Puducherry, still widely known as Pondicherry, lies on the Coromandel Coast about 150 km south of Chennai. It was the capital of French India for nearly three centuries and became part of India only in 1954. The French heritage can still be felt in its streets, food and atmosphere, which make it one of the most relaxing towns in South India.
What to see:
- The French Quarter (White Town) – quiet tree-lined streets with yellow and white colonial villas, bougainvillea and French street names.
- Promenade Beach – the seafront walk along the Bay of Bengal, closed to traffic in the evenings, with the Gandhi statue and the old lighthouse.
- Sri Aurobindo Ashram – founded in 1926 around the philosopher Sri Aurobindo and the Mother, a place of meditation in the heart of town.
- Auroville – an international township a short drive north, founded in 1968, with the golden Matrimandir at its centre.
- Churches and temples – such as the Basilica of the Sacred Heart and the Manakula Vinayagar temple dedicated to Ganesha.
Good to know:
Puducherry is best explored on foot or by bicycle, with stops in its cafés and bakeries for French and Creole cuisine. It is usually combined with Mamallapuram and the temple towns of Tamil Nadu on a South India tour.
