The Oldest Farm on Akaroa Harbour
French Farm Bay sits on the western side of Akaroa Harbour, directly across the water from Akaroa on Banks Peninsula. It is a quiet, sheltered bay flanked by farmed and vineyard-covered hills, and its history dates back to the earliest years of European settlement at the harbour.
The Aube and the French Farm
The Māori name for the bay and the creek that flows into it is Te Rautahi. European naming came directly from the French naval presence that followed the arrival of French settlers in 1840. The colonisation plan of the Nanto-Bordelaise Company had the backing of the French government, which sent the naval corvette Aube ahead of the settler ship Comte de Paris. Captain Lavaud of the Aube carried the role of Commissaire du Roi, appointed to administer the settlement and oversee French whalers in the area.
By the time Lavaud arrived in New Zealand waters in 1840, the Treaty of Waitangi had already been signed, and British sovereignty had been declared over the whole country. Rather than withdraw from the colony, the French and British reached a working arrangement: Lavaud administered the French settlement alongside a British magistrate.
The crew of the Aube established a working farm to feed themselves and to supply the Akaroa settlement at the bay now known as French Farm. Initially, it was named for Duke Decazes, a Freemason, industrialist and politician who had backed the colonisation scheme. France's formal connection to the settlement ended in 1846, when the last Commissaire du Roi, Post-Captain Bérard, departed.
One of Canterbury's oldest buildings
Near the corner of Wainui Main Road and French Farm Valley Road stands an old wooden farmhouse, now sheltered under a protective structure built to preserve it from the elements. The farmhouse is a surviving structure from that first farm. The precise date of its construction is uncertain, but evidence indicates it was probably built in 1842 and certainly by 1846. Heritage New Zealand describes it as one of the oldest buildings in Canterbury.
Vineyards Old and New
Grapes were planted and grown by the early French settlers at French Farm in the 1800s, but did not persist long-term. There are vineyards there today that date from the 1980s, planted by French Peak Vineyard. The grapes and vineyard can be seen on the hillside above the bay with views across the harbour toward Ōnawe Peninsula. The wine is made off-site. Tastings and accommodation are available.
Just past the vineyard, French Farm Estate was established in 1991 as a producing winery and now operates as a weddings and accommodation venue, with a Winery Garden Bar open to visitors.
Nearby, Petit Carenage Bay takes its name from "little careening," the practice of beaching a vessel on its side to clean or repair the hull. The bay served that purpose for harbour boats before a slip was established at Duvauchelle, and supplied firewood for ships until the mid-1860s.
How to Get There
From Akaroa, take State Highway 75 north to Durchavelle, then turn south onto Wainui Main Road. The drive is 15.1 km and takes 19 minutes. French Farm Valley Road will be on your right. From Christchurch, the drive is 120 minutes, taking State Highway 75 south for 72 km.
Nearby places to visit include text, Summit Road, Pigeon Bay, Little Akaloa, Okains Bay, Le Bons Bay and Hinewai Reserve.
