The capital of the Indian district named after it, Puducherry (once Pondicherry) is a quiet, picturesque coastal town, most notable for the incongruity of its beautiful, palm-fringed, south coast beaches and the many examples of distinctively French architecture which stretch alongside them.

Once a French colony, Puducherry bears the marks of its heritage everywhere, from the long, solid sea wall to the grid-shaped layout of the streets, designed to accommodate the local Tamil population and the French in separate quarters. The neat, expansive streets of ‘French Town’ are lined with pastel-coloured buildings with high windows, columns and other neo-classical features, while those of ‘Tamil Town’ focus around the huge, covered verandas which front the houses, inviting constant social interaction - but the later buildings which incorporate both styles are by far the most interesting.

Besides being architecturally unique, Puducherry boasts a number of temples dating back as far as the Chola dynasty and even a fascinating Roman history.

Written by  larapiegeler.

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