Franco-Tamil Heritage of Pondicherry

The fusion of Tamil-French influence in Pondicherry is so dominant that one can easily see the contrast in everything, from lifestyle to pattern of houses, heritage to art and from food habits to mannerism. There is so much that this city can offer, that one may get confused as to what to do here.

So here are 6 things/experiences one should not miss if they are in Pondicherry:

Traverse through the French Quarter

Situated just near the sea, gives you a taste of French Lifestyle. Broad grid pattern roads, colorful houses, red bougainvillea decorated streets and the gentle breeze from the Bay of Bengal makes it a splendid affair. The White Town as it is known by many showcases a marked imprint of cultural assimilation to France. We stayed at this lovely place called The Blue Yonder at Rue Camatchi, run by Gopinath and his team. They are a bunch of wonderful people and great hosts, always ready to help out with anything and everything. You can reach them at 04134502218.

11011827_764913826963966_4035401021160726443_nTamil Heritage and Market Walk

This walk will give you an insight into Pondicherry`s rich architectural traditions. One can see the amalgamation of Franco-Tamil architecture. Explore local eateries, walk around Sunday vegetable market and experience the multitude of smell at the Fish market.

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Cafe by the Bay

Sip your orange juice and dig into that pastry. Le Cafe is a 24X7 restaurant facing the Bay of Bengal. Amazing location, they serve good coffee too but don`t experiment with food here. 10/10 for ambiance but only 5/10 of service and food quality.  What works for Le Cafe and what makes it a must visit place is its picture perfect frame.

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DSC_0168Experience Auroville

Discover an eccentric community based on the ideology of The Mother and her teachings of consciousness. At Auroville the multi-cultural confluence of individual and the collective leads to universal harmony. You can stay there at many homestays and guesthouses or take a day trip for just Rs. 100 with Auto Care Services. Enjoy a heavy lunch at The Solar Kitchen, shop till you drop for souvenirs at Miniature, Kalki, La Boutique d’Auroville, Mira Boutique. Witness the grandeur of Matrimandir which embodies spiritual significance for practitioners of Supermental Yoga.

For any information on Auroville:

Auroville Guest Services: [0413] 2622704 avguesys@auroville.org.in

Auroville Information Service: [0413] 2622239

DSC_0191For the love of stationary

Visit Sri Aurobindo Handmade Paper Factory at 50, S.V. Patel Salai. From textured paper to photo frames, ear rings to pen stands, greeting cards to envolopes, notebooks to wall hangings, you will be spoilt with options. You can also see the process of paper making there.

Soak up the sun at Paradise Beach

Just 7 Kms away from the city, you can hire a cab or simply haggle with autowallah and get a bargain for 300 Rs [to and fro] to the beach. Once you are there take a ferry which will take you to the beach [200 Rs. per person] and enjoy the spotless beauty of the coastline.

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author --
If it wasn't for some dear friends who backed out of a trip to Ladakh, Suman wouldn't have been sharing these travel stories today! It was an eye opener, her first solo trip. Beyond the shenanigans of youthful days, Suman experienced a world of many dimensions. With her words, Suman hopes to share and inspire.

11 thoughts on “Franco-Tamil Heritage of Pondicherry

  1. Wow, I would love to visit Pondicherry very soon. You have mentioned very nice facts those are really helpful for travelers. I am in love with Le Cafe already, I really want to enjoy their mouthwatering dishes, but I would like to know that if they have vegan options there or not. My friend was at Auroville a month back. Also, I loved the picture of Paradise Beach.

  2. Wow, I would love to visit Pondicherry very soon. You have mentioned very nice facts those are really helpful for travelers. I am in love with Le Cafe already, I really want to enjoy their mouthwatering dishes, but I would like to know that if they have vegan options there or not. My friend was at Auroville a month back. Also, I loved the picture of Paradise Beach.

  3. This was a totally unknown place to me so your article have been very informative to me! It definitely seems like a cool place to visit!

  4. I have not heard of Pondicherry before (sadly) so reading this article is quite interesting for me. I love exploring places with unique cultural features, so this place sounds like an ideal destination for me in my future trip to India 🙂 Thanks for sharing.

    1. That will be great, whenever you decide to come down to India, do let me know. I can guide you with the itinerary. Thanks for your comment.

  5. I’ve heard of Auroville before and thought it looked like an interesting place to visit. It comes across as a very peaceful place.

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