY MILES GODFREY

Frenchman Jean Francois Langlois must have choked on his champagne.

You would if your fireworks were urinated on by stinky English sailors.

In August 1838 Langlois bought the Banks Peninsula on New Zealand's South Island from local Maori for two manky cloaks, six pairs of trousers, 12 hats, two pairs of shoes, some rusty old pistols and two shirts. Bargain.

Langlois, then aged 30 and rubbing his hands with glee at having secured the 1000 km sq peninsula and a strategic stronghold in the New World for France, set sail for Europe to pick up a motley crew of settlers.

He returned south in 1840 only to find the pesky British had claimed the peninsula and most of the rest of New Zealand for themselves.

As Langlois entered the peninsula's natural harbour, formed by the remnant of a volcano crater, he was forced to inhale a sharp breath because there fluttering in front of him like a big middle finger was the British Union Jack flag.

Despite the setback, and presumably with a philosophical Gallic grunt, Langlois and the settlers decided to stay anyway.

And it is easy to see why. The peninsula and its main village, Akaroa (population a shade under 600) is stunning.

The mountains surrounding Akaroa, 75km south-east of Christchurch, are, as in other parts of New Zealand, soaring, arching, swooping, monstrous beauties. And the village itself is quaint.

Although the British may have got their grubby mits on the Akaroan title deeds, it is the French who appear to have left a bigger cultural legacy.

Today it markets itself as a French colony, complete with street names like Rue Jolie and Rue Lavaud, fluttering tricolours and restaurants serving more creme brulee than is healthy.

And while it sometimes feels a bit faux French (Eiffel Tower candle holders in souvenir shops anyone?), there is a certain charm about it all.

Our visit coincided with the sometimes-annual (it's being canned next year but will be back in 2011) French festival.

The centrepiece is a re-enactment of the first French landing, featuring a sprinkling of semi-drunk Gerard Depardieu lookalikes whooping it up the beach in full period costume.

There's also a village fair-style event with a French cricket tournament, racing waiters and stalls selling local and French produce.

As in previous years, the French ambassador to New Zealand, Michel Legras, opened the festival during a surprisingly formal ceremony, featuring a touching nod to Akaroa's Maori history in the form of a traditional greeting.

It is easy to see why the locals love it; the festival really is a fun event, but perhaps more crucially, it attracts thousands of people and gives a huge boost to the local economy.

And why not. C'est la vie mate, as they say here.

Cleverly clinging to its French history gives the village a unique marketing tool - its je ne sais quoi if you like - to target domestic and overseas customers.

Another Akaroa experience is swooning over the Hector's dolphins which inhabit the sea surrounding the Banks Peninsula and are native to New Zealand.

For $65 you get a two-hour cruise around the harbour to gawp at the dolphins, seals and penguins with Black Cat Cruises. For a little more you can swim with the dolphins.

It is well worth it, mainly because the skipper's running commentary is both funny and pretty informative.

The dolphins are fairly cooperative too. We saw about 20. But their appearance, like the weather, is not guaranteed.

About 75 percent of the residential properties in Akaroa are holiday homes, the design of which is occasionally a sore point with the locals.

Wealthy Christchurch residents have been pushing up property prices by snapping up plots of land and building a sprinkling of uber-modern incongruous homes, all glass and shiny metal affairs, on the hillside for a number of years.

"We call them shark tanks; firstly because of the way they look and secondly because of the people inside them," said one local.

Maison de la Mer, the hugely impressive luxury, boutique lodge-style Bed and Breakfast owned by Carol and Bruce Hyland is far more traditional and totally shark-free.

Like others, Carol and Bruce drove over the mountains to Akaroa, fell in love with the place and decided to stay.

Their property, which has three suites (Provence, Fleur de Lys and the Petite Chambre) and the self-contained Boathouse which is set in an entirely separate but adjoining property, caters mainly for those on romantic getaways.

It is genuinely world-class accommodation, has stunning views, excellent food and is booked up for most of the summer, so you'll have to be sharp.

Eat at Bully Hayes restaurant, named after a notorious American pirate captain said to be a hooligan, bigamist and all-round high-seas rascal.

Monsieur Legras gobbled down the seafood chowder and monkfish there without complaint.

It's reasonably priced and has a decent wine list.

Alternatively try Ma Masion - good food and it has a boat hanging from the ceiling which will keep you entertained for a while.

There are other good restaurants in Akaroa, nearly all using local produce including the tasty farmed salmon.

One of the strong points for Akaroa is that it's a 90-minute drive from the airport at Christchurch - far enough to feel like you're in the middle of nowhere but near enough to be comfortably driveable.

There are also plenty of good cafes dotted along the roads in and out of the village, which are well worth a stop.

I still can't help think that if you want to experience France then go to France.

But if you can't be bothered to fly that far then Akaroa is a decent alternative and makes an excellent long weekend break.

Appropriately enough for a settlement relying on its French ancestry, life in Akaroa is lived at snail's pace.

Nobody really minds if you turn up late for an appointment. They're still following the example set by Jean Francois Langlois in 1840.

IF YOU GO:

Driving to Akaroa takes around 90 minutes from Christchurch airport via the direct route. Add about 30 minutes if taking the more scenic tourist route.

For information and bookings for Maison de la Mer accommodation call 03 304 8907 or visit maisondelamer.co.nz. Room rates begin at $325 a night, including breakfast and local taxes.

Dolphin trips with Black Cat Cruises cost $65 and can be booked at blackcat.co.nz or by calling 03 328 9078.

More information at Christchurch and Canterbury Tourism, christchurchnz.com or 03 379 9629.

The writer was a guest of Christchurch and Canterbury Tourism.

- AAP