A visiting French frigate arrived in Lyttelton Harbour early on Wednesday on its first stop in New Zealand during a maritime surveillance mission.
The Prairial and its 94 sailors are visiting a number of New Zealand ports in November and December.
The ship was built 21 years ago and is usually based in French Polynesia.
After Lyttelton, the Prairial will visit Timaru, Dunedin, Wellington and Auckland, and at each port it will be open for guided tours booked through the French Embassy.
