Pondicherry is a name which is legendary on the mind of French people : we go there with a kind of curiosity wondering what France has left in this former trading post….
We’ve already been in the most French city of the Sub-continent 7 years ago but it let us with mixed feelings. Now that we live in Bangalore, this is only a nigh trip to go there so we knew we would go back there sooner or later ; it was finally a bit late as we waited one year and a half and a familial visit.
Going to Pondy when being a French Expat is not the same than going there being a traveler. We go there to have our French “dose” by having some perfect pastries at Baker’s Street (yes, even if its name doesn’t show, it is a a real French Bakery), by walking around in the unusual quiet streets of the “French Quarters” or re-discovering the marks of our country. Let’s admit that it’s pleasant and even sometimes funny.
Pondy is also a touristic place for Indian tourists who come for the week-end to have a taste of the “french riviera” of the Indian East Coast.
A few kilometers away, the famous utopic community of Auroville stirs up curiosities. This place attract so many people that the “Aurovillians” have protected themselves, building a tourist center where you can learn about the history of this community, taste the dishes made with local products and from where you can have a look, from far, at the Matrimandir, the futurist construction which hosts a meditation room and… that’s all.
Going ahead in the North direction, we finished our week end by re-visiting the temples and the wonderful carved walls of the seaside city of Mamallapuram (oR Mahabalipuram). The only change in 7 years is the beginning of the surf activity in the area. Historic places are still very nice but the place can be very hot: it’s better to wake up early to avoid the hottest part of the day!
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