Pondicherry is connected to Chennai by State Highway 49, known more popularly as the East Coast Road or ECR. The ECR starts at Thiruvanmiyur in Chennai and is a part of the Chennai City roads till Uthandi. Though it’s a scenic drive, and the road is in excellent condition, it’s a two-lane carriageway and that restricts your speed. Be careful of motorcyclists and buses coming the wrong way on blind curves. You’ll find enough petrol pumps and restaurants along the way, so no problems on that front. Keep your camera out since you will want to stop and take pictures at places where the water comes up to the edge of the road.
Pondicherry is referred to as ‘The French Riviera of the East’ or La Côte d’Azur de l’Est in French. The town is divided into two sections: the French Quarter (Ville Blanche or ‘White town’) and the Indian quarter (Ville Noire or ‘Black Town’).
The French controlled Pondicherry for over 280 years, and this influence is evident even today — right-angled street intersections, a boulevard that encircles the main part of town, the colonial architecture, a promenade along the beach, streets that retain their names and the bright-red kepi worn by the police. And French continues to be among the official languages of this Union Territory. But the closest you get to a ‘French’ experience is the French food at restaurants of the Hotel de l’Orient on Rue Romain Rolland or Le Club at Rue Dumas.
Ditch your car if you really want to explore Pondicherry and hire a bicycle or scooter instead. There are some shops on Mission Street that rent them.
The Promenade is the best place to begin exploring. Remember though that the 1.5-km long Goubert Avenue or Beach Road is closed to vehicular traffic from 6pm every evening to 7.30 the next morning. You can enjoy the fresh sea breeze without having to breathe in toxic fumes from exhausts, or trying to dodge speeding cars. What an excellent idea!
