Pondicherry

Editor's Note

Generously French in character, Puducherry, earlier known as Pondicherry, is the getaway you need to totally unwind and forget your worries at. The name Puducherry is Tamil for “New Town” and it also known as the “French Riviera of the East.” One of India’s earliest and largest French colonies, Pondicherry, or Pondy as it is lovingly called, bears an uncanny resemblance to everything French, making it an atypical travel destination. Cobbled streets, mustard yellow townhouses, sun-kissed beaches and a populace that is fluent in French are sights that you are bound to encounter in Pondy. Such an endearingly charming ambience is not found in too many places and Pondicherry has oodles of it in its architecture, food and people. The French aura is more prominent in the older part of the town with French-style houses and bakeries and you will be a little surprised, albeit pleasantly, on finding restaurants serving steak and fine wine. The newer part of town has a more Indian feel to it, but this mix of the east and west makes Pondy exceptionally fascinating. So get ready for a trip that will have you strolling the quaint streets of Pondy and sniffing at the sea air in awe. Doesn’t it sound like the best thing ever?