A Promenade through Pondicherry: The French Jewel of India

While most Indian cities have colonial British roots, Pondicherry offers a unique slice of French history in Tamil Nadu state. On this walking tour, you’ll take in the quaint and colourful former French colony and learn about the people who shaped it.

Our tour starts in front of the Marquis Dupleix Statue in Pondicherry’s White Town. You’ll make your way along Promenade Beach and deeper into the town, where I’ll show you this tropical French outpost’s significant buildings, and tell you stories about the men who built them.

You’ll see Arulmigu Manakula Vinayagar Devasthanam, a colourful Hindu temple dedicated to Lord Ganesh, and stroll through Bharathi Park Puducherry. I’ll also lead you to Black Town, where you can explore its lively temples and colourful markets, before ending our tour in front of the bustling Goubert Market, one of the oldest in the city.

On this Pondicherry tour, you’ll have a chance to:

• Hear about the great figures in India’s recent history, from Dr. Bhimrao Ramji Ambedkar (the ‘Father of India’), to Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru, independent India’s first Prime Minister
• Discover the empire behind the utopian city of nearby Auroville, and its connection with Sri Aurobindu the scholar who founded it
• Become familiar with Joseph Francois Dupleix, the man who transformed the town from a fisherman’s village
• Pop into the Puducherry Museum where you can see traces of the city’s history going as far back as the Romans
• See the beautiful colonial mansion at the Consulat Général de France (the French consulate)
• Take in the Immaculate Conception Cathedral, a rare example of baroque architecture in Pondicherry

By the end of this 75-minute tour, you’ll know the history behind the familiar names of people and places that jump out around every corner. You’ll also have a chance to visit some lovely coffee shops where you can find amazing local food.