French connections trail

Overview

The French managed to rule Pondicherry for 280 years and the indelible cast of their culture is forever writ on the landscape of this beachside city and its surrounds.But you will also very quickly discover that Pondicherry is so much more than just a pretty town by the sea. Did you know that the Romans were in Pondicherry as early as the 2nd century AD? Or that milk, Pondicherry, and Saigon are all mysteriously connected?

Behind every charming façade, you’ll find incredible stories; Quirky twists of history and unforgettable characters; a general bravely fighting a battle when the war itself was over, poets and revolutionaries hiding from the law – all of whom wove their way into the fabric of Pondicherry.

Why you will love it

• Discovering a slice of colonial France on India soil
• Uncovering the narratives of yesteryears Pondicherry
• Finding the Roman connection and Pondy’s role in it

What you will experience

Surrounded by the British in India, the French here were gritty and stayed on till much after Indian independence. They left behind a lasting influence on the local culture. We’ll explore the architecture and the ironies, the contradictions and the culture of this sea-side town. Join us on a leisure ramble through the French Quarter with its quaint boulevards and sleepy streets which can still bring the city’s colonial past. Seeped in history, every building and every corner tells a story. From the French War Memorial and Le Café building to the beginnings of the world-famous Aurobindo Ashram, the stories are surely worthy of a retelling. The ashram's connection to Bengal, the nearby Arikamedu port archaeological site linkages with ancient Rome, its Gothic churches and beach promenades recount many a tale to ponder over a coffee at one its iconic cafes.