The Langlois-Eteveneaux House is the oldest surviving building in Akaroa. It was built in the 1840s shortly after the first French settlers arrived in the harbour.
Only one other has survived from this period, and these two humble buildings are very important pieces of our New Zealand history.
The house was built in the 1840s for Aimable Langlois. He was the brother of Captain Francois Langlois, the French whaling captain who inspired the settlement of Akaroa.
At one time the cottage was thought to have been prefabricated in France, but it is constructed from pit-sawn native New Zealand timbers.
Aimable was a businessman and ran the Nanto-Bordelaise Company store in a larger building next to his small home.
After his death, the cottage was bought by Jean-Pierre Eteveneaux.
Around 1900 a new owner remodelled Aimable's original home. They wanted it to look more "French". But in spite of that we can still see how this remarkable old building must have looked almost 170 years ago when the brother of the "founder" of Akaroa built it in the new colony half a world away from France.