Puducherry: A Flavour Of France With A Hint Of Southern Spice
The tiny Union Territory of Puducherry offers all the charms of Goa in a quieter more pristine package. The French architecture of White Town is what gives PudUCherry its aesthetics. The town of Auroville has its own vibe and the people of the town have an aura of seclusion around them.
For decades, Goa have been reeling in the crowds with its promise of sun, sea, and sandy beaches. But, for those who want to escape the touristy madness, there¡¯s a new kid in town. The tiny Union Territory of Puducherry offers all the charms of Goa in a quieter more pristine package. We visited in mid-December, which turned out to be the perfect time. The crowds come in right before Christmas and the New Year.
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There are frequent flights going into Puducherry from all over the country, but the best advice we were given was to take a flight to Chennai and book a cab from Chennai to Puducherry. And I would advise the same to anybody else planning the trip. Simply for the spectacular beauty of the ECR route. Don¡¯t let your Ola or Uber driver fool you into taking the other non-scenic route. We got fooled one way and it was not worth it.
Getting about in Puducherry
Puducherry is not a huge town, so you don¡¯t have to worry if your lodging is further away from the city centre. We were living in a beautiful AirBnB villa with three rooms and a huge terrace all to ourselves, facing the sea at Serenity beach. It was almost half-an-hour away from White Town, but cabs and autos were easily available albeit a little expensive. It is preferable to have your own mode of transport if you don¡¯t want to be shelling out Rs 150-160 every time.
Though White Town has its own charm and beauty, Serenity beach was a treat for us. Waking up to the sound of the waves and the view of fishermen heading out early each morning was a soothing sight. One morning we walked up to the beach at 6 AM, it was drizzling and there were only a couple of surfers around.
However, if you are looking for a beach to play football on or have a clich¨¦ sunset beach time, the perfect match would be Paradise beach. Clean and calm with lush palm trees, it is further away from the city. One needs to get on a boat ride from Chunnambar Boat House to get to Paradise Beach, which has strict timings and hence, should be planned in advance.
Churches, cuisine, and culture
The French architecture of White Town is what gives Puducherry its aesthetics. Yellow, Pink, Peach, White ¨C houses stand out with their vibrant walls. Restaurants like Coromandel Caf¨¦ have been built within villas with giant compounds. The architecture is quintessentially, but what stood out for me was the strange mix of French and Tamil. Signboards were printed in both the languages, and the French colonial architecture of the cathedrals also show a Tamil influence.
This amalgamation is as strange as it is pretty.
If you have a taste for cathedrals, there are plenty to visit ¨C Immaculate Conception Cathedral, Basilica of the Sacred Heart, and Our Lady of Angels Church, among others.
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Walking down the length of Promenade beach in White Town, there are tons of caf¨¦s and stores to visit. Le Caf¨¦ is perfect for that evening cold coffee and Gelateria Montecatine Termi or GMT is ideal for ice cream post dinner. Aura Caf¨¦, also known as Marc¡¯s Coffe,e is ideal for an evening snack (but avoid the hot chocolate) before you catch dinner at Caf¨¦ Des Arts or pizza at Taka Pizza. If you are looking for more authentic seafood or traditional Tamil non-vegetarian dishes then check out local joints like Boston Caf¨¦ and The Daily Bread. They are not luxurious but have food that tastes great, sweet owners and cheap rates.
One of the secrets of Puducherry which is almost never highlighted is it¡¯s Hidesign factory outlet store. The production for Hidesign happens in Puducherry and hence, everything is cheaper. Save up your budget for a buy that will last you a while!
If you are visiting Puducherry, can you really miss Auroville? The entire town of Auroville has its own vibe. Grab a coffee at Bread and Chocolate and explore the town on bicycle or on foot. While we were there, we chanced upon a fair with dancers, food, music and decorations. The people of Auroville seemed to have an aura of seclusion around them, even as they welcomed visitors and conversations.
