Akaroa's annual French Festival was set to take place this weekend, but the much-loved event, which attracts thousands of fans every year, has been postponed for the first time since its inception in 1998 because of Covid-19.
However, New Zealand's most French town is continuing with celebrations of its own.
Descended from both the French and early English settlers in Akaroa, Linda Sunderland is the Chairperson of the Comte de Paris Descendants Group, a member of the Akaroa Cemeteries Group and owner of Akaroa Guided Walks. Today she is taking a group on a guided walk through the historic Akaroa cemeteries to find out about the early history of the picturesque township.
An old photo of the Anglican cemetery in Akaroa Photo: Supplied/Linda Sunderland
